.png){kind=logo}
Angel Shaw is a Lead Writer and Peer Mentor on ScreenRant's New TV team, covering new-release TV shows across all major streaming platforms. She has been a writer with ScreenRant since 2022 and specializes in Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and fantasy.
Angel holds a bachelor's degree in language interpreting and is passionate about all things culture and communication—especially in how it relates to popular media throughout history (from Shakespeare to Friends to Game of Thrones).
What HBO has advertised as the Harry Potter TV remake's strength may be its greatest weakness. There's no doubt that the upcoming project has potential. Harry Potter is among the most iconic fantasy franchises of all time, so HBO is guaranteed a fair viewership. Still, it also can't be denied that this new series will be under significant scrutiny. Remakes are always a tough sell, and the controversy surrounding Harry Potter could be a problem.
Despite these potential issues, HBO has remained publicly optimistic about the upcoming Harry Potter TV show. Expected to premiere in 2027, HBO's Harry Potter will cover each book with its own season, allowing for a deeper dive into the story than Warner Bros' original movies had time for. This has allowed HBO to promise a book-faithful adaptation, something that the new Harry Potter stars and creatives have continued to emphasize.
Harry Potter TV Show Stars & Creatives Continue To Promise A Book Faithful Adaptation
From the very first announcement of the Harry Potter TV show, prospective viewers have been promised an adaptation completely free of the frustrating omissions and changes of the movies. Recently, this promise was further supported by Warwick Davis, who originally played Professor Flitwick in the Harry Potter films and is returning to the role for the TV remake. The actor stated that he is currently working on the project, explaining that "we’re retelling those wonderful stories, but with more depth and detail than has been seen before. They’re very faithful adaptations of the book."
Davis is no stranger to great fantasy projects and book adaptations, so his promise is certainly encouraging. However, this repeated emphasis on book faithfulness comes with a bit of a dark shadow. There's a reason that movies and TV shows tend to change so much from the books they are based on. It's rather difficult to bring the nuance from the page to the screen. HBO may be setting itself up for failure by repeatedly promising something it can't fully deliver on.
HBO Harry Potter Can't Afford To Oversell Itself
From the perspective of actors, writers, and HBO executives, the Harry Potter TV show is surely and genuinely a very faithful adaptation. However, this promise means audiences will be expecting absolute perfection. Anything short of this—and let's face it, that's inevitable—will lead to further backlash. Add this to controversies involving author J.K. Rowling and the more outrageous criticisms regarding the Harry Potter TV show's casting, and things might not turn out great for the upcoming project.
Said and done, viewers genuinely want a more book-faithful adaptation that the Harry Potter movies could provide. We're excited about the prospect. HBO's promise that this is precisely what we will get is undoubtedly a strength that will help audiences tune in for that first season. However, if the Harry Potter show doesn't deliver at 100%, these promises will become its long-term weakness.
Showrunner Francisca Gardiner
Directors Mark Mylod
-
Dominic McLaughlin
Harry Potter
-
Janet McTeer
Minerva McGonagall
-
-
English (US) ·