‘Harry Potter’ Back to Hogwarts 2026 Celebrations Feature ‘Sorcerer’s Stone’ 25th Anniversary Rerelease, New Glimpses of HBO Series
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- Warner Bros. Discovery unveiled its 2026 "Back to Hogwarts" program, a global celebration centered on Sept. 1 marking the 25th anniversary of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone."
- "Sorcerer's Stone" returns to theaters for one week with 12 minutes of previously unseen behind-the-scenes footage, while all eight "Harry Potter" films screen worldwide from Aug. 27 through Sept. 3.
- HBO Max is staging its first-ever Back to Hogwarts celebration in London on Sept. 1, timed to build anticipation for the HBO Original series' Christmas debut.
- Warner Bros. Discovery is explicitly urging fans to skip King's Cross Station on Sept. 1, redirecting foot traffic toward its own ticketed London event instead.
- Live celebrations are planned across France, Italy, Spain, Germany, China, Australia and Japan — including a large-scale wand lesson at Paris' Château de Versailles Orangerie Gardens choreographed by Paul Harris.
- Universal theme parks worldwide participate Aug. 1 through Sept. 1, with Universal Beijing Resort debuting its "Hogwarts Always" projection show on Aug. 28.
- Warner Bros. Studio Tour London is running a competition for a personalized Hogwarts trunk autographed by Bonnie Wright, Mark Williams, and twins James and Oliver Phelps, plus two tickets for Sept. 1.
Why it matters: WBD is leveraging the 25th anniversary to funnel existing fans toward HBO's Christmas-debuting series while monetizing nostalgia through a re-release featuring 12 minutes of unseen footage. The explicit warning to skip King's Cross Station suggests the company is redirecting foot traffic away from the unofficial pilgrimage site toward its own controlled, ticketed venues.
