HBO Max’s new special Finding Harry: The Craft Behind the Magic is out now, offering a glimpse ahead to the upcoming Harry Potter reboot, ahead of its release in December. It’s an unprecedented release, typically reserved for home release Special Features or at the very least after the theatrical release, so it stands as a rare treat. The 30-minute special offers insights from the art department, some of the key cast members, and some delightful nuggets of information on the casting process. Inevitably, there’s also a look at some of the series’ scenes shot from behind the camera.
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Crucially, the documentary shows flashes of the camaraderie already building between the golden trio of Alastair Stout (Ron Weasley), Arabella Stanton (Hermione Granger), and Dominic McLaughlin (Harry Potter). We also learn how each of them impressed the casting directors, with McLaughlin’s decision to write his own poem standing out. And even more excitingly, on the back of the first Harry Potter reboot trailer, we also get even better looks at Professor Snape (Paapa Essiedu), Professor Dumbledore (John Lithgow), and Professor McGonagall (Janet McTeer). Here’s a gallery of some of the best shots of each…
Paapa Essiedu as Professor Snape
Janet McTeer as Professor McGonagall
John Lithgow as Professor Dumbledore
Essiedu also speaks briefly in the special about his experience reading the books: “I remember reading those books, and you wouldn’t be able to talk to your mates at all, because, if someone was reading faster than you were, they were gonna tell you what was gonna happen. At that age, you imagine yourself being a kid at Hogwarts, being in Harry’s shoes. I remember walking in and seeing the real train [at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.] It was like being thrown into the book.”
The three professors also talk about the journey in front of the Golden Trio actors. Essiedu says, “I’m really excited to see how they grow and how their artistry grows, and what kind of people they grow into. McTeer also says, “Theoretically, we could be working for many years together, and they’ll be young adults by then.” Lithgow meanwhile, contemplates the individual challenge he has to look forward to: “I knew that when I did the first season of Harry Potter, I would be turning 80 years old. That meant that I would age about 88 before it was all over. This is an extremely difficult thing to contemplate.” He then offers his own take on the journey ahead: “They’re going to grow up in this. And I’m going to grow old with them.”
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Courtesy of Crunchyroll / Sony Pictures
