PremiumHarry Potter TV series: How many episodes will the first season have? Here's everything we know so far
The Harry Potter TV series has become the talk of the town and some confirmed details after a long while have set the ball rolling again.
Harry Potter TV Series Episode Count Revealed
Last Updated: 05.38 PM, Dec 07, 2024
It is turning out to be a field day for Potterheads, who are finally getting some solid, confirmed updates about the much-anticipated Harry Potter TV series. For the uninitiated, HBO is developing a TV series based on J.K. Rowling’s works, which will delve into the early history of the Wizarding World. Here, we’ll see younger versions of all the beloved characters from the movies tackle the challenges of their time. The show, touted to be one of the biggest productions in the coming years with a mysterious budget, is initially planned to span eight seasons. However, until now, no one knew how many episodes the first season would have.
Harry Potter TV Series Episode Count Revealed
Yesterday, showrunner Francesca Gardiner (Succession) and executive producer Mark Mylod (The Last of Us), alongside Casey Bloys, appeared at the Max Showcase, where they revealed signif icant updates about the Harry Potter TV series. While it was confirmed that casting is still underway and that the show will remain faithful to the source material as canon, questions remained about the season's format: Would it be a miniseries or a long-format show?
Francesca Gardiner has now confirmed that they have eight hours to tell the story of the first season. She also revealed that the show will consist of eight episodes, each spanning one hour. "We have 8 hours to tell the first book, so we can dig into the real depths and crevices and how the language of magic can evolve," she explained.
Harry Potter TV Series Filming Update
Sharing updates about the series’ development at the event and later on Instagram, the makers of the Harry Potter TV series confirmed that filming will begin in the summer of 2025. With Francesca Gardiner stepping in as the project leader, the show is being mounted on a massive budget. Director and executive producer Mark Mylod also shared that casting for all roles, including Harry Potter, is still ongoing.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, 32,000 children have auditioned for the young roles, with producers watching every audition. The team reportedly views between 500 to 1,000 auditions daily.
Discussing the casting process, Mylod said, "We haven't made any final choices, but we're workshopping with a shortlist in January. And there are some crackers. The cream of British acting talent, this incredible tradition of brilliant theater actors, and, of course, we're following the books with canonical casting."
Francesca Gardiner confirmed that the show will stay true to the characters’ ages as depicted in the books, including Professor Severus Snape at 31 years old and Lily and James Potter at 21. Addressing the irreplaceable Alan Rickman, who portrayed Snape in the films, Mylod remarked, "Nobody can replace Alan Rickman, but we can find the next Alan Rickman." Alan Rickman passed away in 2016.
There’s buzz that Paapa Essiedu is in the running to play the young Snape in the series. Gardiner also teased that fans should expect to explore areas of Hogwarts that haven’t been depicted before.
Stay tuned to OTTplay for more information on this and everything else from the world of streaming and films.