Uploaded September 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Zach Pope reacts to the NEW HARRY POTTER HBO trailer, featuring Hogwarts, Quidditch, Snape, Hedwig and more before Harry Potter premieres December 25 on HBO and HBO Max.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone brings J.K. Rowling’s first novel back to the screen as an HBO series following Harry Potter, played by Dominic McLaughlin, as an ordinary 11-year-old living with the Dursleys discovers that he is actually a wizard and has been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There he meets Ron Weasley, played by Alastair Stout, and Hermione Granger, played by Arabella Stanton, beginning the friendship that will define the entire story.
And THIS new trailer finally gives us a much deeper look at what Harry’s first year at Hogwarts is actually going to feel like.
We get the Sorting Hat, Quidditch, Harry’s Invisibility Cloak, Hedwig, Professor Snape, McGonagall, Dumbledore, trolls and more, while the footage puts a much bigger emphasis on the day-to-day magic and adventure of actually being a student at Hogwarts.
That is probably what has me most interested about doing Harry Potter as television.
The movies are iconic.
They always will be.
But a series has the opportunity to spend MORE TIME inside this world.
Classes.
Quidditch.
Friendships.
Christmas at Hogwarts.
Exploring the castle.
The smaller character moments.
All the little pieces from the books that simply couldn't fit inside a two-and-a-half-hour movie.
The new footage even highlights moments like the Christmas snowball fight and more of the newly designed Quidditch uniforms, Nimbus 2000 and Hogwarts house details.
And obviously?
The biggest challenge is the CAST.
Dominic McLaughlin — Harry Potter
Alastair Stout — Ron Weasley
Arabella Stanton — Hermione Granger
John Lithgow — Albus Dumbledore
Paapa Essiedu — Severus Snape
Janet McTeer — Minerva McGonagall
Nick Frost — Rubeus Hagrid
Those are characters audiences have associated with another group of actors for 25 YEARS.
But this trailer is starting to make these versions feel less like:
“The new Harry, Ron and Hermione.”
And more like THEIR OWN versions of Harry, Ron and Hermione.
Season 1 consists of eight episodes and is led by showrunner Francesca Gardiner, with Succession filmmaker Mark Mylod directing multiple episodes and executive producing.
And the biggest thing I want from this adaptation is simple:
TAKE YOUR TIME.
Don't race through Hogwarts.
Let us live there.
Let these friendships develop.
Give the mysteries room to build.
Give the teachers more depth.
Give Quidditch actual time.
And embrace the strange, cozy, dark and magical pieces of the books that helped make this world so special.
Because based on this trailer?
HOGWARTS IS STARTING TO FEEL ALIVE AGAIN.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone premieres December 25 on HBO and HBO Max.
#HarryPotter #HarryPotterHBO #HBO
Find Me!
Instagram: instagram.com/zachhpope/?hl=en
Twitter(X): twitter.com/popetheking
Tiktok: tiktok.com/@zachhpope?lang=en
Business Inquires: Zachpopereviews@gmail.com
Zach Pope reacts to the NEW HARRY POTTER HBO trailer, featuring Hogwarts, Quidditch, Snape, Hedwig and more before Harry Potter premieres December 25 on HBO and HBO Max.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone brings J.K. Rowling’s first novel back to the screen as an HBO series following Harry Potter, played by Dominic McLaughlin, as an ordinary 11-year-old living with the Dursleys discovers that he is actually a wizard and has been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There he meets Ron Weasley, played by Alastair Stout, and Hermione Granger, played by Arabella Stanton, beginning the friendship that will define the entire story.
And THIS new trailer finally gives us a much deeper look at what Harry’s first year at Hogwarts is actually going to feel like.
We get the Sorting Hat, Quidditch, Harry’s Invisibility Cloak, Hedwig, Professor Snape, McGonagall, Dumbledore, trolls and more, while the footage puts a much bigger emphasis on the day-to-day magic and adventure of actually being a student at Hogwarts.
That is probably what has me most interested about doing Harry Potter as television.
The movies are iconic.
They always will be.
But a series has the opportunity to spend MORE TIME inside this world.
Classes.
Quidditch.
Friendships.
Christmas at Hogwarts.
Exploring the castle.
The smaller character moments.
All the little pieces from the books that simply couldn't fit inside a two-and-a-half-hour movie.
The new footage even highlights moments like the Christmas snowball fight and more of the newly designed Quidditch uniforms, Nimbus 2000 and Hogwarts house details.
And obviously?
The biggest challenge is the CAST.
Dominic McLaughlin — Harry Potter
Alastair Stout — Ron Weasley
Arabella Stanton — Hermione Granger
John Lithgow — Albus Dumbledore
Paapa Essiedu — Severus Snape
Janet McTeer — Minerva McGonagall
Nick Frost — Rubeus Hagrid
Those are characters audiences have associated with another group of actors for 25 YEARS.
But this trailer is starting to make these versions feel less like:
“The new Harry, Ron and Hermione.”
And more like THEIR OWN versions of Harry, Ron and Hermione.
Season 1 consists of eight episodes and is led by showrunner Francesca Gardiner, with Succession filmmaker Mark Mylod directing multiple episodes and executive producing.
And the biggest thing I want from this adaptation is simple:
TAKE YOUR TIME.
Don't race through Hogwarts.
Let us live there.
Let these friendships develop.
Give the mysteries room to build.
Give the teachers more depth.
Give Quidditch actual time.
And embrace the strange, cozy, dark and magical pieces of the books that helped make this world so special.
Because based on this trailer?
HOGWARTS IS STARTING TO FEEL ALIVE AGAIN.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone premieres December 25 on HBO and HBO Max.
#HarryPotter #HarryPotterHBO #HBO
Find Me!
Instagram: instagram.com/zachhpope/?hl=en
Twitter(X): twitter.com/popetheking
Tiktok: tiktok.com/@zachhpope?lang=en
Business Inquires: Zachpopereviews@gmail.com
