I’m eager to see one story in particular brought to the screen in theHarry PotterTV remake, but I will likely have to wait a decade before that actually happens. One of the benefits of HBO’s series is that it has the time to incorporate all the details from theHarry Potterbooks. This was a luxury the movies didn’t have. However, it will be quite a while before it pays off.
TheHarry PotterTV remakeis expected to premiere near the end of 2026 or the beginning of 2027. HBO has a 10-year plan for the series, which means the first few installments will likely release every year, while the final handful may be spaced out every couple of years. Said and done,the last season ofHarry Pottershould hit HBO a decade from now, sometime around 2037.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
2027
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
2028
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
2029
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
2031
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
2033
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
2035
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
2037
As exciting as theHarry PotterTV show is, the estimated release schedule reveals an unfortunate truth about the series. TheHarry Pottermovies remained fairly book accurate until aboutPrisoner of Azkaban, which meansmany of those big scenes we are eager to see won’t come to the screen until about 2029. In the case of oneHarry Potterstory, I will have to wait even longer than that.
I’m Desperate To See The Story Of Merope Gaunt In The Harry Potter TV Remake
The Harry Potter Movies Cut The Story Of Voldemort’s Mother
My favoriteHarry Potterbookhas always beenHalf-Blood Prince. I feel that this is Harry at his most confident as a wizard, but it’s the deep dive into lore that really keeps me hooked on this story. Every time I read through it, I feel like I notice something new, especially in Voldemort’s history. Among the more intriguing characters of the villain’s past is, of course, Merope Gaunt.
Merope was Voldemort’s mother—a neglected and abused young witch who fell in love with a local Muggle man to her father’s immense rage. Although we can sympathize with Merope, especially after learning about the circumstances under which she was raised, the girl was far from perfect.Merope herself became a predator, essentially drugging Tom Riddle Sr. to trick him into getting married and conceiving a child.
Merope lived as Tom Riddle’s wife for months before she finally decided to stop dosing him with the love potion. The Muggle immediately left her, returning to his wealthy parents' home in disgust. This broke Merope’s heart. She refused to do magic, even to save her own life, and ultimately died after giving birth to Voldemort at a Muggle orphanage. It’s a purely tragic story.
TheHarry Pottermovies skipped right over this complex, gritty, disturbing, and heartbreaking tale, much to my disappointment. I’ve long been frustrated by this fact, so this was one of the first plotlines that came to my mind when I heard about HBO’s TV remake. We should get a whole episode dedicated to Merope’s story, if not more. However, I’ll have a rather long wait.
Merope’s Story Likely Won’t Be Adapted For Another Decade (But HBO’s Harry Potter Could Make A Change)
Merope’s Story Could Be Revealed As Early As Chamber Of Secrets
As it is, Merope’s backstory won’t arrive on screens until around 2035—a decade from now. While I can be patient, HBO may face some challenges with its first handful of seasons, as there isn’t as much opportunity for the TV show to stand apart from the movies.Sorcerer’s StoneandChamber of Secretsare relatively simple stories, so these seasons are at a disadvantage.
It may be beneficial for HBO’sHarry PotterTV show to move some stories up the timeline, especially in the way ofVoldemort’s backstory.Otherwise, the first two seasons risk being somewhat anticlimactic. HBO must switch things up, providing audiences with some surprises throughout the stories that we already know so well and that the movies adapted quite faithfully.
Chamber of Secretswould be the perfect time to introduce Merope Gaunt. Audiences could be treated to a flashback episode that introduces Voldemort and reveals his lineage. This could come around the time that Tim Riddle is revealed to be the Dark Lord himself, the Heir of Slytherin.
If an episode near the end of Harry Potter season 2 saw Harry find and enter the Chamber of Secrets, and ended with Tom Riddle revealing that he is Voldemort, the next episode could be a flashback to Riddle’s past.
If an episode near the end ofHarry Potterseason 2 saw Harry find and enter the Chamber of Secrets, and ended with Tom Riddle revealing that he is Voldemort, the next episode could be a flashback to Riddle’s past.It would be wholly for the audience’s benefit—a peek into a separate part of the story. The episode after would then jump back to Harry’s confrontation withTom Riddle in the Chamber of Secrets.
HBO’s Harry Potter Remake Could Benefit From Moving Other Stories Up The Timeline
Harry Potter’s First Two installments Need Something New To Feel Unique
If theHarry Potterremake were to move up Merope’s story, it would only be for audiences. Harry still wouldn’t learn about Merope Gaunt untilHarry Potterseason 6. However, we would have seen into Tom Riddle’s past and met Merope Gaunt. TheHarry Pottermovies couldn’t have done this, since that aspect of the story wasn’t written yet.
This is a prime example of how HBO’sHarry PotterTV show has an advantage over the films. The books have been completed for years now, so the show’s writers are working from he full picture. Certain reveals must happen at the right times, especially for the characters. However,some backstories revealed later in the series can be easily moved up.
Sure, things likeSnape and Lily’s relationshipcan’t be revealed too early. However,we could see tidbits of Lily and Petunia’s childhood far sooner in the story than in season 7. Similarly, it would be exciting to learn more about Dumbledore’s childhood. While skirting around the truth about Ariana, the remake could establish the headmaster’s origins. Overall, things like this could make our wait for the more exciting installments ofHarry Potterfar easier.
