The television series will chronicle the adventures of beloved characters Harry, Ron, and Hermione during their time at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, focusing on the core storyline that originally captivated global audiences. This approach represents a significant departure from recent franchise extensions such as "Fantastic Beasts," which explored the wizarding world's earlier timeline rather than the central narrative that made J.K. Rowling's creation a worldwide phenomenon.

Production activity throughout London created extraordinary scenes as city traffic stopped to accommodate filming requirements, generating widespread social media coverage that amplified fan anticipation for the upcoming series. The street filming sessions provided fans with their first glimpse of the television adaptation that promises to return directly to the source material's rich storytelling foundation.

Harry Potter show films in London as Nick Frost becomes Hagrid with clever trick pic.twitter.com/BVwUiX5gmy

— The Sun (@TheSun) August 18, 2025

Actor Nick Frost, cast as Hagrid, appeared dramatically larger than lead child actor Dominic McLaughlin, cast as Harry, during the recent filming for HBO's highly anticipated Harry Potter television series, as per the iconic scenes of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone." Frost's transformation included body doubles and facial prosthetics to create the beloved character's massive frame, according to the Daily Mail. Scottish McLaughlin, age 11, portrayed the iconic Harry Potter protagonist while wearing the character's signature glasses and a 90s-style blue, green, and yellow rain jacket. The young performer completed his look with wide-leg jeans and a backpack as he walked alongside Nick Frost's towering Hagrid character.

Nick Frost, the 53-year-old Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead star, wore long curly hair and a matching beard for his transformation into the beloved groundskeeper role originally played by Robbie Coltrane during the Borough High Street filming near London Bridge.

Filming for the HBO program, first announced in April 2023, reached a major milestone in May when the three lead child stars were finally revealed after months of speculation. Dominic McLaughlin secured the protagonist role, while Arabella Stanton will portray Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout takes on Ron Weasley.

Dominic McLaughlin (Harry) with Nick Frost's body double (Hagrid) filming the HARRY POTTER TV series pic.twitter.com/QKYJ6kypst

— Wizarding World Direct (@WW_Direct) August 18, 2025

The filming created significant traffic disruption throughout the capital as cast members were photographed outside various London establishments. TikTok users shared footage of the production, writing commentary about Hagrid's scenes being filmed at locations representing the iconic Leaky Cauldron pub.

Harry and Hagrid have been spotted pic.twitter.com/4q5KncyAFm

— Daily Harry Potter (@TheDailyHPotter) August 18, 2025

The initial glimpses have created division among dedicated Harry Potter fans who flooded social media platforms with mixed reactions. Critics expressed skepticism about adapting the beloved franchise, with one user writing, "Why ruin something good?" referring to the original movie adaptation. Others voiced reluctant interest, stating "I know it's going to be bad, but I'll watch it" and "Harry Potter is amazing and loved by all ages. The movies are absolutely timeless. This series... just not needed in my opinion!"

Supporters welcomed the new adaptation and casting choices. "New Harry is exactly what my mind created when I first read the book," one fan commented, while additional positive responses included "This looks great!" and "This looks good, so maybe it might work after all."

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Warner Bros. Discovery's HBO has officially begun the casting process for its highly anticipated television adaptation of J.K. Rowling's beloved Harry Potter series. The open call for auditions, which emphasizes inclusivity and diversity, has sparked speculation about potential changes to the main characters' portrayals in the new iteration slated for a 2026 premiere.

The quest to find the next Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley is underway, with the possibility that these updated versions of the three young wizards may differ significantly from their previous incarnations. The ambitious project is set to span seven seasons, with each season adapting one volume of Rowling's iconic book series. The approach will allow for a more comprehensive exploration of each book's content compared to the time constraints of the film adaptations.

The initial stage of casting, running until Oct. 31, targets children who will be "9 to 11 years old in April 2025, residents of Britain or Ireland only." Aspiring actors are asked to submit two videos: a 30-second clip reading a poem, story excerpt, or non-Harry Potter monologue in their native accent, and another briefly describing themselves and a close friend or family member.

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Bingham, also a veteran journalist who in 2015 entered the Guinness World Records as the oldest active in his field, performed the freefall in tandem with instructors. The jump lasted about 90 seconds, with Bingham plummeting at 124 mph while taking in panoramic views of the Dead Sea, Judean Mountains, and Jordan.

"It was an exhilarating and unforgettable experience," Bingham said upon landing. "At my age, every day is a gift, and a jump like this is a wonderful way to celebrate life."

For the event, Bingham wore a specially prepared shirt showing his support for IDF soldiers.

Nir Wanger, head of the Tamar Regional Council, expressed enthusiasm about the unique visit: "We were thrilled to host one of the world's most famous wizards. It truly highlights the magic of our region."

