HBO Max released a new trailer for its upcoming Harry Potter series on September 2, giving fans their fullest look yet at the wizarding world’s return to the screen ahead of the show’s Christmas Day premiere on HBO and HBO Max.
The trailer builds on March’s first teaser, moving past quick glimpses into a longer walk through Harry’s first year at Hogwarts. As TVLine detailed, it runs through the Sorting Hat ceremony, an early Herbology lesson, Harry’s introduction to Quidditch, and a tense confrontation with a troll in the dungeons, all pulled from corners of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone that the 2001 film never had room for. Consequence noted the new footage also leans on “expensive looking special effects” and pulls in book details the original movie skipped, including scenes that step outside Harry’s own point of view to spend time with the Weasley family.
Dominic McLaughlin leads the cast as Harry Potter, with Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. John Lithgow plays Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer plays Professor McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu plays Professor Snape, and Nick Frost plays Rubeus Hagrid.
The show has also been rounding out its cast beyond season one. Kit Harington has signed on for season two as Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, stepping into a role originally set for Nicholas Hoult, who exited due to scheduling conflicts.
For longtime fans, the pitch has always been about room to breathe: a series with enough runway to include the smaller character beats and world building the 2001 film had to leave out. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone premieres Christmas Day on HBO and HBO Max.