Overview
"Think of a powerful memory. Make it the happiest you can remember." They're Daniel Radcliffe's words, uttered in the opening moments of the trailer for Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts — and, just like the title for this HBO reunion special, they say it all.
First announced in November, and headed to Binge in Australia on Saturday, January 1 and TVNZ On Demand in New Zealand on Sunday, January 2 — to start 2022 off with some magic, obviously — this nostalgic special will celebrate 20 years since the Harry Potter franchise first hit cinemas screens. Yes, HBO is doing with all things wizarding what it did with the cast of Friends earlier this year, in great news for everyone that's been chanting "accio more Harry Potter" for the past decade since the eight-film series wrapped up.
Like the Friends special, this one will reteam all of Harry Potter's famous on-screen faces — Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson among them, because it wouldn't be worth going ahead if they weren't involved. Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts won't feature anyone in-character; however, they do indeed head back to everyone's favourite wizarding school, as the just-dropped full trailer for the special also shows.
Also taking part is filmmaker Chris Columbus, who directed the franchise's first two movies. Plus, you can expect to spot a huge list of other actors from across the series, including Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman and Tom Felton, plus James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Mark Williams, Bonnie Wright, Alfred Enoch, Matthew Lewis, Evanna Lynch and Ian Hart.
You'll notice some missing names — Maggie Smith and Robert Pattinson, for instance, to name just two — but clearly there'll be a whole lot of HP cast members reminiscing about their time in the wizarding world.
Whether you're a muggle, a wannabe witch, or someone who spent far too much of their childhood reading the books and watching the flicks, you'll want to mark 7.01pm AEDT / 6.01pm AEST on Saturday, January 1 in your diary in Australia — and 7pm NZST on Sunday, January 2 in your calendar in New Zealand — as that's when the special will hit locally.
In the interim, you can check out the full trailer for the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special below:
HBO's Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special will be available to stream in Australia via Binge from 7.01pm AEDT / 6.01pm AEST on Saturday, January 1, 2022 — and in New Zealand via TVNZ from 7pm NZST on Sunday, January 2.
Top image: Binge / Warner Bros Entertainment Inc.