HBO’s $1.25 billion Harry Potter mini-town takes shape in UK

Warner Bros. is investing over £1 billion, or approximately $1.25 billion USD, into a massive new set at its expanding Leavesden Studios in Hertfordshire, UK, to support the production of HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter television series, scheduled for release in 2026.

The new “mini-town” is being designed as a fully functioning filming hub that will serve as the long-term backdrop for the new adaptation, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

It will include major infrastructure developments such as roads, multi-storey car parks, vast soundstages, and other essential facilities to sustain what is expected to be a multi-season commitment.

The new production complex will recreate key locations from the Harry Potter universe, including an updated version of Privet Drive, now reimagined in mock-Tudor style. The build is not limited to film sets; reports indicate that Warner Bros. is also constructing a school for the young cast, a medical centre, and dedicated facilities for the various animals featured in the series, including owls, rats, horses, and spiders. A source familiar with the project told The Sun that the set will operate like a small metropolis, designed to house and support the large cast and crew throughout the lengthy production process.

As construction progresses on the new set, casting announcements have already begun. The adult actors taking on the roles of Hogwarts faculty have been revealed, with Janet McTeer cast as Professor Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch, and Luke Thallon as Professor Quirinus Quirrell. However, HBO has yet to confirm casting for the Dursley family.

The network is also keeping quiet on who will play the central trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, though it has been reported that an astonishing 32,000 young actors auditioned for the roles, underscoring the global scale and anticipation surrounding the new series.

By Tamilla Hasanova