HBO shares Harry Potter clip ahead of Christmas Day series debut
The footage features a conversation between Dumbledore and McGonagall after Harry is placed in Gryffindor.
HBO unveiled footage from its upcoming Harry Potter television adaptation during the 2026 Kids’ Choice Awards on November 14. The series is scheduled to premiere on December 25, 2026, Christmas Day, rather than the previously estimated 2027 debut.
Set at Hogwarts, the scene takes place during the feast that follows the Sorting Ceremony. Harry, Ron and Hermione appear alongside other students, while a separate exchange between two professors offers a perspective beyond Harry’s own.
Janet McTeer’s Professor McGonagall tells Dumbledore, played by John Lithgow, that she is happy Harry has joined Gryffindor, the house she leads. She also remarks on his resemblance to his father, James Potter. Dumbledore responds by distinguishing Harry’s spirit from his father’s.
The HBO Max adaptation is expected to turn each book into a season. Its scope will extend beyond events seen from Harry’s perspective, with the conversation between the professors providing one example of that approach.
