Harry Potter HBO TV Series Trailer Has Everyone Saying The Same Thing

The first trailer for the "Harry Potter" reboot is here, and it looks ... awfully similar to the movies. The idea that Hollywood is out of ideas has been common for a while now, and while there's nothing inherently wrong with wanting to remake something, why do that without putting a different kind of spin on it? That seems to be the consensus online for the new "Harry Potter." 

One Reddit thread is filled with comments like this one, from u/theplasmasnake: "It looks well made... but it also just looks like the movies. Uncannily so, with some imagery and shots looking pretty near identical." Redditor u/Nanosauromo echoed that idea, writing, "It looks fine, but it also looks just like the movies. And the movies still exist."

From the wizards' robes to the Great Hall, the "Harry Potter" HBO Max series isn't doing much to differentiate itself from the movies just yet. And perhaps that's intentional. The films were hugely successful, and after all, there are still theme park attractions at Universal Studios that everything needs to synergize with. For now, the TV show seems like it'll exist in the movies' shadows, with another Redditor commenting, "It definitely looks like a TV show. And using the same iconography of the original films just makes it feel like a more sterile version of that."

On the one hand, it makes sense that the first "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" trailer would lean heavily into the iconography that made the films such a hit, since HBO wants to attract old-time fans. On the other hand, some fans won't care about how similar the two projects look; a number of them will tune in because a TV series might allow for exploring concepts in the books that had to fall to the wayside in a two-hour movie. 

The comments under the trailer on YouTube are far kinder than what's on Reddit. One individual, @thetvandmoviequeen, pointed to one moment that gives them hope: "Petunia cutting the hair... that's THE DETAILS WE WANTED!" This refers to a quick shot in the trailer where Petunia (Bel Powley) cuts Harry's (Dominic McLaughlin) hair, something that happened in the first book where she would cut his hair in a way to hide his scar, but the next morning, his hair looked just as it did previously. 

Another moment has @LM-il5vk getting hyped: "Harry being bullied by Dudley at school when he ends up on the roof. Like this is for the book fans." In the novel, Harry uses magic to escape being tormented by Dudley and winds up on the roof. For many, this is the sole reason why a TV show is the best way to bring "Harry Potter" back. It can visualize ideas the movies had to leave out, such as actually bringing in Peeves, the strange character we never got to see in the movies. But adding more details doesn't automatically translate to a better story. 

There's a reason why Looper suggested "Harry Potter" would blow us all away in 2026. It's a massively popular property that people have a lot of nostalgia for. A new series could even be an opportunity for older fans to introduce the series to the children they have now. But for many online, there's really no point for this to exist. 

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2" ended the film series in 2011. It wasn't that long ago, so many (but not all) of the visual effects still look good. Redditor u/sensory pointed out how a lot of folks feel: "So unbelievably unnecessary with how well the movies still hold up." But that familiarity might be a selling point for some, as u/LordDusty wrote: "A lot of it does feel like repeat of the films but overall I'm liking the look and the cinematography. The British school look is pretty nostalgic for me."

The "Harry Potter" movies are still comfort viewing for many, so with more hours of story, it's entirely possible this show becomes something else people revisit over the years. "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" premieres on HBO Max on Christmas Day, so it will be a while before we know how well the show will fare. But no matter how good or bad it winds up being, please, for Merlin's sake, be nice to the child actors online.