What is it actually like on the set of HBO’s Harry Potter series? On this episode of MuggleCast, Andrew, Laura, and Micah were joined by Amanda Kirk of The Leaky Cauldron, who visited the set and came away a believer. We also talked about the Season 2 renewal, the latest paparazzi photos, and which moments from the films will be the hardest for the show to beat.
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Listen to the episode above, and read our full recap below.
Inside the Harry Potter TV Show Set
Amanda toured the production at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden earlier this year and wrote about it in her set report for Leaky. A few highlights from her report:
- She walked through the brick wall behind the Leaky Cauldron into Diagon Alley.
- The crew was filming the scene where Hagrid takes Harry into Gringotts.
- She was welcomed by executive producers David Heyman and Ruth Kenley-Letts.
- The series will show Hermione receiving her Hogwarts letter, and we’ll finally see the girls’ dormitory.
- Most exciting of all for book fans: this time, we get Peeves.
Amanda is under a strict NDA, so she can only share what HBO has cleared, but she said she has much more video, photos, and information that she hopes to reveal as the premiere gets closer.
How a Skeptic Became a Believer
Amanda didn’t mince words about how she felt before the visit. She went in “really cynical and dismissive” of the series. “I was just thinking, oh yeah, God, they’re just trying to milk more money out of the franchise,” she said. She also assumed a TV show wouldn’t have the production values of the movies.
Seeing it in person changed everything. “It was beyond reassuring. I was truly amazed and surprisingly emotional when I was there,” she said. “I was struck by how every single detail is a labor of love for everyone involved, and I just did a complete 180 and I am now enthusiastically looking forward to this.”
Her reaction was so strong that HBO filmed it and asked her to post the clip as a promo. Amanda admitted it was hard to share something so raw, since she was in tears saying “it’s real,” but the video reached 1.3 million views by the next day.
Some fans still worry the show isn’t being made by people who love the books. One YouTube commenter pointed to writer Andy Greenwald saying on his podcast that he hadn’t read all the books. Andrew said, “I’m not sure I would describe that as proudly bragging,” though he agreed it was interesting. Micah pointed to the documentary HBO released, which featured crew members whose parents had worked on the original films. Amanda added that people on set described the experience as a “pinch myself moment every day,” and she believes they were sincere.
Harry Potter Season 2: When Will Chamber of Secrets Come Out?
HBO has renewed the series for a second season adapting Chamber of Secrets, with filming set to begin this fall. Jon Brown, a writer on Season 1 who also worked on Succession, has been promoted to run the show alongside showrunner Francesca Gardiner.
Andrew called the renewal “not a surprise, but certainly reassuring,” and asked the obvious question: does a fall start mean Season 2 could arrive by Christmas 2027? Laura thinks that “might be kind of a tight turnaround,” and Andrew floated summer 2028 instead, though everyone agreed that feels far away. Micah added that the show will want to keep its young cast close to their characters’ ages, so a long gap between seasons could get tricky.
Amanda thinks later seasons should move faster, since the sets, props, and cast are already in place. She compared it to running a restaurant: “getting your restaurant up and running is a bigger deal than, you know, adding a new patio.” Micah noted that if the eight episode first season wraps up in February, a late 2027 premiere isn’t actually that far away.
Is Chamber of Secrets Really the Weakest Book?
The Hollywood Reporter’s article on the renewal said Chamber of Secrets is often considered the weakest of the seven books. Andrew wasn’t having it: “The fans hate Chamber of Secrets, that’s a weird take.” He checked Goodreads, where books three through seven are rated 4.8, the first book 4.5, and Chamber 4.4, which he said is still really good.
Amanda admitted she would actually rank it seventh, but said it’s all relative: if these are your seven favorite books, the last one is still one of your favorites. Laura thinks Chamber gets better in retrospect once you’ve read Half-Blood Prince, and hopes the show will “leave hints about Horcruxes” early. She pointed to the way the books mirror each other, with one and seven, two and six, and three and five being “kind of like sisters.”
As for the films, Andrew thinks the fifth movie was way too rushed, and Amanda said the sixth film was “the biggest disaster,” calling it “almost unwatchable” because of how many changes it made.
This Month in Paparazzi Photos
Reshoots in May produced a photo of Molly, Fred, and George Weasley alongside Vernon Dursley on what looks like a train station set, plus a man fans think could be Hermione’s dad. Andrew noticed that Fred and George look “really well dressed” for the Weasleys. Laura pointed out that it’s “not a super clear shot,” and Micah suggested they may simply be walking to set together.
Micah joked that Molly and Vernon almost look like they’re holding hands, and that it is HBO, after all. Amanda’s verdict: that “would be a very strange piece of fanfic.”
Andrew is most excited for “the expansion of the story,” like the paparazzi photos of Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel. Amanda shared what HBO has confirmed: Peeves is in the show, Dumbledore will be seen talking with Flamel about the Philosopher’s Stone, and a Hogwarts representative will visit Hermione’s family. She has been wondering who Dumbledore sends, and joked it would be hilarious if it were Snape. Andrew thinks it has to be McGonagall, as Deputy Headmistress.
Our Predictions for Season 1
- Andrew: Episode 1 ends on “You’re a wizard, Harry” or the first look at Hogwarts. He also hopes later books get around 12 episodes each.
- Laura: Episode 1 ends with Hagrid breaking down the door of the hut on the rock, and Episode 2 ends with the boats crossing the lake to Hogwarts.
- Amanda: Episode 1 is still in the Muggle world. She also wants to see Harry’s month at home before King’s Cross, which would make meeting the Weasleys more emotional.
- Micah: The show will open with a cloaked Snape overhearing the prophecy, and the tasks at the end of the book will be adapted in full, including Snape’s potion puzzle.
Amanda loves the idea of Snape’s logic puzzle, but wonders how the show will make it work visually. She had to write the clues down on paper to solve it when she read the book.
What Will Be Impossible to Do Better Than the Movies?
Andrew asked everyone which moments the show will struggle to top. For him, it’s “You’re a wizard, Harry.” Nick Frost is a great actor, he said, but he looks so much like Robbie Coltrane’s Hagrid that it could feel like “a dupe” of the film. Laura thinks the smart move is not to recreate the movie at all.
Micah thinks the show will be a better page to screen adaptation, but it can’t recreate “that collective” experience of seeing magic become real for the first time. Amanda singled out the music and the films’ visual style as the biggest challenges, but based on what she has been able to see, she believes the series “has absolutely risen to that challenge.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Harry Potter TV show filmed?
The series films at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in England, the same studio used for the films.
Has Harry Potter Season 2 been confirmed?
Yes. HBO renewed the series for a second season adapting Chamber of Secrets, with Jon Brown joining Francesca Gardiner as a second showrunner.
Will Peeves be in the Harry Potter TV show?
Yes. HBO has confirmed Peeves is part of the series. He was cut from the films.
When does the Harry Potter TV show premiere?
The series premieres on December 25, 2026 on HBO and HBO Max.
Will MuggleCast cover the Harry Potter TV show?
Yes! Beginning Wednesday, December 2, MuggleCast is switching to full coverage of the HBO series. We’ll release an episode soon after each TV episode airs, followed by a second episode the same week with even more detailed coverage. Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss a thing: follow MuggleCast in your favorite podcast app or subscribe on YouTube.
For everything we know so far about the series, visit our Harry Potter HBO series guide.