When Does the Harry Potter Series Come Out?

Short answer: HBO promises to premiere the first season of the Harry Potter series at Christmas 2026. HBO’s press releases say the series will debut on HBO and will be available to watch on HBO Max, and English and Ukrainian Wikipedia give an exact date: December 25, 2026. The first season is titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and has eight episodes. We rely on HBO press releases and on Wikipedia with links to its sources, and we do not repeat rumors. No spoilers: about the plot, only what HBO itself has made public.

What is officially known about season 1

When	What happened
April 2023	Warner Bros. Discovery announced the series at an investor presentation
June 2024	Francesca Gardiner became showrunner and Mark Mylod director of several episodes; the project moved from Max to HBO
July 14, 2025	Filming began at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, where the Harry Potter films were also shot
January 15, 2026	HBO announced that the music would be written by Hans Zimmer and the studio Bleeding Fingers; at that time the premiere was announced for 2027
March 25, 2026	The first official teaser and a new date: Christmas 2026
May 2026	The series was renewed for a second season
September 2, 2026	The second official teaser for the first season

When exactly is the premiere

In its press releases of March 25 and 27 and September 2, 2026, HBO says the same thing: the series will debut at Christmas 2026 on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max. These texts give no specific day or time; the date of December 25, 2026, comes from Wikipedia, which cites reports published on the day of the announcement. Interestingly, the January press release about the music still promised the premiere for 2027, so in March it was moved closer. HBO has not separately announced the release time for Ukraine.

Who is in the cast

According to HBO’s press release, Harry Potter is played by Dominic McLaughlin, Hermione Granger by Arabella Stanton and Ron Weasley by Alastair Stout. The adult characters at Hogwarts are played by John Lithgow (Albus Dumbledore), Janet McTeer (Minerva McGonagall), Paapa Essiedu (Severus Snape) and Nick Frost (Rubeus Hagrid). Others include Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy, Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley and Warwick Davis, who, according to Wikipedia, returns to the role of Professor Flitwick from the films. Francesca Gardiner is the writer and an executive producer, and Mark Mylod directs several episodes; the executive producers also include J.K. Rowling and David Heyman. According to Wikipedia, Kit Harington will play Gilderoy Lockhart in the second season.

What is known about the plot

The first season adapts the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (1997). HBO’s official description goes like this: Aunt Petunia always insists there is nothing special about Harry, but on his eleventh birthday a letter of acceptance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry opens up a hidden world of friendship and magic for him, and with it a danger from his past. The second season, according to Wikipedia, will be based on Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: in September 2026 it was already being filmed at Leavesden, but there is no premiere date for the second season.

Teasers and the viewing record

Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the Harry Potter YouTube channel

Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the Harry Potter YouTube channel

HBO Max showed the first teaser on March 25, 2026, at the presentation of the service’s launch in the UK and Ireland. As early as March 27, HBO announced that in its first 48 hours the video had gained more than 277 million organic (non-paid) views across platforms and had become the most-watched trailer in HBO and HBO Max history, exceeding the previous record by more than double. The second official teaser came out on September 2, 2026. Both videos are on the official Harry Potter YouTube channel.

Where to watch in Ukraine

HBO Max works in Ukraine: the service’s official Ukrainian page lists the Standard plan at 7.99 EUR and the Premium plan at 9.99 EUR per month, and its content includes a collection of eight Harry Potter films. HBO says the series will be available on HBO Max wherever the service is available. There has been no official word yet on whether the series will have Ukrainian dubbing.

If you want other HBO fantasy before Christmas, see our selection of series similar to Game of Thrones. For the dates of other premieres, see our article on when Wednesday season 3 comes out.

Frequently asked questions

When does the Harry Potter series come out?

HBO promises to premiere the first season at Christmas 2026. Wikipedia gives an exact date: December 25, 2026.

How many episodes will the first season have?

Eight. The season is titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

Who plays Harry, Ron and Hermione?

Harry is played by Dominic McLaughlin, Ron by Alastair Stout and Hermione by Arabella Stanton.

Will there be a second season?

Yes. According to Wikipedia, in May 2026 HBO renewed the series for a second season based on Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. There is no release date for it.

Where can I watch the series in Ukraine?

On HBO Max: the service works in Ukraine, and HBO says the series will be available on HBO Max wherever the service is available.