With the first trailer now out in the world, the expectations that the series (the first season of which will be eight episodes and cover the entire first book) and its fidelity to the source material have been largely confirmed. This is one of the key reactions to the first footage itself, though there’s also plenty of general praise for the new show. “It’s like stepping back into Hogwarts for the first time all over again,” wrote one comment on YouTube, while another added some trepidation: “You know that feeling of not wanting to be excited in case they mess it up so badly?” One fan did point out a specific detail that will further distinguish the show from the films, writing: “I love how accurate this was with the 1991-1998 setting depicted, instead of the 2001-2008 setting in the films.”
Harry Potter Fans Praise HBO Trailer for Minor Book Details
The official teaser trailer for Harry Potter reveals some elements of the story and characters’ journey that failed to make their way into the original feature film adaptation. Among them are the Muggle school that Harry attends before getting his Hogwarts Letter (St. Grogory’s Primary School for those paying attention), but also the scene where Aunt Petunia cuts his hair (only for it to grow back almost immediately, a sign that things with Harry are not normal). These details brought fans out like a moth to a flame, with another YouTube comment reading: “Petunia cutting the hair… that’s THE DETAILS WE WANTED!”
On X (formerly known as Twitter), fans flocked to the details as well, but mostly were just impressed by the production value of the series not only taking them back to their childhood.
ooh the book accurate details in that new harry potter trailer has me feeling so conflicted…it really felt unnecessary when they announced the reboot but it feels like they are taking it seriously but this directly benefits JKR so i just don't know
Even those who expected to be jaded by the arrival of the show were taken aback, with one user writing:
I'm not even a big Harry Potter fan, but this looks really great. I might just rewatch the films and hop on to this when it releases. This trailer was cut really well too. https://t.co/o2kzt64jME
The hype of the trailer may have countless fans smiling over the potential of the new adaptations, but others remain unconvinced. Some were struck by the potential visual similarities between the original feature film adaptations and the show, while othes were quick to note the similarity in the Harry Potter show’s visual style and continuing the trend of dark shows on streaming platforms.
biggest problem with that Harry Potter trailer, for me, is the same issue I had with the Moana trailer.
This looks exactly the same with a modern streaming series sheen to it.
Despite the criticisms, Warner Bros. Discovery is already betting big on the Harry Potter TV series, with plans in place to adapt all seven books over the course of the next decade. HBO’s Casey Bloys has already teased how big the show will be in the long run, but also confirmed that the expectation of new seasons every year for Harry Potter won’t exactly be tenable. To that end, it will be interesting to see how time views the new Harry Potter show, especially as costs continue to rise and the time between seasons perhaps fluctuates. Will audiences stick with it for ten years? For now, the fandom seems eager to at least see it get started.
