This Christmas, HBO Max and Warner Bros. Discovery will revisit the Wizarding World with a TV reboot of the Harry Potter series, with the first season using the first Potter book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Sorcerer’s Stone in the U.S.), for the story. Starring Dominic McLaughlin (Harry Potter), Alastair Stout (Ron Weasley), and Arabella Stanton (Hermione) as the core trio, this series will use an eight-episode first season to recreate the adventure told in the original 1997 book by author J.K. Rowling and the succeeding 2001 live-action movie. Should the show continue, each season is expected to tackle one of Rowling’s seven books from the original series.
Warner Bros. released the first trailer for Season 1 in March 2026, which became the most-watched first trailer for any release in HBO or HBO Max history. The main trio shone in various scenes that were recognizable from the original book and movie, setting the stage for a new take on Hogwarts and its student body to be brought back to life for the 2020s. Additionally, on top of this new series’ release in December, the magical world will get another new entry even sooner on HBO Max.
A new Warner Bros. Discovery press release revealed that HBO is planning to release Harry Potter: The Official Film Podcast Season 1 on May 19. While no specific details were included in the release, the title indicates that this podcast series will take a look at the original eight Harry Potter movies and potentially the three Fantastic Beasts movies, likely involving cast and crew members from those films. Notably, the first Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year after its Nov.16, 2001 release in theaters.
Daniel Radcliffe’s Harry Potter with Hedwig in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
HBO Max has already shared multiple behind-the-scenes looks into the franchise’s past, including the release of Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts in 2022. This brought dozens of stars back together for a nearly two-hour-long special reunion, with stars like Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, and more coming back to the Hogwarts castle set to reminisce on their time making these movies after more than a decade away from them.
This new podcast series could take a similar approach, but with it running for an entire season, many are expecting this series to go into much more detail on how each movie was made in the 2000s. With no official details about the podcast being released, it’s possible that it will feature either stars from the original movies or from the new reboot diving into the history of this franchise and its impact on the world of fantasy TV. While more details are sure to be revealed in the coming weeks, it will surely help tide over Potter fans until new material from the streaming reboot is made public.
Unexpected Team-Up: Prince William and Emma Watson Unite for Change
Prince William had plenty to celebrate this weekend, but his latest public appearance quickly turned heads for a very different reason. After marking his 44th birthday and Father's Day with his family, the future king returned to royal duties—and made a surprisingly personal confession about the emotional toll of climate change.
William joined Hollywood stars Emma Watson and Benedict Cumberbatch at a United for Wildlife forum in London, an initiative he launched with the Royal Foundation in 2013. The organization works around the world to combat wildlife trafficking, environmental crime, and the destruction of endangered species.
But it was William's candid admission about his own fears that stole the spotlight.
The Prince of Wales revealed that climate change has caused him "sleepless nights," admitting he has struggled with anxiety about what the future could look like. Yet instead of allowing those fears to overwhelm him, William said seeing real progress through conservation efforts has helped keep his environmental anxiety under control.
He also delivered a powerful message to business leaders, urging them to become the kind of leaders they admired when they were children. With technology and innovation transforming the world at an incredible pace, William challenged CEOs to use their influence to create meaningful change.
The event launched London Climate Action Week, with more royal appearances expected, including the Earthshot Prize assembly.
Emma Watson also delivered a surprising revelation of her own. The Harry Potter star highlighted the fashion industry's enormous environmental impact, pointing out that it produces more emissions than aviation and ranks behind only oil among major polluting industries.
Watson, who is also pursuing a doctorate in philosophy at Oxford, shared a hilarious story about mistakenly believing paparazzi were following her. After spotting photographers with telephoto lenses, she arranged a distraction and escaped through another exit. The twist? They weren't photographing her at all. They were waiting to capture a red kite.
Meanwhile, Benedict Cumberbatch praised William as "a great guy" and urged businesses and individuals to recognize that they can still make a difference, even when global environmental challenges appear overwhelming.
With William, Watson, and Cumberbatch joining forces on the issue, the London forum delivered a clear message: the fight against environmental destruction is becoming impossible for the world's biggest names to ignore.
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