Harry Potter fans are getting their clearest look yet at just how different HBO’s return to Hogwarts will be.
New promotional material for the upcoming series has revealed the wands that five major characters will carry. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, and Neville Longbottom are all getting redesigned versions rather than direct recreations of the wands used in the movies.
For longtime fans, that could take some getting used to. The movie wands became closely associated with these characters over the years of films, merchandise, and replicas.
HBO is taking another path. While a couple of the designs retain familiar elements, others look dramatically different from what fans know.
Ron Weasley Is Getting a Very Different Wand
Ron’s wand immediately shows how willing HBO is to move away from the movies.
When Ron begins his Hogwarts journey, he uses a wand that previously belonged to his older brother Charlie. The wand is made of ash and contains a unicorn-hair core, another example of Ron starting school with something handed down to him.
HBO’s design has a noticeably lighter appearance than the movie version. Its handle also includes markings and indentations that make the wand look more like natural wood.
It’s a significant visual departure, especially considering how recognizable Ron’s previous wand became. But he isn’t the only character receiving a major redesign.
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Neville Longbottom’s Wand Looks Like a Branch
Neville may actually have the most surprising new wand of the group.
Instead of the more polished movie design, HBO has given Neville a wand that resembles a thin tree branch. Its simple, natural appearance immediately separates it from the version longtime viewers recognize.
There’s also more room for HBO to experiment with Neville’s wand.
Neville begins his time at Hogwarts with his father’s old wand. Unlike the established specifications for several other characters, the exact wood, core, and length of that wand have never been established.
That gives the new series more freedom to develop its own interpretation, and HBO clearly took advantage of it.
Hermione Granger’s Design Still Looks Familiar
Not every wand represents such a dramatic break from the past.
Hermione’s wand is made from vine wood, measures approximately 27 centimeters, and contains a dragon heartstring core.
The HBO version maintains the twisting, vine-inspired pattern associated with Hermione’s movie wand. However, its darker finish helps separate the new design from the previous version.
That creates an interesting middle ground. Fans should still recognize the inspiration immediately, but Arabella Stanton’s Hermione will carry a wand that belongs specifically to this version of the character.
Harry’s wand takes a similar approach.
Harry Potter Keeps Pieces of the Original Look
Harry’s wand is arguably the most important design HBO had to tackle.
His approximately 28-centimeter wand is made from holly and contains a phoenix feather core. That magical core also carries major significance because the same phoenix supplied the feather used for Voldemort’s wand.
HBO hasn’t abandoned the familiar appearance entirely.
The new wand maintains a similar general shape and coloring, but it appears smoother and more polished than the one Daniel Radcliffe carried in the movies.
Dominic McLaughlin’s Harry will therefore have a recognizable wand, rather than HBO simply recreating the previous prop.
Draco Malfoy Gets a Lighter Design
Draco Malfoy's new wand also makes its differences clear.
His approximately 25-centimeter wand is made from hawthorn and contains a unicorn hair core. HBO’s version has a much lighter, creamy-brown appearance than the movie design.
The overall look remains relatively clean and refined, but Lox Pratt’s Draco will not carry the same wand that fans associate with Tom Felton.
Taken together, these five reveals make HBO’s strategy increasingly obvious. The series isn’t trying to duplicate every visual choice from the movies.
HBO’s New Hogwarts Arrives This Christmas
Fans won’t have to wait much longer to see these wands in action.
HBO’s Harry Potter series premieres December 25, 2026. The first season will include eight episodes and adapt Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
Dominic McLaughlin stars as Harry alongside Alastair Stout as Ron and Arabella Stanton as Hermione. Lox Pratt plays Draco, while Rory Wilmot portrays Neville.
The adult cast includes John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid.
Harry Potter Is Entering a New Era
HBO faces an unusual challenge with Harry Potter.
Millions of fans already have a clear picture of this world because the original movies established designs that remained recognizable for years. Changing those details inevitably invites comparisons.
The wands offer an early example. Harry and Hermione retain familiar elements, while Ron, Draco, and Neville move further away from their movie counterparts.
Fans will ultimately decide whether these replacements work once the series arrives. For now, HBO is making one thing clear: its version of Hogwarts won’t simply recreate the one audiences already know.
