All-New Look at ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ Has Fans Talking

A new look at Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone has been released by Rotten Tomatoes, giving fans another preview of HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter television series.

The series is a brand-new adaptation of J. K. Rowling’s original Harry Potter books and is being developed for HBO in partnership with Warner Bros. Television, Brontë Film & TV, and Heyday Films. It is planned as a long-running project that will retell the entire book series over multiple seasons, with the first season focused on Philosopher’s Stone.

The show is set to premiere on December 25, on HBO in the United States and on HBO Max globally. This first season will include eight episodes and is intended to closely follow the story of the original novel. It has already been renewed for a second season, which will cover Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

The series introduces a completely new cast for the main trio. Dominic McLaughlin plays Harry Potter, a young boy who discovers he is a wizard after living an unhappy childhood with the Dursleys. Alastair Stout takes on the role of Ron Weasley, Harry’s loyal best friend from the Weasley family. Arabella Stanton plays Hermione Granger, a highly intelligent Muggle-born witch who quickly becomes part of the core trio. Stanton is also set to voice a younger version of Hermione in upcoming audiobook adaptations.

The adult cast includes well-known actors in key Hogwarts roles. John Lithgow plays Albus Dumbledore, the wise headmaster of Hogwarts. Janet McTeer appears as Professor McGonagall, while Paapa Essiedu takes on the role of Severus Snape. Nick Frost plays Rubeus Hagrid, the Hogwarts groundskeeper who introduces Harry to the wizarding world.

The supporting cast includes Rory Wilmot as Neville Longbottom, Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy, and Leo Earley as Seamus Finnigan. Other students from Gryffindor and Slytherin are also part of the ensemble, helping bring the school environment of Hogwarts to life in detail. Warwick Davis also returns as Professor Flitwick, reprising his role from the earlier film series.

The story follows Harry’s first year at Hogwarts, where he forms close friendships with Ron and Hermione while discovering more about his past and the growing threat of Lord Voldemort. The series focuses on their early adventures and the mysteries surrounding the wizarding world.

According to production updates, development on the series began back in 2021, with casting efforts intensifying in 2024. After a large global casting search, the three lead actors were officially selected in 2025. Filming began in July 2025 at Leavesden Studios in England.

The creative team is led by showrunner Francesca Gardiner and director Mark Mylod, with the goal of creating a faithful and detailed adaptation of the original books. The series is planned as a long-term project, designed to expand each book into its own season and explore the story in greater depth than previous adaptations.

With the new preview released by Rotten Tomatoes, anticipation continues to build as fans get their first glimpses of this new version of Hogwarts and its characters ahead of its holiday debut.

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