Overview

• On The Rest Is Entertainment podcast, the original films’ director said Nick Frost’s Hagrid appears in the “exact same costume,” asking “What’s the point?” and suggesting the images may use a body‑double technique like the movies.
• Recent location photos show Dominic McLaughlin’s Harry with Hagrid on a Diagon Alley–style London street and at King’s Cross, along with a first look at the Weasley family ensemble.
• Columbus said he has no interest in returning to the franchise, calling the new show “more of the same,” though he described the homage to his team’s designs as flattering.
• He expressed curiosity about material the films cut for time or technical reasons, citing the poltergeist Peeves as an example he hopes the series can finally include.
• Production is underway in the UK with major casting confirmed — including John Lithgow as Dumbledore and Paapa Essiedu as Snape — for a release HBO has slated for 2027.