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Ready for your first peek inside Hogwarts?
The first official teaser trailer for HBO’s new TV adaptation of Harry Potter had dropped.
The two-minute promo gives us a look at the rebooted wizarding world, with scenes of Harry being bullied, threatened with a pair of scissors, and meeting Hagrid for the first time.
The logline reads: “There is nothing special about Harry Potter – at least that’s what his Aunt Petunia always says. On his 11th birthday, a letter of admittance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry opens up a hidden world for Harry: one of fun, friendship and magic. But with this new adventure comes great risk as Harry is forced to face a dangerous enemy from his past.”
The teaser is packed with quick shots of iconic locations (the Dursley house cupboard, Hogwarts Express), familiar faces (Dumbledore, Snape, and Draco Malfoy), and beloved lines – with a “Mr Potter” delivery from Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall which is sure to delight fans.
Early reactions have been broadly positive, even if some are complaining about the lack of magic in the trailer and fans pointing out that the colour palette is much darker compared to the original film.
Check out the trailer:
HBO had previously released a teaser image from the series, offering fans an initial glimpse of the new Harry Potter, played by Dominic McLaughlin, from behind and in Quidditch robes.
The first season, titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, will premiere on HBO’s streaming platform this Christmas, which is earlier than fans originally expected. Season one will contain eight episodes.
The series, which will reimagine J.K. Rowling’s seven fantasy novels by adapting each book into a season, comes from showrunner Francesca Gardner (Succession) and has Mark Mylod (Game of Thrones) on board as producer.
The entire production is expected to take 10 years to complete in total.
McLaughlin stars alongside Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, with a supporting cast that includes John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, and Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape.
Esseidu recently revealed that he received racist death threats over his casting as Professor Snape, revealing the darker side of Potter fandom.
The controversy adds to previous criticism over the upcoming series, as Rowling has repeatedly come under fire for her comments about gender, with many (including the cast members of the Potter film adaptations) accusing her of transphobia.
Many are using the release of the trailer to remind potential viewers of Rowling’s hateful comments and bemoaning her involvement in the new series as executive producer.
John Lithgow recently said that he considered quitting the show over the backlash he received due to Rowling’s anti-trans views, but revealed he decided to stay, describing the books as “clearly on the side of the angels, against intolerance and bigotry.”
The first season of HBO’s Harry Potter is out this Christmas.