HBO’s Harry Potter season one has an official title – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – and its first lengthy teaser trailer. The two-minute teaser introduces the show’s versions of Harry, Ron, and Hermione along with other key players. And of course the YouTube comment section is filled with fans sharing their opinions of the series’ versions vs. the films’ stars and engaging in heated (to put it mildly) debates. (Check it out at your own risk.)
Dominic McLaughlin stars as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton stars as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout stars as Ron Weasley. John Lithgow plays Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer is Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu is Severus Snape, Nick Frost is Rubeus Hagrid, Rory Wilmot is Neville Longbottom, and Lox Pratt is Draco Malfoy.
The huge ensemble also includes Leo Earley as Seamus Finnigan, Elijah Oshin as Dean Thomas, Tristan Harland as Fred Weasley, Gabriel Harland as George Weasley, Ruari Spooner as Percy Weasley, and Alessia Leoni as Parvati Patil. Sienna Moosah plays Lavender Brown, Finn Stephens is Vincent Crabbe, William Nash is Gregory Goyle, Warwick Davis is Filius Flitwick, and Sirine Saba is Pomona Sprout.
Rounding out the cast are Daniel Rigby as Vernon Dursley, Bel Powley as Petunia Dursley, Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch, Johnny Flynn as Lucius Malfoy, Bertie Carvel as Cornelius Fudge, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell, Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley, Amos Kitson as Dudley Dursley, and Gracie Cochrane as Ginny Weasley. Richard Durden is Cuthbert Binns, Louise Brealey is Rolanda Hooch, Bríd Brennan is Poppy Pomfrey, Leigh Gill is Griphook, and Anton Lesser is Garrick Ollivander.
HBO’s official synopsis of the eight-episode season reads, “There is nothing special about Harry Potter—at least that’s what his Aunt Petunia always says. On his 11th birthday, a letter of admittance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry opens up a hidden world for Harry: one of fun, friendship, and magic. But with this new adventure comes great risk as Harry is forced to face a dangerous enemy from his past.”
Author J.K. Rowling is involved as an executive producer along with Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts, and David Heyman. Francesca Gardiner adapted Rowling’s first novel and Mark Mylod directs multiple episodes. Both also serve as executive producers.