The wizarding world of Harry Potter and his magically talented mates is the millennium-era franchise. J.K. Rowling’s first novel arrived in 1997, the cut-off year between generations Y (or ‘millennial’) and Z, and has since summoned up eight original films, two mediocre Fantastic Beasts spin-offs, a couple of amusement park experiences, and a Gringotts’ vault full of merch money.
A special event titled Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts will take fans back to the early days of this beloved film franchise. It arrives on HBO Max for American audiences this New Year’s Day, but no UK platform has been confirmed yet. We’ll keep you updated on when and where you can expect(o patronum) to watch this anniversary special a little closer to January 1.
Perhaps it’ll air on Sky and NOW, similarly to HBO’s Friends’ reunion special earlier this year. We’ll likely get a similar blend of nostalgic talking heads and fan-pleasing anecdotes from Hogwarts alumni Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, reminiscing about their first moments on set.
In the two decades that have whizzed by since they first played The Boy Who Lived, his ginger buddy, and the nerdiest Muggle-born kid in class, the trio have grown into very different acting careers. Prepare to feel extremely old, as they revisit the original films’ sets and reconnect with the series’ terrific supporting cast of UK screen legends. One sad omission is the late Alan Rickman, so perfectly cast as the brooding, antagonistic Professor Snape.
Creator J.K. Rowling is also noticeably absent from the anniversary proceedings: perhaps Warner Bros. and HBO are dodging any perceived support of her history of transphobia. Either way, the special event is definitely focusing on the Harry Potter films rather than the books they draw from, so you’ve merely got eight movies to chow through rather than seven increasingly thick books, if you want to do your own refreshing return to Hogwarts before watching.
Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts should go down like a warm mug of Butterbeer for the franchise’s fans: some holiday nostalgia to refocus us after all those aforementioned spin-offs and stage plays. The good ol’ ‘Chosen One’/good vs. evil/friendship is magic narrative is tried but it is true. Soon, we can hear all about the experience of enacting that fantasy arc directly from the boy who acted as The Boy Who Lived himself.
