When the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, 2022 will bring with it the HBO Max premiere of Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts. The retrospective special will feature stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson joining director Chris Columbus for a celebration of the beloved franchise.
The special will recap the creation of the eight-film series through in-depth interviews and conversations with the cast. It marks the first official reunion since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 brought the film series to a close in 2011.
While Radcliffe, Grint and Watson lead the Return to Hogwarts hype, what sends the reunion over the edge is the return of iconic cast members like Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Imelda Staunton and Tom Felton who made up the thread that held the Harry Potter films together.
“There’s magic in the air here with this incredible cast, as they all return home to the original sets of Hogwarts, where they began 20 years ago,” executive producer Casey Patterson said in a statement. “The excitement is palpable as they prepare to take their fans on a very special and personal journey, through the making of these incredible films.”
Before the magic rekindles in January, the Potter-hub, WizardingWorld.com, will kick off the celebration with quizzes, videos, fan content, deep-dives and more. All will be unveiled on the website every Wednesday.
“It has been an incredible journey since the debut of the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone film, and witnessing how it has evolved into this remarkable interconnected universe has been magical to say the least,” said Tom Ascheim, President, Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics. “This retrospective is a tribute to everyone whose lives were touched by this cultural phenomenon — from the talented cast and crew who poured their heart and soul into this extraordinary film franchise to the passionate fans who continue to keep the Wizarding World spirit alive 20 years later.”
Following its premiere on HBO Max, the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary special will later air on TBS and Cartoon Network in spring 2022, ahead of the release of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.