Credit: Warner Bros.Harry Potter might be getting a television adaptation, but it’s fair to say that most fans will always view the films as the “core of the franchise,” something even Warner Bros. itself has said.
“Each season [of the HBO series] will bring Harry Potter and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world, while the original, classic and cherished films will remain at the core of the franchise and available to watch globally,” the studio said in an official statement in 2024.
The Harry Potter Films Continue to Influence the Wider Franchise
This is hardly surprising, though, when you consider the immense popularity of those films and their ongoing influence across the wider franchise, from experiences such as Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter to Universal Studios’ themed lands and attractions.
As such, fans will always be interested in that particular timeline, especially when it comes to what happens in the years that follow Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011), the last installment in the series. The only proper follow-up we’ve had is the popular stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (2016), which has officially been billed as “the eighth story.
Related: ‘Harry Potter’ TV Reboot Expected To Share Its Continuity With Divisive Prequel Series
Another Deathly Hallows Follow-up (Not Cursed Child)
But there’s another story you might not be as familiar with, one that’s also officially connected with the films. It’s neither in a book nor on stage, though, but in a Universal Studios attraction.
Following the launch of Universal Epic Universe in 2025, the Wizarding World now spans three parks at the Universal Orlando Resort. They are:
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade at Universal Islands of Adventure
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic at Universal Epic Universe
The newest area, The Ministry of Magic, inspired by the Harry Potter film series and the three Fantastic Beasts spinoff prequels, is made up of the streets of 1920s wizarding Paris and the British Ministry of Magic, and is also home to live shows, themed eateries, and magical shops.
Related: Confirmed: Universal Changing Its 12-Year-Old ‘Harry Potter’ Attraction
The description states:
“Encounter fantastic beasts as you explore wizarding Paris in the 1920s, then take the Métro-Floo to the British Ministry in the 1990s for new thrills with Harry, Ron and Hermione. Get ready to explore the excitement of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic at Universal Epic Universe.”
The area is also home to a signature Wizarding World ride. Combining practical sets, animatronics, and motion simulation, Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry invites guests aboard a magical, omnidirectional lift to help Harry, Ron, and Hermione stop Dolores Umbridge in a story set shortly after the events of the final film in the series, Deathly Hallows – Part 2.
Watch a full POV of the ride from Universal Parks News Today:
Here’s the official description for the experience:
“Travel by Métro-Floo from Paris to the British Ministry of Magic where Dolores Umbridge is about to stand trial. Board a lift and join Harry, Ron and Hermione as you journey deep into the Ministry’s many departments. Thrilling adventure, fantastic beasts and unexplored mystery await in Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry.”
Of course, you might be wondering how a theme park attraction be canon. But then how can a stage play like Cursed Child be canon? Or a video game like Hogwarts Legacy? Though it hasn’t even been explicitly labeled as “canon,” Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry was developed in close collaboration with Warner Bros. and the creative team behind the films.
Rather than simply retelling moments from the films, the ride presents an all-new adventure featuring Harry, Ron, and Hermione months after Voldemort’s defeat in Deathly Hallows – Part 2, making it an official extension of the cinematic timeline.
It even features the digital likenesses and sound-alike voice performances of the original trio, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, while Imelda Staunton appears as Umbridge.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (HBO Series)
Supplementary storytelling, whether plays, games, or Universal Studios attractions, will have to be enough to keep fans of the films happy, as that series is unlikely to be followed up on the big screen, especially now that Warner Bros. is preparing to roll out a reboot with an all-new cast.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the upcoming HBO adaptation based on J. K. Rowling’s first book, consists of eight episodes and is the first of seven seasons.
Starring Dominic McLaughlin, Alastair Stout, and Arabella Stanton as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, respectively, along with an extensive ensemble cast that includes Nick Frost (Rubeus Hagrid), John Lithgow (Albus Dumbledore), and Paapa Essiedu (Severus Snape), the series is considered one of the most expensive HBO projects ever.
Watch the first official trailer for Philosopher’s Stone below:
The series is written and executive-produced by showrunner Francesca Gardiner (HBO’s Succession, His Dark Materials, Killing Eve). J. K. Rowling, Neil Blair, and Ruth Kenley-Letts of Brontë Film and TV, and David Heyman of Heyday Films are also onboard as executive producers. Mark Mylod (Succession, Game of Thrones, The Last of Us) will executive-produce and direct multiple episodes.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone premieres on HBO on Christmas 2026.
Have you experienced Battle at the Ministry? And are you excited about the new Harry Potter series? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
