Several members of the original Harry Potter cast are officially set to reunite in a new HBO Max special in honor of the franchise's 20th anniversary. Well before Fantastic Beasts turned into a film franchise and The Cursed Child dominated the stage, the Wizarding World was exclusively comprised of the story of one boy wizard. J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series first transferred to the big screen in 2001 and became the gold standard for what a book-to-movie adaptation should be. The blockbuster franchise released eight movies in total before coming to a close in 2011.
2021 is the 20th anniversary of the first movie, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Directed by Chris Columbus, the movie introduced then-unknown stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint to the world. After earning positive reviews, the first Harry Potter boosted itself to nearly $1 billion worldwide. Columbus has recently looked back on the movie through numerous interviews, and now it looks like he won't be the only one taking a trip to the past.
On Tuesday, the official birthday of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Warner Bros. announced it will be releasing a new special titled Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts on HBO Max next year. It will reunite several members of the Harry Potter cast, including Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint. According to WB, the special will tell a making-of story through new interviews and cast conversations. It will drop on HBO Max at midnight on January 1, 2022, well ahead of its network premieres on TBS and Cartoon Network in the spring of 2022. Check out the trailer for the Harry Potter special down below.
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Columbus will appear in the Harry Potter anniversary special, along with a whole host of stars. Those who have been confirmed to appear are as follows: Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Imelda Staunton, Tom Felton, James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Mark Williams, Bonnie Wright, Alfred Enoch, Matthew Lewis, and Evanna Lynch. Return to Hogwarts will explore the behind the scenes magic that went into every Harry Potter movie while also examining its lasting legacy. A special sneak peek at Return to Hogwarts will air with the premiere of Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses on November 28 on TBS and Cartoon Network.
Hilariously, Radcliffe said back in July he didn't believe a 20-year Harry Potter reunion was likely to happen. Whether he just wasn't aware of the HBO Max special or was playing coy isn't clear, but fans will likely be thrilled by this news regardless. Though Rowling herself has courted controversy over the past year for her anti-trans views, the Harry Potter franchise remains beloved by millions of people around the world. A Harry Potter reunion of this scale has never happened, so it will be especially exciting to see all of these stars come back together. In the cases of Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson, there are bound to be a few misty eyes within the fanbase as the original trio reunites once again. Mark your calendars now.
Source: Warner Bros.
