HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Series Builds On-Site School to Support Young Cast During Long-Term Filming
As HBO’s Harry Potter series kicks off production, the studio is preparing for a long-term commitment—not just to storytelling, but to the education of its young stars. Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the main filming location for the series, is constructing a temporary school on-site to support the academic needs of the dozens of child actors involved in the new adaptation.
The facility, approved by the UK’s Three Rivers District Council, will consist of a group of portable buildings designed to accommodate around 150 students on a typical day. During large crowd scenes, it will be able to serve up to 600 pupils. The school will operate on weekdays from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., allowing the young cast members to balance their studies with the demands of filming, including night shoots and location work.
Although the official planning documents did not specifically name Harry Potter, they referred to a “significant new TV series” that will use the Leavesden studio for the next eight to ten years. Given that HBO just confirmed production began on July 15, the connection is clear.
The young cast includes Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger. Other key roles have been filled by Lox Pratt (Draco Malfoy), Alessia Leoni (Parvati Patil), Leo Earley (Seamus Finnigan), Rory Wilmot (Neville Longbottom), and Amos Kitson (Dudley Dursley). These young performers were selected from over 32,000 children who auditioned during an open casting call.
Set to premiere in 2027 on HBO and HBO Max, the series is expected to deliver a faithful adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s original books. As filming unfolds, the newly built on-site school will ensure that the next generation of Hogwarts students keeps up with their education while bringing the wizarding world to life.
