The wizarding world of Harry Potter is getting its magic back.
In the first official trailer for the retrospective special Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, the beloved franchise’s star players Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint reunite for a journey through life-changing memories. The special premieres on HBO Max on Jan. 1 when the clock strikes midnight.
“The thing that scared me the most was the implication that the most meaningful thing was done,” Radcliffe recalls in the trailer. “And there’s something so joyous about seeing everyone, and be like, ‘It wasn’t though.’”
For the first time since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 brought the film series to a close in 2011, Return to Hogwarts reassembles not only the Gryffindor trio of Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger, but also makes room for the full cast of characters that carried the films forward. In the trailer, Helena Bonham Carter whips out a set of old prop teeth to really feel the memory and the stage is set for additional appearances from Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Tom Felton, and more.
The collection of actors recalls the early days of filming and the lasting impact of the eight-film series in the years since its conclusion. During a close sit-down in the trailer, Grint tells Watson: “It’s a very heartwarming thing ‘cause I’ve watched you grow up and I’ve seen kind of every stage of your life.”
She sums up the feeling simply: “When things get really dark and times are really hard, there’s something about Harry Potter that makes life richer.”
Also returning for the special filmmakers Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuarón, Mike Newell, and David Yates as well as producer David Heyman, among others.
“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.”