There’s great news for life-long Harry Potter fans – a Harry Potter reunion is bringing back most of the original cast, including stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint.
The one-off HBO Max reunion special, titled Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, will celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the big-screen Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the first movie adaptation in the wizarding franchise, and will see actors Radcliffe, Watson and Grint join others to discuss the making of the film.
Return to Hogwarts comes in the wake of the reunion special for the Friends cast, which was also released on HBO Max earlier this year.
“This retrospective is a tribute to everyone whose lives were touched by this cultural phenomenon – from the talented cast and crew who poured their heart and soul into this extraordinary film franchise to the passionate fans who continue to keep the Wizarding World spirit alive 20 years later,” explained Tom Ascheim, who is the president of Warner Bros’ Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics sections.
“There’s magic in the air here with this incredible cast, as they all return home to the original sets of Hogwarts, where they began 20 years ago,” added executive producer Casey Patterson.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Harry Potter reunion special, including release date, cast, trailer and streaming information.
Harry Potter reunion special release date
Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts will be released on HBO Max on New Year’s Day 2022.
A press release confirming the special revealed that it will “tell an enchanting making-of story through all-new in-depth interviews and cast conversations, inviting fans on a magical first-person journey through one of the most beloved film franchises of all time”.
Alongside actors Radcliffe, Watson and Grint, the director of the first two films, Chris Columbus, will also join the TV special to “honour the magic behind the making of the films and the beautiful family created at Warner Bros Studios London two decades ago”.
Which cast members are returning for the Harry Potter reunion?
!["Harry]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/01/harry-potter-deathly-hallows-2-2485dab.jpg?quality=90&crop=355px%2C48px%2C1945px%2C1296px&resize=620%2C413" "\"Harry")
©Warner Brothers Intl Television
Long-time Harry Potter fans will be thrilled to hear that stars Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) and Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) will join director Chris Columbus and other famous faces for the event.
Watson recently spoke out about the upcoming reunion, writing on Instagram: “Harry Potter was my home, my family, my world and Hermione (still is) my favourite fictional character of all time. I think a journalist once said it was irritating how many times during an interview I mentioned how lucky I was and started counting… BUT I DAMN WELL KNEW!!! And still know.
“Thank you to the fans that have continued to show their support well after the last chapter closed. The magic of the world wouldn’t exist without you. Thank you for fighting to make it such an inclusive and loving place.”
Other cast members confirmed to be taking part include Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid), Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange), and Gary Oldman (Sirius Black). The stars will be returning to the original Hogwarts boarding school sets in London, where the first film was made.
Harry Potter reunion special trailer
The feature will “tell an enchanting making-of story through all-new, in-depth interviews and cast conversations”, according to HBO Max.
A trailer for the event has been released by the platform and can be found below.
For the first time ever, the legendary cast returns to where the magic started. Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: #ReturnToHogwarts, streaming New Year’s Day, only on HBO Max. International release coming soon. pic.twitter.com/53bHAf0WTY
— HBO Max (@hbomax) November 16, 2021
How can I watch HBO Max in the UK?
Unfortunately, HBO Max is not currently available in the UK.
But Harry Potter fans need not fear for, following in the footsteps of HBO’s Friends: The Reunion, it is likely that the Harry Potter special will air in the UK on Sky Max via Sky TV as well as becoming available on Sky’s streaming service NOW, which is the UK home of HBO original content such as Succession and Game of Thrones.
However, a UK transmission date has yet to be confirmed and fans will have to wait a bit longer to find out more.
In addition to its release on 1st January 2021 on HBO Max, the reunion special will also air on TBS and Cartoon Network in Spring 2022 in the run-up to the theatrical release of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.
Will JK Rowling be part of the Harry Potter reunion special?
The special won’t be attended by writer JK Rowling, who created the Harry Potter Wizarding World universe.
She is, however, expected to appear in the special via archived footage.
The author’s controversial comments about transgender issues have faced a great deal of debate in recent months.
Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts arrives on HBO Max in the US on January 1, 2022. A UK transmission date has yet to be confirmed.