news
Published on Sep 1st 2026
You’ve waited long enough: we’re beyond excited to reveal the magical new teaser for the first season of the original Harry Potter television series, coming to HBO Max this Christmas!
Find a comfortable seat and feast your eyes on this magnificent new look at Harry’s first year…
Everything you need to know from the new teaser trailer
When this series was first announced, it promised to be not only faithful to the books but add a “degree of depth and detail” we’ve never seen before. From magical moments to book-first details and brand new scenes, this trailer certainly delivers on this promise! Here are our favourite new discoveries…
Hermione’s journey to Hogwarts
One of the first scenes in this teaser is one we’ve never even seen in the books before: Hermione first walking through the Hogwarts Express. Naturally, she’s already in her new school robes, but looking much shyer than when she enters Harry and Ron’s compartment. Understandable really, seeing as she’s never met a witch or wizard before! Approaching Lavender Brown and Hannah Abbott (in their excellent 90s attire) Hermione nervously asks them a classic Hermione question: “Did you love the summer reading?” They do not look impressed. Poor Hermione… best find a seat elsewhere.
Ron’s got mail
Hermione isn’t the only character we meet before Harry does. In this teaser we get a peek into The Burrow, which isn’t mentioned until nearly a year later in the books. This scene tells you so much about the Weasley family in just a few seconds. Ron’s first Hogwarts letter is delivered and immediately becomes the victim of collateral sandwich damage, Fred and George’s ketchup splattering all over it. And did you spot Percy receiving his shiny new prefect badge, with the proud Mrs Weasley looking on? Wonder if he’ll keep mentioning that.
The Sorting Hat leaps off the page
From that majestic birds-eye view of Professor McGonagall leading the first-years through the Great Hall, to Lavender’s less-than-reassuring words to her classmates (“no pressure”), the Sorting Ceremony is certainly getting the grandeur it deserves. We especially appreciate how the Sorting Hat speaks just as described in the Philosopher’s Stone book: “A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth.” It’s just like we imagined when reading it for the first time!
A f-f-fleeting f-f-first look
The eagle-eyed among you may have noticed a certain Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher sat at the teachers’ table while Harry is getting sorted… we’re sure that head wrap is just for fashion.
A feast for the eyes
Most of us would love to attend Hogwarts for the magic… but let’s be honest, the food is also a contributing factor. In this teaser we get to see the delectable delights of Hogwarts catering. From the Start of Year Feast, a book-accurate roast dinner that springs up haphazardly from the kitchens below (mind the rogue Yorkshire Puddings!), to the delicious looking breakfast spread… we’re salivating. Seriously, we’re still thinking about Ron’s croissant.
Hermione’s ‘tricky little charm’
In what must be our most rewatched moment of the whole teaser, we get to see Hermione in the Gryffindor Common Room performing a spell only mentioned in the books. Flourishing her wand like the superstar she is, she puts that familiar ‘tricky little charm’(as it was described in the first book) on the homemade Gryffindor Quidditch banner, making the paint light up and the lion roar. We quite literally cheered.
The Quidditch hype is real
From house colour clad students banging on the tables in the Great Hall, to that Gryffindor team huddle in changing rooms, the buzz of excitement before a Quidditch match at Hogwarts has never been more palpable. Then there are the games themselves: as we switch to Harry’s point of view, zooming after the Snitch on his Nimbus 2000, we hear the crowd roar and can almost feel the wind in our faces. As Ron says, “Go Harry!”
Ron and Draco’s scuffle in the stands
Another book moment shown for the first time in this series is Gryffindor’s Quidditch match against Hufflepuff. If you’ve read Philosopher’s Stone, you’ll know how it ends… and we’re not just talking about the result of the match. Notice that Ron is stood directly in front of Draco Malfoy in the stands? And when he congratulates Harry after the game, he has a bloody nose? Safe to say that his scramble with Draco has made it from the page to the screen.
Quidditch isn’t the only sport
One of the most heartwarming things about this teaser is getting a better look at how the golden trio become friends. In a new scene for this series, we witness Harry and Ron having a pillow fight in their Gryffindor dormitory (which is quite frankly adorable). However, look closely and you’ll spot yet another easter egg. Yes, true to the books, Dean Thomas’s West Ham football posters are up on the walls! He is a die-hard fan after all.
