Summary

HBO's Harry Potter is set in the late 1980s/early 1990s for unique differentiation and book accuracy.
Leaked set photos reveal period fashion choices enhancing the muggle aspect of the story.
The decision to set Harry Potter in the past benefits the show by avoiding modern technology conflicts.

When people think about Harry Potter, they don’t necessarily go to a specific period, but that’s about to change with the release of HBO’s Harry Potter adaptation. The television show has recently started filming, and leaks from the set have heavily hinted that this version of JK Rowling’s iconic story will be set in a defined era.

While this doesn’t impact the wizarding world all that much, it is going to play a key role when it comes to any scenes involving Muggles. It’s a decision many likely weren’t expecting, but it’s ultimately going to be a wise choice that will benefit HBO’s Harry Potter.

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By Matthew Wilkinson

HBO Is Setting Harry Potter In The Late 1980s/Early 1990s

Dudley (Harry Melling), Vernon (Richard Griffiths), and Petunia Dursley (Fiona Shaw) in Harry Potter

With the majority of Harry Potter taking place at Hogwarts or in the wider wizarding world, there is very little need for people to focus on what time period it is for humans, as it has no real bearing on the story. However, during the times that the Muggle world is shown, the setting plays a much more significant role than people likely realize. When it comes to HBO’s Harry Potter, it appears that the series will be set in the late 1980s and into the early 1990s, as revealed by a set leak from the start of the filming process. HBO recently used the London Zoo to film scenes with the Dursley family and Harry, which is a memorable part of the first movie when Harry first learns he can talk to snakes and discovers magical powers he wasn’t aware of. While it’s exciting for fans that filming is happening and the scene is being brought to life, it was the costumes the characters wore that immediately caught people’s attention.

The fashion choices made by HBO indicate that the show is going to be set in the past, with the 1980s and 1990s being the obvious contenders due to the outfits on display. The shell suit in particular highlights this, as that isn’t a modern piece of clothing, and given that Dudley always has the best of everything, it’s clear that he’s wearing this outfit in the peak of its powers. The hair and clothes of the entire family push this idea even further, which gives fans a clear idea of what to expect from the Muggle aspect of this story.

HBO’s Harry Potter Will Benefit From This Change For Numerous Reasons

HBO Is Making This Version Of Harry Potter Even More Loyal To The Books

Lily holding Harry while Voldemort blows the door down in Harry Potter

HBO’s Harry Potter series is likely to benefit from being set in a specific period for multiple reasons, the main one being that it will differentiate it from the movie series. Everyone is asking how this version of Harry Potter will feel special, and why it’s going to be worth watching. Just from a few set photos alone, it’s clear that there will be significant differences that will make this show unique. That’s going to be a key selling point for HBO to anyone skeptical about Harry Potter being adapted for television. Additionally, this decision will make HBO’s Harry Potter series more accurate, which wasn’t the case with the movie timeline. The first novel takes place in 1991, and it appears that HBO is going to follow that closely, which should please many Harry Potter fans.

Advancement Of Technology Would’ve Impacted Harry Potter Without This Decision

HBO’s Harry Potter Wouldn’t Work Being Set In Today’s Times

The main reason why setting Harry Potter in the period HBO has chosen is beneficial is due to the advancements in technology. When JK Rowling was writing these stories, smartphones and social media weren’t terms that existed, let alone being used in daily life. That’s something that would’ve impacted the Muggle side of the story dramatically. Technology has advanced significantly since the early Harry Potter films were made, which is why this decision is such a smart one. For instance, it’s impossible to believe that Harry and Ron Weasley flying a car in the air wouldn’t have been a trending topic on social media that would’ve been impossible for wizards to cover up. Or that Sirius Black’s family home magically appearing between two buildings wouldn’t have been spotted at least once.

On top of that, communication is a big part of the story when Harry is trapped at the Dursley family home. He has to have thousands of invites to Hogwarts delivered to him by post, whereas if it were set today, it could’ve reached him via an email, or even a text, as it’s hard to imagine he’d have been deprived of even the most basic phone. This is also the case when they leave school for the summer, and Harry often loses contact with his friends. If HBO had set the show in today’s timeline, they’d have easily snuck him a phone to keep in contact, which would’ve rendered Hedwig useless outside of his time at Hogwarts. They’re small details that many fans likely didn’t consider ahead of time, but the fact that HBO has looked into them and decided to make this decision shows attention to detail that will hopefully serve this version of Harry Potter well across the board.

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