A new trailer for HBO’s Harry Potter series has officially arrived, giving us our first look at the menacing Professor Quirrell (Luke Thallon).
The upcoming series, which will retell JK Rowling’s first book The Philosopher’s Stone, is set to be released at Christmas, with a star-studded cast taking on the roles.
Giving us a glimpse of Harry’s (Dominic McLaughlin) first days at Hogwarts, the teaser shows iconic moments like the sorting ceremony, overseen by Janet McTeer’s no-nonsense Minerva McGonagall.
We also see Arabella Stanton’s Hermione Granger immediately diving into her work (of course), asking other bemused students what they thought of the summer reading during their trip on the Hogwarts Express, while Harry’s first outing on the Quidditch pitch is also teased.
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Fans also have their best look yet at the new Albus Dumbledore (played by John Lithgow, who seems to have taken a lot of inspiration from Richard Harris’s performance in the original films), as well as the menacing Severus Snape (Paapa Essiedu), who’s seen telling Harry: “Let’s hope you show some talent on the quidditch pitch, Potter – you’ve certainly not exhibited any in here.”
Meanwhile, although Harry forges quick friendships, he’s seen struggling with his classes, painfully aware that his reputation has preceded him.
Of course, evil forces also are at play in the Wizarding World, with Dumbledore saying: “We can’t protect them – we can only prepare them,” while we also see shots of Harry, Ron and Hermione looking terrified while presumably facing up to Professor Quirrell and Lord Voldemort.
Luke Thallon as Professor Quirrell in HBO’s Harry Potter. HBO
Harry Potter author JK Rowling has faced backlash in some quarters due to her views on transgender rights. In 2020, she published a lengthy statement detailing her stance on sex and gender debates – the essay was criticised and disputed by LGBTQ+ charities including Stonewall.
Rowling has also shared her views on social media, including in a 2024 post on X (formerly Twitter), in which she insisted that “there are no trans kids” and opposed the idea that a child can be “born in the wrong body”.
Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape in HBO’s Harry Potter. HBO
In May 2025, Rowling set up the JK Rowling Women’s Fund, which describes itself as offering legal funding support to “individuals and organisations fighting to retain women’s sex-based rights”.
Harry Potter actors including Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, have distanced themselves from Rowling’s views and have issued statements supporting the transgender community. Others, including Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter and Jim Broadbent, have defended the author from the criticism she has received.
Harry Potter will be available to watch on HBO Max from 25 December 2026.
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