HBO aired the behind-the-scenes special 'Finding Harry: The Craft Behind the Magic' on April 5 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, streaming on Max, offering fans an inside look at the production of its upcoming Harry Potter TV series adaptation of 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.' Narrated by Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, the 60-minute program features interviews with cast members including John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, and the young stars Dominic McLaughlin as Harry, Alastair Stout as Ron, and Arabella Stanton as Hermione.
Announced earlier in the week, the special—produced at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in the U.K.—chronicles the craftsmanship behind the eight-episode first season, set to premiere on Christmas Day 2026 on HBO and Max. It highlights the work of artists, craftspeople, and technicians adapting J.K. Rowling’s book, with interviews from casting, production design, costume, and creature effects teams. Production designer Mara LePere-Schloop describes the sets' scale: “To play in a sandbox this big, it really is incredible. We’re adding a level of world-building beyond what the audience is familiar with.” John Lithgow adds, “You wait forever to do something that means that much to people.” Paapa Essiedu shares, “Just walking in and seeing the train, you imagine yourself being a kid at Hogwarts.” HBO’s first trailer for the series, released last week, garnered a record 277 million organic views in 48 hours. Executive producers include J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts, and David Heyman, with Francesca Gardini as showrunner.
