HBO has dropped a teaser trailer for its upcoming series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
After teasing the Harry Potter trailer the day prior, HBO took to YouTube to give fans the first real look at the new series. For a teaser trailer, there’s plenty of detail and plenty to break down. Most notably, HBO has moved the series’ release date to Christmas 2026, rather than the previously vague 2027.
What’s in the Teaser Trailer for HBO’s Harry Potter Series?
One of the first things to note about the trailer is that it gives a full title for the first season of the series: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. It’s fair to say that this confirms the series will break up the seasons by each year Harry spends at Hogwarts, but by the looks of it, fans are going to get to see much, much more of what Harry’s life was like before he got his letter.
In the movie adaptation, Harry is shown having only one incident of magic at the zoo, but he refers to other times when strange things have happened to him. The series looks to dive deeper into his life at school and his home life with the Dursleys before Hogwarts. It shows part of a scene where Dudley bullies Harry while they’re at school, followed by Petunia trying to cut Harry’s hair – something that was a big point made in the books but was disregarded in the films.
The teaser also gives fans an idea of the series’ tone, which appears to be a bit more washed out than the first two Harry Potter films. We also get plenty of dialogue from the characters and shots of the new cast, including Ollivander, Hagrid and Harry himself.
How Are Fans Reacting to the Harry Potter Trailer?
The trailer’s reception has been mixed so far, with some fans praising what looks to be a more faithful adaptation of the book, while others aren’t sold yet. Some fans are commenting on the color grading, saying it feels much less magical than the films. Others said how they’re struggling to get over their bias from the original movies in the first place.
Along with the discourse about the trailer itself comes the long-associated commentary regarding J.K. Rowling and her political views. Many people chose to comment on social media about how they will not be watching this series in solidarity with transgender rights, as Rowling has openly and unabashedly voiced her views in opposition to the transgender community.
Regarding the trailer itself, the most common sentiment seems to be that people are open to giving the series a shot but are skeptical. From the music to the cinematography to the actors, many people are struggling to separate the new adaptation from the original.
It’s good to have more information out about the new Harry Potter project, and given that this was only a teaser, it suggests fans will see more from the series before it releases on Christmas this year.
Header Image Credit: HBO Max