The first trailer for the upcoming Harry Potter show is here, revealing a first look at how HBO is bringing classic Hogwarts staff and students to TV with the story of the Philosopher’s Stone this Christmas.
This early look at the much-talked-about television adaptation, officially titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, comes in at just over two minutes long and teases events that call back to Harry’s (Dominic McLaughlin) first year at the school of witchcraft and wizardry. Those who have seen the original 2001 movie or read the source material will recognize more than a few of the moments shown in today’s trailer, with the footage also teasing appearances from John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, and many, many more.
“There is nothing special about Harry Potter – at least that’s what his Aunt Petunia always says,” an official description for the Harry Potter show says. “On his 11th birthday, a letter of admittance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry opens up a hidden world for Harry: one of fun, friendship and magic. But with this new adventure comes great risk as Harry is forced to face a dangerous enemy from his past.”
The trailer begins where it all started: The Boy Who Lived is living with the Dursley family before being whisked away on a magical journey. From there, we see Frost’s Hagrid reminiscing about Harry’s parents before Ron and Hermione eventually enter the picture. As fans are reminded of moments from stories they’ve enjoyed for decades, the real reveals come in the form of sneak peeks at major players from the Wizarding World universe.
Janet McTeer shows up for a few glimpses at her take on professor Minerva McGonagall, for example, with another blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment giving us a shot of Lithgow with a full white beard as Dumbledore. Other cast highlights include a first look at Lox Pratt as an already smug Draco Malfoy, and Paapa Essiedu as the mysterious Severus Snape.
The Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone TV show will run for eight episodes when it premieres on HBO Max this December. The show’s first season will carry the same name as the book it’s based on, but as the company teases that seasons won’t stream annually, it’s unclear how it will tackle the material going forward.
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Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
