Harry Potter is experiencing a surge of activity with two major new projects underway: the television series reboot and a Broadway return of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
HBO has so far announced 18 cast members for its upcoming series, which will adapt all seven Harry Potter books over seven seasons and a 10-year period.
Production is expected to start this summer, with a premiere anticipated in 2026, although no exact date has been given. Francesca Gardiner (Succession, His Dark Materials) will serve as showrunner and an executive producer, and Mark Mylod (Game of Thrones, The Last of Us) will direct multiple episodes. Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is also an executive producer, alongside Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts, and David Heyman.
But the project has drawn controversy. Actor Nick Frost, who’s been cast as Hagrid in the TV series, has faced criticism for associating with Rowling, whose views on gender identity have sparked waves of backlash over the years. Paapa Essiedu, the new Severus Snape, has also been criticized both for his race and for signing a letter opposing the recent U.K. Supreme Court ruling on biological sex — a ruling Rowling celebrated publicly.
Related: Tom Hiddleston Leads Predictions To Play Voldemort in HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Series : Disney Fanatic
Meanwhile, Tom Felton is set to return as his character Draco Malfoy in the Broadway version of Cursed Child. However, during the recent Tony Awards, he was asked by Variety whether Rowling’s divisive views affect him. Felton responded, saying, “I can’t say it does. I’m not really that attuned to it.” He added, “I have not seen anything bring the world together more than Potter. She’s responsible for that. So I’m incredibly grateful.”
Felton’s neutral stance, which echoes new Dumbledore actor John Lithgow’s similar comments, however, has drawn criticism from anti-Rowling fans and trans rights activists.
While Felton is reprising his role as Draco Malfoy, having previously played the character in eight films, HBO has now confirmed that Lox Pratt will play him in the new series.
His appearance in The Cursed Child is scheduled from November 11, 2025, to March 22, 2026, at New York’s Lyric Theatre.
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