Class is in session
It’s not all fun and games; this teaser dives into Harry’s first year lessons, beginning with our first ever look at the students receiving their school timetables by owl! If you pause, you’ll be able to see all Harry’s classes for the week beautifully written out and colour-coded, including…
That Transfiguration lesson
In another joyful moment for the booklovers, we enter Harry’s first Transfiguration class… which sees him trying (and failing) to turn a match into a needle, just as described in Philosopher’s Stone. By the way, that incantation he’s muttering is “Acufors.” We’re trying it now and will report back if it works!
Into the greenhouse
In another screen first, we join the first-years for a Herbology lesson. As expected, Neville is a natural; we nearly spat out our pumpkin juice at Lavender Brown’s facial expression when he pulled an enormous Mangelwurzel out of his pot. As to why Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan are playing hot potato with their plant… we’d rather not know.
Monstrous encounters
It wouldn’t be a year at Hogwarts without a bit of mortal danger. Firstly, we witness the golden trio (plus Neville, as per the book) scream as they first stumble across our favourite three-headed pooch, Fluffy. Then there’s the troll. With its slimy skin pulled over its eyes and that saliva-filled roar, it’s definitely fit for Hallowe’en. Good luck fighting that one, boys
A moment for the knitwear
We interrupt this trailer breakdown to draw your attention to all the fluffy jumpers, snuggly dressing gowns, hats and scarves. This new series has cosy core down to a fine art. Although honourable mention also must go to fashion icon Seamus in his 90s-tastic Quidditch tracksuit.
A word from the teachers
We get to hear some of the teachers speaking for the first time… and everything they say is very on brand. Never seen on screen or in the books before, Harry has a one-on-one meeting with Professor McGonagall, where she gives him some sage advice for the year: “Mr Potter, I expect you to work hard, find what sparks your interest, and make solid friendships.” Strict but fair.
Then there’s another new scene between Dumbledore and McGonagall, where the Headmaster tells her, “We can’t protect them. We can only prepare them.” Enigmatic.
Finally, Snape gets his say: “Let’s hope you show some talent on the Quidditch pitch, Potter. You’ve certainly not exhibited any here.” Ruthless. 10/10 all around.
More iconic Philosopher’s Stone moments
Towards the end of the trailer, we get fleeting looks at some of the most memorable revelations from Harry’s adventurous first year. To name a few:
• Harry dons the Invisibility Cloak for the first time and uses it to discover the bittersweet power of the Mirror of Erised
• Draco barely conceals his nerves as he enters the Forbidden Forest for that detention
• Hermione prepares to go ‘Through the Trapdoor’
• Ron is about to play the game of his life on the giant wizard chessboard
‘A bit of light reading’
To cap off the trailer’s explosive finale, we’re aptly brought back to the central mystery of the story… the Philosopher’s Stone itself. A quick skim of Hermione’s library book, and we’re ready to investigate everything about Nicolas Flamel.
Mysteries yet to be uncovered…
We hope we’ve given you some new crumbs to digest when you inevitably watch this trailer another 10 times. However, we will leave some secrets under wraps: like why are those wizards running across a bridge and lighting up willow trees with their wands? And who is that mysterious hooded figure approaching the thatched roof? Time will tell…
“Big day lads! How are we feeling?”
So there you have it – for now. There’s so much more to come, so stay tuned between now and Christmas as more magic is revealed.
The series will debut Christmas 2026 on HBO and will be available to stream exclusively on HBO Max where it’s available, including recent launch markets Germany, Italy, and the UK & Ireland.
You can learn absolutely everything we already know about the Harry Potter television series right here – and do sign up for our newsletter to get all the latest owl post as soon as we have it.
The series, based on J.K. Rowling’s beloved books, is written and executive produced by Francesca Gardiner. Mark Mylod will executive produce and direct multiple episodes of the series for HBO in association with Brontë Film and TV and Warner Bros. Television. The series is executive produced by J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair, and Ruth Kenley-Letts of Brontë Film and TV, and David Heyman of Heyday Films.
