Warwick Davis has said the upcoming Harry Potter television adaptation is “very faithful” to J.K. Rowling’s books.
The new version of the hit fantasy series will adapt the seven novels over a mammoth 10-year period, with each book receiving its own season on HBO. The first season is expected to arrive in early 2027.
Most of the cast has been announced, with newcomer Dominic McLaughlin to play Harry, Arabella Stanton portraying Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout taking on the role of Ron Weasley.
John Lithgow is playing Professor Dumbledore, Nick Frost will be Hagrid and Paapa Essiedu will play Severus Snape, while one actor that is returning to his role from the movies is Davis, who will be Professor of Charms and Head of Ravenclaw Filius Flitwick in the show.
In a new interview with Times Radio, Davis gave Potter fans a glimpse into the new production. “I’m working on it at the moment, but I can’t really tell you anything other than we’re retelling those wonderful stories but with more depth and detail than has been seen before.”
“They’re very faithful adaptations of the book,” he added. “We’re obviously telling the same story so there are similar moments that we’re experiencing as actors on the set. But it’s weird being back in the same studios again, doing it all again, because Leavesden is where we shot the films.”
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Davis also played a goblin bank teller in the films, and took on the voice role of Griphook, but will not return to those parts in the new adaptation.
The show has been mired in controversy due to Rowling receiving significant backlash for her anti-trans comments, and her support of the UK Supreme Court ruling last year that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex.
Rowling’s stance has seen her at odds with the three stars of the Harry Potter films, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, all of whom have publicly disagreed with her views.
Radcliffe recently said he had written to McLaughlin to offer his support. “I don’t want to be a spectre in the life of these children but I just wanted to write to him to say, ‘I hope you have the best time, and an even better time than I did — I had a great time, but I hope you have an even better time’,” he said.