Mental Floss

A Harry Potter Reunion Special Is Coming to HBO Max

By Ellen Gutoskey

(From left to right) Tom Felton, Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Matthew Lewis at the New York City premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 in 2011.
(From left to right) Tom Felton, Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Matthew Lewis at the New York City premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 in 2011. / Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images
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First, HBO Max gave us The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion. Then, after many delays, we finally got Friends: The Reunion. Now, the streaming service has announced its most magical “retrospective special” yet: Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts.

As the title suggests, it’s been 20 years since Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone first hit theaters on November 16, 2001, an anniversary that the program will use as a jumping-off point to revisit the entire franchise and explore its continuing cultural impact. HBO Max described it in a press release as “an enchanting making-of story through all-new in-depth interviews and cast conversations, inviting fans on a magical first-person journey through one of the most beloved film franchises of all time.”

Such a tall order couldn’t be delivered without the participation of a pretty large group of Harry Potter cast members, and it doesn’t look like fans will be disappointed. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint will all be there, as will Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange), Robbie Coltrane (Rubeus Hagrid), Ralph Fiennes (Lord Voldemort), Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy), Gary Oldman (Sirius Black), Imelda Staunton (Dolores Umbridge), Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), James Phelps (Fred Weasley), Oliver Phelps (George Weasley), Mark Williams (Arthur Weasley), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas), Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Ian Hart (Quirinus Quirrell), and more. Chris Columbus, who directed the first two movies, will also take part.

The special will drop on HBO Max on January 1, 2022. If you don’t have HBO Max, you can catch it on TBS or Cartoon Network sometime next spring. This coming November 28, TBS and Cartoon Network will debut Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses, a Helen Mirren-hosted quiz show that’ll feature a sneak peek of the upcoming reunion.

Watch the teaser trailer for Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts below.

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