When it comes to upcoming book adaptations to look forward to, few pale in comparison to finally seeing the Harry Potter series in the form of a TV show. As casting rumors have recently been heating up for key roles, Max has announced a direct connection that the series will have with the beloved movies. Honestly, it’s a great (if not practical choice) that I know is going to get me all sorts of nostalgic.
As Max announced on Twitter, the upcoming production will officially be filmed in Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden this coming summer! Check out the tweet below:
Wands at the ready. The upcoming HBO Original Series, #HarryPotter, will be filming at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden with production beginning in Summer 2025 and coming to Max. pic.twitter.com/6JSOA20w52December 5, 2024
Now, Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden is the exact location where the original Harry Potter movies were filmed for a decade in the 2000s.
Not long after the movies wrapped up production with Deathly Hallows Part 2, the Warner Bros. property opened up the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter exhibition. That has allowed fans to venture to the location where the movies were filmed and see the immersive sets for themselves. It’s not currently known how the series' production will affect the popular England destination. However, why wouldn’t the series reuse sets like the Great Hall, Diagon Alley, the Ministry of Magic and so forth with them still being set up in Leavesden?
Of course, they might be building new sets there too. However, no matter what happens, the use of the same studio marks a very distinct and wonderful connection between the new show and the beloved films.
Thus far, we know that Warner Bros. Discovery is committed to making a faithful adaptation of the books with a deeper dive into each one for long-form television. Succession’s Francesca Gardiner is the showrunner on the series, and J.K. Rowling is serving as executive producer. Considering Max previously announced that the show would premiere in 2026, news that it will begin production next year places it right on schedule.
Currently, the production is enveloped in the casting process of the series, with Academy Award winner Mark Rylance rumored to be up for the role of Dumbledore and I May Destroy You’s Paapa Essiedu apparently in talks for Snape. Considering much of the main cast are young children, HBO did an open casting call to find Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and more.
While we don't know for sure how the show will use its studio, as someone who grew up with the original movies, I love the idea of it using the same practical sets that helped make the movies so special. They are precious locations that people travel far and wide to see every day, and I think it will add something extra delightful to see some of the same spaces used for this new generation of Harry Potter.
The original sets were actually just used for Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking, which had James and Oliver Phelps returning to the original locations with bakers, fans and prior co-stars, and they are absolutely gorgeous to look upon. I’m happy Warner Bros. is making use of the location for the new series, and I can't wait to see what they create when the show becomes available for those with a Max subscription.
