It has been 20 years since Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone came out. You read that right - twenty years. This film would start one of the best fantasy movies series that we all know and love today, which continued with the stage play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, a theme park, and a spin-off movie franchise, with video games coming soon.
With this momentous occasion, it’s been announced that the original Harry Potter cast, featuring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and many others, will be reuniting for a special 20 year anniversary celebration, called Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts. But, where is this reunion going to air? And, what’s it going to be about? For all your upcoming Harry Potter inquiries, look no further than this article.
The Harry Potter Reunion Will Premiere on HBO Max On New Year's Day
Thankfully, we won’t have to wait long for this spectacular Harry Potter reunion, as it is going to be premiering on HBO Max (much like the Friends reunion), on New Year's Day, 2022. Right at midnight, you can log onto your HBO Max account and take a trip down memory lane back to the world of Harry Potter movies. The anticipation is killing me.
If you, for some reason, don’t have an HBO Max account, the special will also be airing on TBS and Cartoon Network ahead of the latest Fantastic Beasts movie, which premieres on April 15, 2022, so you could also wait for that.
The Golden Trio Will Be Reuniting, Alongside Many Other Faces From The Series
As mentioned before, the Golden Trio of Harry Potter (Harry, Ron, and Hermione) will be reuniting for the first time since 2011, with Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson taking part. But, that doesn’t mean many other familiar faces aren’t going to show up, as well.
Alumnus and Harry Potter fanatic, Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), will also be joining, alongside a myriad of cast members, including Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange), Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom), Ralph Fiennes (Voldemort), James and Oliver Phelps (Fred and George Weasley) Gary Oldman (Sirius Black), and many, many more.
Director of the first and second Harry Potter films, Chris Colombus, will also be joining the cast in the special, alongside other guests. I, for one, can’t wait.
But, J.K. Rowling Will Not Be At The Reunion
The Harry Potter series was written by J.K. Rowling, with the last book releasing in 2007. However, for the Harry Potter special, it’s been reported that she will not be joining the cast to celebrate the film’s anniversary, according to NPR. A source close to the project said that Rowling will appear in archived footage, but not in the new special.
This could be due to the controversy she has faced in recent years, however, no official reason as to why she will not be there has been announced.
The Harry Potter Reunion Special Will Talk About The Legacy Of Harry Potter
With the appearing cast already set, and the idea of going down Harry Potter memory lane exciting enough for fans, one can only wonder what this special will be about. We do have an idea of what is going to happen.
The special will take fans on a making-of story, offering brand new interviews from the cast and crew about their time on set and the impact that the franchise has had on the world since its debut. Fans of the series will get a first-person view of what it was like to make this famous franchise, and the lives that were changed because of it.
Tom Ascheim, the President of Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics, had this to say about the upcoming HBO special.
It has been an incredible journey since the debut of the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone film, and witnessing how it has evolved into this remarkable interconnected universe has been magical to say the least. This retrospective is a tribute to everyone whose lives were touched by this cultural phenomenon—from the talented cast and crew who poured their heart and soul into this extraordinary film franchise to the passionate fans who continue to keep the Wizarding World spirit alive 20 years later.
As someone who grew up watching Harry Potter and falling in love with the characters over and over again, I cannot wait until this airs, and I can’t wait to see the Golden Trio reunite one more time.
The Harry Potter Cast Is Super Excited For The Reunion
While the fans are eager for this reunion to drop, the cast is just as excited. Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) recently commented on the 20th anniversary on her Instagram page, saying how much she cherished those years, and is so proud of what they created, saying she is looking forward to the upcoming special.
Happy 20th Anniversary Potterheads! We hope you enjoy the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts which will stream New Year’s day, Jan. 1 on HBO Max. Lots to look forward to.
Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) was also one of the many cast members to share his excitement for the Harry Potter reunion via Twitter.
Is this what school homecoming is like? Mark your calendars for New Years Day. #ReturnToHowarts, streaming on HBO Max.
Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) spared a moment on his Twitter feed to announce his eagerness for the special.
This News Year's Day...we’re putting the band back together.
It’s so exciting to see everyone so happy to return to where it all started, and reunite to celebrate this lovely franchise that we all care about so deeply. If I can just hear Tom Felton say “Potter” one more time to Daniel Radcliffe’s face, I think I would die happy.
The Harry Potter Reunion May Have Begun Filming In November
With the reunion premiering so soon on HBO Max, it’s not surprising that filming might have begun in November. Tom Felton shared a picture to his Instagram from what appeared to be behind the scenes of the Harry Potter special, showing that he shared a trailer with Gary Oldman for the special.
It’s unknown exactly when the reunion did begin filming, but it’s always fun to see that the cast is thrilled to be doing this and hopping back to Hogwarts as if they had never left. I feel like I have to find my old Hogwarts robe for this.
Watch The Harry Potter Series On Peacock And HBO Max Right Now
With all this Harry Potter news, it would only make sense to rewatch the movies, right? If you feel inclined to have a Harry Potter movie marathon, the series is available to stream on both Peacock and HBO Max, so be sure to check it out.
Stream the Harry Potter series on HBO Max.
Stream the Harry Potter series on Peacock.
It’s only a matter of time now before Harry Potter returns with behind the scenes stories for all of us to enjoy. And, as soon as it does, you bet your butt I’m going to sit down, pull my Gryffindor blanket (which would make a great Harry Potter gift) high up to my chest, make some pumpkin pasties and chocolate frogs, and turn my TV on instantly. Is there a spell to make time go by quicker?
