HBO’s new Harry Potter series will be scored by Hans Zimmer, the award-winning composer behind Interstellar, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Gladiator and countless other blockbusters.
Zimmer will work with Kara Talve and Anže Rozman from Bleeding Fingers Music, an Emmy Award-winning collective of muscians he co-founded, to produce the new Harry Potter TV series score. Their work will first be heard when the show launches via HBO Max in 2027.
Warner Bros.’ previous Harry Potter movie series initially featured a soundtrack from the legendary John Williams, though other composers took over for later entries. Still, Williams’ themes remained throughout, and became synonymous with the franchise’s sound. It’ll be interesting to hear how Zimmer takes this legacy on.
“The musical legacy of Harry Potter is a touch point for composers everywhere and we are humbled to join such a remarkable team on a project of this magnitude,” Zimmer said. “The responsibility is something that myself, Kara Talve and Anže Rozman do not take lightly. Magic is all around us, often just beyond reach, but as in the world of Harry Potter, you simply must look for it. With this score we hope to bring audiences that little bit closer to it whilst honoring what has come before.”
While it is unlikely Zimmer will include Williams’ themes in this new soundtrack, his statement suggests the sound of HBO’s series likely won’t feel like a huge departure from what fans have come to expect from the wizarding series.
Zimmer’s back catalogue extends to more than 500 projects which have collectively grossed more than $28 billion at the box office. His scores for The Lion King and Dune won Oscars, and he is also the recipient of three Golden Globe Awards, five Grammy Awards and a BAFTA. You’ll have heard his work in The Pirates of the Caribbean series, Black Hawk Down, Inception, No Time to Die, Man of Steel and Top Gun: Maverick.
Filming for HBO’s series began last year, with various glimpses spotted by fans including work on fresh scenes not from the prior movies or books. Notable cast members include John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Paapa Essidu as Severus Snape and Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley. Sherlock actress Louise Brealey has now been spotted as Quidditch teacher Madam Rolanda Hooch, while Game of Thrones’ Anton Lesser portrays legendary wandmaker Garrick Ollivander. Alongside all the new faces, one familiar actor will return: Star Wars and Willow actor Warwick Davies is back as Professor Flitwick.
The Harry Potter TV series is expected to debut on HBO in early 2027, with an eight-episode first season. Subsequent seasons will adapt each of the Harry Potter books in turn, with their release expected to last much of the next decade.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