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HBO has announced plans for a new "Harry Potter" TV series based on J.K. Rowling's original novels, with each book adapted into a season over a decade-long run. The series promises a new cast exploring different adventures while maintaining fidelity to the source material.

Warner Bros' Max streaming service has hired Francesca Gardiner as showrunner and Mark Mylod as director for the upcoming series. Gardiner will write, lead, and serve as executive producer alongside Mylod, known for Succession and Game of Thrones.

J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts, and David Heyman, a producer of the "Harry Potter" films, will serve as executive producers for the series.

The series will be branded as an HBO Original and will be available for streaming on Max, with a potential premiere in 2026. While Daniel Radcliffe is cautious about appearing, James and Oliver Phelps are open to the possibility of guest starring.

The Harry Potter series, beginning with the release of the first book in 1997, became a global phenomenon with over 500 million copies sold in 80 languages, and the film adaptations grossed over $7.7 billion globally.

Sources: Business Insider, Independent, Forbes, New York Post, Mashable, TechRadar, Yahoo, Straits Times, Telegraaf, ComingSoon, IMDb

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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Well-known actors expressed support on Thursday for British actress Emma Watson's recent pro-Palestinian Instagram post.

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In a joint statement by the Artists for Palestine UK group, signatories – who include actors Mark Ruffalo and Susan Sarandon – said, "We join Emma Watson in … meaningful solidarity with Palestinians struggling for their human rights under international law. We recognize the underlying power imbalance between Israel, the occupying power, and the Palestinians, the people under a system of military occupation and apartheid."

"We stand against ongoing Israeli attempts to forcibly displace Palestinian families from their homes in the East Jerusalem neighborhoods of Sheikh Jarrah, Silwan and elsewhere in the occupied Palestinian territory," said the signatories, who also include Mexican actor Gael García Bernal, American film director Jim Jarmusch, Scottish actor Peter Capaldi, English actress Maxine Peake, American actor Viggo Mortensen, English actor Steve Coogan, English actor Charles Dance and British actress Harriet Walter.

On Jan. 3, Watson shared on Instagram an earlier post by the badactivistcollective channel which posted a photo of the Chicago Coalition for Justice in Palestine protest that took place on May 12, 2021, with the words "Solidarity is a verb" on top.

The caption quoted Sarah Ahmed, a prominent feminist scholar, "Solidarity does not assume that our struggles are the same struggles, or that our pain is the same pain, or that our hope is for the same future. Solidarity involves commitment, and work, as well as the recognition that even if we do not have the same feelings, or the same lives, or the same bodies, we do live on common ground."

The move garnered criticism from Israel, who claimed the Palestinians were indeed oppressed but not by Israel, but the Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.

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Harry Potter star and activist Emma Watson came under fire on Monday after she published an Instagram post expressing support for the Palestinians and slamming Israel.

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The British-Australian actor quoted Sara Ahmed, a prominent feminist scholar, and attached a picture of what appears to be a pro-Palestinian rally. The quote said, "Solidarity does not assume that our struggles are the same struggles, or that our pain is the same pain, or that our hope is for the same future. Solidarity involves commitment, and work, as well as the recognition that even if we
do not have the same feelings, or the same lives, or the same bodies, we do live on common ground."

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan was quick to react, slamming her in a tweet. "Fiction may work in Harry Potter but it does not work in reality. If it did, the magic used in the wizarding world could eliminate the evils of Hamas (which oppresses women & seeks the annihilation of Israel) and the PA (which supports terror). I would be in favor of that!," Erdan wrote, attaching a screenshot of Watson's Instagram post.

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A new Holocaust documentary narrated by British actor and "Harry Potter" star Jason Isaacs debuted this week for students in the United Kingdom.

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Holocaust Learning UK commissioned the hour-long film "Out of the Darkness," which features the testimony of Janine Webber, a survivor of the Lvov Ghetto.

Isaacs, who played Lucius Malfoy in the "Harry Potter" movie franchise, has spoken about experiencing anti-Semitic attacks as a teenager in London by the far-right group National Front.

The documentary "teaches students about the Holocaust as it contextualizes the survivor testimony and references subsequent genocides and identifies suffering where the victims are selected on the basis of being 'different' or 'other,'" the charity explained.

"'Out of the Darkness' is fundamentally about encouraging students to learn the lessons from the past to help build a better, safer future for everyone," it said.

Students and Rabbi Aaron Goldstein of the Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue in the United Kingdom are also featured in the film, which is available free to schools and colleges until May 31. It fulfills the educational requirements of British students regarding Holocaust education.

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Teachers will be provided a video introduction from the Holocaust Education Trust, and educational resources can be found on the Holocaust Learning UK website.

The charity typically invites students to synagogues to hear the testimony of Holocaust survivors, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, all in-person events have been canceled.

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org

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