By: Chad W. Shreeves

Since its announcement, fans of the Wizarding World have been eagerly anticipating HBO’s upcoming television reboot of ‘Harry Potter’. The franchise remains one of the most iconic film franchises of all time. There have been many fans hoping the series could expand and feature content cut from their film adaptations. Because of this, the producers have announced when the series is expected to begin filming.

During Max’s slate presentation earlier today, ‘Harry Potter’ co-showrunner Mark Mylod confirmed that development is progressing. And, perhaps most importantly, they’re planning to begin filming in the summer of 2025. This would put the series on track for its planned 2026 release date.

Mylod confirmed that they had a whopping 32,000 child actors auditioning for all of the roles. They are going through each one to find the right casting as of now. He also noted that no casting for any characters have been finalized,(although The Hollywood Reporter reports that British Actor Paapa Essiedu is the frontrunner to play Severus Snape) but they’re sticking to character’s ages from the books.

It was also noted during the presentation by writer and co-showrunner Francesca Gardiner that they’re planning on taking a “more faithful” approach to the books. She even stated that there will be areas of the world and Hogwarts in particular that were never explored in the films. Each season is projected to expand upon one full novel from the acclaimed fantasy series.

The original films, an eight film series, have become beloved by fans for their grand scale, epic action, and sense of adventure. The films, with the novels that inspired them, became a global success. This carried on two multiple spinoffs, including the divisive ‘Fantastic Beasts’ series. The films also went on to be featured at multiple Universal Studios theme parks across the globe.

HBO has been on a tremendous run the last few years, with hits such as ‘The Penguin’, ‘The Last of Us’, ‘Succession’, and others becoming some of the most award winning and celebrated shows on television every year. Adding another huge IP such as ‘Harry Potter’ can go a long way toward increasing their catalog.

More details from ‘Harry Potter’ should be made available in the coming months, including final casting announcements.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

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