Inspired by J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book series, the television series will include seven seasons, each season titled after one of her books, making the first season of the show titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The first episode will be released on Christmas of this year only on HBO, and available to stream on HBO Max.
The young wizard Harry Potter will be played by child actor Dominic McLaughlin. His best friends, Hermonie Granger and Ron Weasley, are played by child actors Arabella Stanton and Alastait Stout.
Arabella Stanton (left), Dominic McLaughlin (middle), Alastait Stout (right)
The trailer itself first opens with a shot of the Dursley home, and we see Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. It shows glimpses of the abuse that Harry endures living with them in his cupboard “room” under the stairs. The trailer shows the darker side of Harry’s life in the Muggle world, especially the bullying he faces at school and from his cousin Dudley along with his motley crew, which was something not mentioned as much in the film series.
Other than the saddest moments of Harry’s life, we also get to see the more heartwarming ones, such as his relationship with Hagrid before enrolling into Hogwarts. We also get to see a first magical look at Harry’s true home, the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. So many shots were featured in the trailer like the Entrance Hall with the sweeping staircase, the light and airy greenhouses, and the iconic Gryffindor common room. So many magical details that were merely backgrounds in the original films and now with the series, shown in much more detail and with so much to still see!
If you would like to get more information on the trailer, the official Harry Potter website is linked here.
The majority of fans believed that the casting was well done for the series, but there were others who did not agree.
Most did not mind the new cast, but the new actor for Severus Snape’s character was receiving a lot of hate. Paapa Essiedu, who is playing the Hogwarts professor, has received a lot of racist abuse and threats from those who believe a Black man should not be playing the fictional wizard. It is extremely distasteful, as nobody deserves to be treated differently for doing their job. It is understandable to want book accuracy, but this behavior becomes concerning when certain fans get angry if something is not to their expectations. When the show is released, the audience should go in unbiased, watching purely for the connection they share with this beloved series.
I, for one, am thrilled to watch the series as I have been a fan for many years. There are so many parts to look forward to and I cannot wait to see it on the big screen. This is also an exciting journey for the actors and the amount of praise they will receive for such an amazing project!