New Harry Potter series renewed for season two before premiere airs

The new Harry Potter series on HBO Max has been renewed for a second season before the first season has aired.

Young Scottish actor Dominic McLaughlin will play the protagonist Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton will be Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout will portray Ron Weasley

It comes after major actors such as John Lithgow and Nick Frost were cast for the show, which began production last summer.

Season one, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, is due to air at Christmas this year after a trailer was released in March.

Now HBO have announced that season two will begin filming in autumn, believed to follow the events of The Chamber of Secrets, the second book in JK Rowling’s saga.

Potterheads will get to see a new side of the wizarding world with the show to focus on adapting the books of author and executive producer JK Rowling.

The Harry Potter franchise has already been made into eight blockbuster movies, with the final film hitting the big screen in 2011.

Since then, spinoff movies under the Fantastic Beasts franchise have been made starring Eddie Redmayne and Jude Law.

But HBO’s new series promises to bring new faces to the already established names.

Who else is in the cast?

Other actors announced for the show include John Lithgow as Dumbledore, Nick Frost as Hagrid, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape and Janet McTeer as Professor McGonagall.

John Lithgow (left) to play Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu (centre) to play Snape and Luke Thallon (right) to play Quirrell. Jessica Howes/Ruth Crafer/Phil Sharp

Luke Thallon will play the first book’s main antagonist, Quirinus Quirrell, and Welsh comedian and actor Paul Whitehouse as Hogwarts caretaker Argus Filch.

The series will focus on adapting Rowling’s books for TV, with each series to follow the arc of the seven novels.

Reports suggest the series will then follow chronologically through Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince and finally the Deathly Hallows.

In 2023, however, Warner Bros. Discovery said the stories from each of the books will become “a decade-long series”, suggesting it could last longer than seven seasons.

Is JK Rowling involved and will the show be filmed in Scotland?

JK Rowling will serve as executive producer on the show, but it is not clear if any of the series will be filmed in Scotland.

Rowling maintains ownership over key aspects of Harry Potter intellectual property – with the books, films, video games and theatrical shows estimated to be worth £20bn.

She said all three young actors cast to play Harry, Ron and Hermione were “wonderful” and that she “couldn’t be happier” they will be involved.

Iconic locations such as the Glenfinnan Viaduct appeared in the films, with Rowling taking inspiration for places in the books from sites in Edinburgh, Glen Coe and Fort William.

Glenfinnan Railway Viaduct became famous around the world as the route of the Hogwarts Express. iStock

Edinburgh, where Rowling wrote the early stages of the books, has a number of tourist spots for Potter fans to visit dotted around the city.

The series is written and executive-produced by Francesca Gardiner, while Mark Mylod will executive-produce and direct multiple episodes of the series.

Upon announcing the casting for Harry, Ron and Hermione, they said: “After an extraordinary search led by casting directors Lucy Bevan and Emily Brockmann, we are delighted to announce we have found our Harry, Hermione, and Ron.

“The talent of these three unique actors is wonderful to behold, and we cannot wait for the world to witness their magic together onscreen.

“We would like to thank all the tens of thousands of children who auditioned. It’s been a real pleasure to discover the plethora of young talent out there.”