The Magic Returns—With More Chapters This Time
After more than a decade away from the screen, the Wizarding World is coming back—this time, with pages left unturned.
HBO is officially rebooting the Harry Potter TV show, and while it’s still in early production, the new Harry Potter series promises to be a more faithful, slow-burn adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s original novels. Each season will cover one book, giving ample time to explore the Hogwarts experience beyond the films’ time constraints.
The series is expected to launch in 2026, and the confirmed Harry Potter HBO series cast already includes some bold choices:
- John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore
- Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape (yes, that Snape)
- Nick Frost as Hagrid
- Janet McTeer as Professor McGonagall
- Luke Thallon as Professor Quirrell
- Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch
While the trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermione hasn’t been cast yet, the internet is already buzzing with speculation—and nostalgia. The new Harry Potter cast has big shoes to fill, but also a massive opportunity to bring long-lost moments from the books to life.
So what might this new Harry Potter series finally get right? Here are 10 scenes and storylines the actors of Harry Potter never got to bring to the big screen—but just might in the HBO version.
1. Peeves the Poltergeist
Let’s start with the elephant (or poltergeist) in the room. Peeves, a core member of the book’s supporting Harry Potter characters, was completely cut from the original films. In the books, he’s hilarious, chaotic, and plays a surprisingly key role in the Battle of Hogwarts.
In the HBO Harry Potter show, he needs to show up—and maybe even steal the scene.
2. Hermione’s S.P.E.W. Campaign
Remember when Hermione formed the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare? No? That’s because the films axed this subplot completely.
This story added nuance to her character and raised uncomfortable questions about the magical society’s social hierarchies. The Harry Potter TV show could bring that political edge to life—and give Emma Watson fans a new reason to stan the rebooted version.
3. The Marauders’ Hogwarts Years
If you’re a fan of Snape Harry Potter flashbacks, you probably know this arc deserved way more time. The complex, messy teenage history between James, Sirius, Lupin, Peter, and Snape is practically a prequel on its own.
We want to see the full Marauders era in all its glory—and heartbreak.
4. The Tale of the Three Brothers—As the Books Told It
The Deathly Hallows animated sequence in the films was iconic, but a series format gives the reboot room to go even deeper. The original story is dark, folklore-heavy, and deeply rooted in the magical world’s mythology.
Let’s see the storybook version as it was told by Beedle the Bard—haunting and heavy with foreshadowing.
5. Harry’s Internal Monologue
This is where TV can shine. Unlike movies, a show can linger in the quiet. The books gave us rich access to Harry’s thoughts—his fears, guilt, doubt, and moral dilemmas.
The Harry Potter HBO reboot could finally deliver a fuller emotional portrait of its lead.
6. All the Ghosts of Hogwarts
Nearly Headless Nick got some screen time—but what about the Bloody Baron, The Grey Lady, or The Fat Friar? These Harry Potter characters played background roles in the films, but in the books, they had backstories, allegiances, and a surprising impact on major events.
Time to let the ghosts speak.
7. Dumbledore’s Full Backstory
We got bits and pieces in Deathly Hallows—but the films barely scratched the surface of Dumbledore’s troubled past, his family’s tragedies, or his relationship with Grindelwald.
With John Lithgow now joining the Harry Potter HBO series cast as Dumbledore, there’s a real chance for a deeper, messier, more vulnerable take on the character.
8. Percy Weasley’s Estrangement
A lot of casual viewers don’t even remember that Percy Weasley defected to the Ministry of Magic. His falling out with the family—and emotional redemption during the Battle of Hogwarts—was a moving arc in the books.
With more runtime per season, we’re hoping for a full circle moment.
9. The House Elf Revolution
Yes, Dobby dies a hero—but there’s so much more to the house elf narrative. The Kreacher redemption arc, the abuse in pureblood households, and the cultural blind spots of wizarding society all get glossed over in the films.
The new Harry Potter series could flesh this out—and give the elves their due.
10. A Fuller Year at Hogwarts
Above all, we want Hogwarts to feel like home again.
Give us the classes, the feasts, the Quidditch matches. The everyday magic. The things that made us love the idea of spending seven years at a boarding school with a talking hat and a temperamental staircase.
A faithful Harry Potter adaptation means more than plot accuracy—it means bringing the feeling of the books back to life.
Final Spell
The Harry Potter TV show won’t erase the films, but it might finally complete the vision. For longtime fans, this is a chance to revisit moments that were lost to the cutting room floor. For a new generation, it’s a chance to fall in love all over again—with the full story this time.
And if Peeves finally shows up? We’ll be first in line.
