Harry Potter cast members reunite in the first trailer for the 20th anniversary special

An emotional reunion in the halls of Hogwarts

Dec 20, 2021, 4:42 PM UTC

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Petrana Radulovic is an entertainment reporter specializing in animation, fandom culture, theme parks, Disney, and young adult fantasy franchises.

In the first trailer for Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, the main trio — Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint — step back into the Wizarding World, from Diagon Alley, Platform 9 3⁄4, and eventually to Hogwarts itself. The three have some emotional words to say about the movies ... and each other.

“I’ve watched you grow up,” says Grint in the trailer. “And I’ve seen kind of every stage of your life.”

They’re not the only cast members to return for this special event. A whole range of Harry Potter alumni, from big roles to small, will reunite, including Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange), Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid), Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy), Gary Oldman (Sirius Black), James and Oliver Phelps (Fred and George Weasley), Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Mark Williams (Arthur Weasley), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas), Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom), and Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood).

The 20th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone arrives at a controversial time for the franchise. While new films set in the Wizarding World continue to be made — with the next Fantastic Beasts movie hitting theaters in April — many former fans have actively disavowed the series due to author J.K. Rowling’s stance on trans rights. Rowling will not be in the reunion special, though Warner Bros. has said she will appear in archive footage.

Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts will premiere on HBO Max on Jan. 1, 2022.

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