According to The Sunday Times the full details of the upcoming Harry Potter TV adaptations have been revealed. It is near 30 years since Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was published and a lavish television adaptation is in the works – bringing Hogwarts to a new generation.
All seven books will be adapted by HBO across a decade and at a budget of over $200 million per series. Warners decided to move the project to HBO’s max brand given the sheer scale and prestige of the production.
“The benefit to the UK from Harry Potter is probably incalculable. It’s not just the box office, the merchandise, the tourists or the tours arising from the books, but the resurgence of big UK film and TV production that came in the wake of the Potter films”
Tom Harrington, an analyst at Enders Analysis
Next year, shooting will start at Leavesden in Watford, where the original films were made, and 14 years after the final film was released. More importantly, Watford is the birthplace of Toys ’n’ Playthings and we like to think that our reputation influenced the HBO decision. The first series is expected to hit TV screens in 2026. It means that, by the end of the series, Potter books, films, video games, theatre and spin-off movies like Fantastic Beasts will have delivered near 40 solid years of entertainment.
Tom Harrington, an analyst at Enders Analysis, said: “The benefit to the UK from Harry Potter is probably incalculable. It’s not just the box office, the merchandise, the tourists or the tours arising from the books, but the resurgence of big UK film and TV production that came in the wake of the Potter films.”
The creative team, including showrunner Francesca Gardiner, is largely in place and the next stage is casting.
Channing Dungey, chair of Warner Bros Television, said: “The tricky part is the first two books, where the kids are on the younger end, around 11 or 12. So, if you’re 12, have a little acting experience and a passing knowledge of wizardry, you could be eligible for one of the most sought-after jobs in the UK.”
