5 essential things you (might have) missed in the new Harry Potter trailer

The first trailer for the new HBO series Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is out, and fans are understandably going through it frame by frame. Most of the attention has fallen on the main trio — Dominic McLaughlin as Harry, Arabella Stanton as Hermione, and Alastair Stout as Ron — but there’s much more hidden in the two minutes of footage. Here are a few things you probably missed on your first watch.

1. The series is called Philosopher’s Stone, not Sorcerer’s Stone

A small detail, but one that says something about the creators’ approach and which most people from our region won’t notice. American film distribution in 2001 renamed the first installment to Sorcerer’s Stone because studios thought the word “philosopher” would deter American audiences. HBO is returning to the original title from the books. It’s a symbolic gesture — the series aligns with the source material, not the film tradition.

2. Harry goes to a normal school and Dudley bullies him

The films dealt with Harry’s life before Hogwarts quite quickly. The series evidently plans to spend significantly more time with the Dursleys — the trailer shows scenes where Dudley and his gang bully Harry directly at school. In the films, this is only mentioned marginally, but here it will get more space. Similarly, the scene where Aunt Petunia cuts Harry’s hair, which magically grows back. Bel Powley plays Petunia with palpable anger, which is more credible than the film version, where Petunia resembled more of a caricature…

3. Hagrid takes Harry to London by Underground

The trailer features shots from the London Underground, where Nick Frost as Hagrid tells Harry about his parents on the way to Diagon Alley. This scene is not in the films at all — there, Hagrid arrived on a motorbike, and the next day they went straight to shopping. The series thus allows itself to add new scenes and expand the story where the films left gaps. For viewers who know the source material by heart, this will be one of the biggest surprises.

4. The Hogwarts crest has been redesigned

The original film Hogwarts crest is quite complex — four animals of the individual houses, a Latin motto, a shield. HBO decided on a significant simplification: a large letter H, from which tree roots grow downwards and branches upwards. Cleaner, more modern, easier to use on merchandise. Cynically speaking, it’s a logical decision. Aesthetically, it’s debatable — the original version had more character.

5. Neville Longbottom

Among dozens of students in the trailer, you might easily miss Neville Longbottom (Rory Wilmot) in a shot from the greenhouse. Herbology is the only subject in which Neville truly excels — and it’s no coincidence that the creators included him in the first trailer. Neville is one of the most interesting characters in the entire series: he starts as an awkward outsider and a target of ridicule, only to eventually play a key role in the whole story. If the series dedicates enough space to this character, it could be one of its greatest strengths.

6. Voldemort has not yet been cast — and HBO admits it

HBO chief Casey Bloys confirmed that the role of Voldemort has not yet been cast. There was speculation about Tilda Swinton or Cillian Murphy — the latter denied it in an interview with The Times with an emphasis bordering on urgency: „Absolutely not. Please make that the headline.” The casting of Voldemort will be among the most watched, and HBO is logically saving it. Ralph Fiennes set the bar very high.

7. Daniel Radcliffe wrote a letter to the new Harry

You won’t see it directly in the trailer, but it’s part of the series. Radcliffe, who is 36 years old today, sent Dominic McLaughlin a letter with well wishes for the new role. McLaughlin reportedly replied to him. Rupert Grint acted similarly, writing to his successor Alastair Stout. Grint even mentioned that he sees a „family resemblance” in him. It’s a nice gesture — and at the same time a quiet acknowledgment that the torch has been passed.

Are you looking forward to the new series, or are the original films enough for you?