The products and services mentioned below were selected independent of sales and advertising. However, Simplemost may receive a small commission from the purchase of any products or services through an affiliate link to the retailer's website.
We know it seems like just yesterday that you got your letter from Hogwarts, but the fact is that it’s been 20 years since “Harry Potter” first graced the silver screen. That’s right: “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” was released in November 2001, when stars Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint were only 12 years old and Emma Watson was just 11.
OK, now we feel really old, but here is some comfort: In honor of the 20th anniversary of the “Harry Potter” film series, the cast is reuniting for a special night. Only available on HBO Max, “Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts” will be a nostalgic look back at the movies in the series, featuring commentary from stars like Radcliffe, Grint, Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Tom Felton and many more of your favorite faces from the cast.
HBO Max recently released a new teaser for “Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts” and you can watch the enticing video below:
The first preview came in November, and while it’s mostly just images and snippets from the “Harry Potter” movies, it still stirs up some nostalgia and some excitement for the upcoming anniversary special:
Watson (who played Hermione Granger in the film series) shared her excitement about the upcoming special on her Instagram page, posting a throwback pic from the cast’s younger days and writing (in part):
“Harry Potter was my home, my family, my world and Hermione (still is) my favorite fictional character of all time … I am proud not just of what we as [a] group contributed as actors to the franchise but also as the children that became young adults that walked that path. I look at my fellow cast members now and I am just so proud of who everyone has become as people. I am proud we were kind to each other that we supported one another and that we held up something meaningful.”
Although the reunion will bring back many of our favorite cast members, a few of the actors have passed since the film series has ended. Alan Rickman (who played the iconic role of Severus Snape) will be dearly missed; he died in 2016 of cancer. And Helen McCrory, who played Narcissa Malfoy, also died earlier this year after a battle with cancer.
“I never took the chance to tell her, but she helped shape me as a person so much — on & off screen,” Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) wrote on Instagram after her death.”Thank you for lighting the way forward & holding my hand when I needed it.”
It’s clear the “Harry Potter” cast still continues to be a tight-knit group, and we can’t wait to see them back together on “Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts.”
The reunion airs on Jan. 1, 2022, on HBO Max. What a magical start to the New Year!
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for additional stories.
