Ahead of the December premiere, streaming service HBO has released a series of new character posters for the first season of the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone series. For the first time, the promotional art features the story's three central heroes together in a unified style: Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley, played in the new adaptation by Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, and Alastair Stout. The material appeared on the official HBO Max Instagram account, with the premiere date listed on the poster as December 25, 2026.
A Fresh Take on the Trio
The central roles have gone to young British actors who are reimagining characters familiar to millions of viewers from the original film franchise. The role of Harry Potter, played across eight feature films by Daniel Radcliffe, is now taken over by Dominic McLaughlin. Hermione Granger will be portrayed by Arabella Stanton, succeeding Emma Watson, while the role of Ron Weasley, previously played by Rupert Grint, goes to Alastair Stout. According to the plot, eleven-year-old Harry, living with his relatives the Dursleys, receives a letter inviting him to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he meets friends and gradually learns the truth about his past.
Dark Visual Style of the Posters
Harry's poster features a striking composition: the hero's face is split down the middle by a magic wand held right in front of him. One side of his face is illuminated by a warm light, while the other is plunged into shadow, which, according to the creators' intent, mirrors the dangers awaiting the young wizard at Hogwarts. An earlier first poster from the company showed the main hero with a scar on his forehead, with Hogwarts reflected in his glasses; the slogan 'The Boy Who Lived' was added to the image. Round glasses and the distinctive scar have become recognizable visual markers of the new look.
Cast and Creative Team
In addition to the young leads, renowned film industry figures have joined the project. Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore will be played by John Lithgow, Professor Minerva McGonagall by Janet McTeer, Severus Snape by Paapa Essiedu, Hagrid by Nick Frost, and Draco Malfoy by Lox Pratt. Warwick Davis also returns to the magical world to reprise his role as Professor Filius Flitwick, just as he did in the original franchise. Francesca Gardiner, known for her work on Succession and His Dark Materials, serves as showrunner, while Mark Mylod, who worked on Game of Thrones and Succession, directs several episodes. Hans Zimmer is scoring the project alongside the Bleeding Fingers Music team, and executive producers include J.K. Rowling herself and David Heyman.
Format, Filming, and Future Plans
The new series will be a television adaptation of J.K. Rowling's seven novels and, unlike the film franchise, will not be a continuation of it. The first season, titled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, consists of eight episodes—significantly more screen time than the 2001 film, allowing for scenes and details previously left on the cutting room floor. Filming began in July 2025 at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in the UK, where the original film series was created. The project is conceived as a multi-year screen adaptation of the book series: sources report a total of seven seasons are planned, each covering the events of the corresponding part of the epic, and HBO has already confirmed work on a second season even before the first premieres.
