HBO is pulling out all the stops for its highly anticipated “Harry Potter” series, slated to debut in 2027.
While the exact premiere date has not yet been announced, the wheels were set in motion last year when the premium TV network announced the cast, including newcomer Dominic McLaughlin, landing the titular wizard role. The series started filming last summer, according to Deadline.
On Thursday, Jan. 15, the network turned heads when, according to Variety, it was announced that legendary composer Hans Zimmer and the music company he co-founded, Bleeding Fingers, will compose the score to the latest iteration of J.K. Rowling’s popular books, beginning with “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.”
In a joint statement provided to Variety, Zimmer and fellow Bleeding Fingers composers, Kara Salve and Anže Rozman, underscored the magnitude and privilege that come with undertaking the emotional element for an iconic franchise equally famous for its visuals and deft storytelling.
“The musical legacy of ‘Harry Potter’ is a touch point for composers everywhere and we are humbled to join such a remarkable team on a project of this magnitude,” said Zimmer, Salve and Rozman, via Variety. “The responsibility is something that myself, Kara Talve and Anže Rozman do not take lightly. Magic is all around us, often just beyond reach, but as in the world of Harry Potter, you simply must look for it. With this score we hope to bring audiences that little bit closer to it whilst honoring what has come before.”
‘Harry Potter’ Cast Set
As previously reported, McLaughlin landed the “Harry Potter” role despite having no released credits listed on his IMDb page at the time of his casting announcement. He has since appeared in the fantasy film “The Red Admiral,” the comedy film “Grow,” and the BBC series “Gifted.”
The budding actor Alastair Stout will play Ron Weasley, Harry’s best friend at Hogwarts, and Arabella Stanton will play Hermione Granger, the wicked-smart witch and Harry’s other BFF, famously portrayed by Emma Watson as part of the original cast.
HBO’s casting of McLaughlin and Stout, in particular, drew headlines due to their eerily similar look to the franchise’s original actors, Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint.
John Lithgow will play Dumbledore, the powerful wizard and professor, while Nick Frost takes on the role of Rubeus Hagrid.
Zimmer’s Legacy
Fans of Zimmer, a two-time Oscar winner for 1995’s “The Lion King” (Best Original Score) and 2022’s “Dune” (Best Original Score), will see more of his work on HBO later this year.
According to Variety, his compositions will be heard on “Euphoria” and “Dune: Part Three.”
The 68-year-old composer, who, according to his ASCAP profile, has scored more than 120 films, is once again generating Oscar buzz this year for his work on Brad Pitt’s “F1.”
Alongside co-founders Russell Emanuel and Steven Kofsky, Zimmer helped launch Bleeding Fingers Music just over a decade ago, with the goal of “empowering artists to be adventurous, experimental and creatively generous,” according to Bleeding Finger’s website.
His work and the work of his Bleeding Fingers collective can be heard in numerous projects, including the BBC’s “Planet Earth III,” the Netflix documentary “Beckham,” and National Geographic’s “Challenge: The Lost Tapes.”
