HBO Max's Harry Potter TV series is moving faster than a broomstick in a Quidditch match, and now that the beloved book-turned-movie series is being adapted once more, the production team behind the reboot is building a temporary school that can house up to 600 pupils for its child actors, so there are no excuses, sadly, for missing homework. As Harry Potter fans begin the exciting journey of entering a brand-new franchise that has incorporated not only the popular movies, but books and video games, Warner Bros. Is starting over with a new series TV reboot, which looks likely to run for at least a decade.

While the series' showrunners still have a few characters' shoes yet to fill, the actors who will play Harry, Ron and Hermione have been confirmed, as well as John Lithrow taking on the role of the iconic Dumbledore, who has previously been played by actors Richard Harris, Michael Gambon, as well as Jude Law and Toby Regbo in Fantastic Beasts. Paapa Essiedu will slip into the boots of Severus Snape, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, and Nick Frost will appear as Rubeus Hagrid, allowing all four actors to be series regulars. The author of the books, J. K. Rowling, is seemingly “fairly involved” with the HBO series' development. However, Rowling has been a controversial figure, which has seen her land in hot water due to her stance on transgender issues, leading many to steer clear in their support of Harry Potter products, including the series.

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HBO Is Building Their Own Version of Hogwarts for Child Actors

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A short man conducts the performance of a school choir, while many candles hover in the air above the singers.

According to the BBC, the studio behind the Harry Potter TV series is building a new school for its child actors to attend when not filming scenes. The classrooms will be made of portable buildings at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden and overseen by the Three Rivers District Council, with the aim of supplying cast members with a school facility over the next 8 to 10 years. The proposed classrooms have been designed to be used by up to 600 pupils during peak periods, when large crowd scenes are shot, but will typically serve about 150 students. It will be made available during weekdays between 5:30 am and 8:30 pm so young actors can fit in their studies when they aren't casting spells in the fictional world of Hogwarts.

It is estimated that around 32,000 children auditioned for the lead roles following an open casting call in September, which is an incredible yet unsurprising number. Given the popularity of the Harry Potter franchise and what it has done to the careers of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, the TV reboot is a fantastic jumping-off point for young actors wanting to further their talents in the TV and film industry. Although to some who might feel like the Harry Potter movies aren't that old, it has already been 23 years since the very first movie was released in 2001, so a fresh retelling seems like a great idea for the beloved franchise, especially to young audiences of today. However, the son of the original Dumbledore actor, Richard Harris, had previously stated that Warner Bros. Should leave the series “alone” due to how great the movies were, and that nothing could top them, but it seems as though the studio has some solid ideas about where to take the series into a new era.

As of now, the Harry Potter reboot doesn't have a release date, and it might be some time before fans get a look at it. HBO and Max content boss Casey Bloys has estimated an early 2027 premiere window for the show, but also expressed that that timeline could change.

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Showrunner
Francisca Gardiner
Directors
Mark Mylod
Writers
Francesca Gardiner
Franchise(s)
Harry Potter
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  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Dominic McLaughlin
    Harry Potter
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    Janet McTeer
    Minerva McGonagall
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    John Lithgow
    Albus Dumbledore
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    Nick Frost
    Hagrid
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Source: BBC