Production on HBO’s new TV series of Harry Potter has begun, with new Rubeus Hagrid actor Nick Frost spotted filming in London. The first season of is expected to be on our TV screens in 2027 and will tell the story of the first book Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
Filming is primarily taking place at Warner Bros Studios Leavesden in Watford, but major cast members have been spotted filming scenes on the streets of London in recent days. Frost, best known for Channel 4 TV series Spaced and Hot Fuzz and Shaun Of The Dead, and Harry Potter, played by Dominic McLaughlin, were snapped side-by-side as they filmed scenes together along Borough High Street on Sunday, August 17, which is understood to be transformed into the magical Diagon Alley for the show.
Nick was seen with long brown hair, a scruffy beard and wearing a great coat over several layers as he walked the streets with Dominic. The child star was wearing a navy, green and yellow rain jacket and backpack as walked beside Nick.
At one point, the pair stopped outside what looked like a bookstore before continuing on their way. They were surrounded by many extras as they made their way to a few “shops” on set.
A star-studded cast
The new series boasts a star-studded cast of celebrities and child actors. Scottish child actor Dominic McLaughlin will play a young Harry, while Hermione Granger will be played by Matilda actress Arabella Stanton and Ron Weasley by acting newcomer Alastair Stout.
Six-time Emmy winner John Lithgow will play Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Meanwhile, Outrun star Paapa Essiedu will take on the role of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher Severus Snape. Other castings include Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch and Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley.
Hagrid body doubled used in filming
In the Harry Potter books, Hagrid is meant to be a half-giant, reaching a staggering 11-foot-six inches, which is 3.5m tall. With English comedian Nick Frost coming to five-foot-seven, a little helping hand is needed to make him portray the Hogwarts groundkeeper.
Pictures from filming on Borough High Street show a body double wearing a lifelike Hagrid animatronic head that looks just like Frost own face apart from two dots under the nose which are expected to help with CGI. A similar method was used in the filming of the original Harry Potter film franchise, with Robbie Coltrane using a variety of different techniques to depict Hagrid, also including a body double and animatronic head.
Earlier pictures of the cast at London Zoo showed them filming the scenes just before Harry sneaks off from his cousin Dudley’s birthday party, from the first Harry Potter book. McLaughlin was spotted in a blue hoodie with his iconic circular glasses alongside Dudley, played by Amos Kitson, his Aunt Petunia, played by Bel Powley and Vernon, played by Daniel Rigby, behind the film’s penguin closure.
Show will be ‘authentic to the books’
The new series will be “authentic to the original books”, offering more depth and detail than there were in the films. The first season is set to be eight episodes long. Executive producer Francesca Gardiner said the viewers will see “things we haven’t seen” previously, as each of the shows series delves into J.K. Rowling’s legendary books.
The original announcement for the show described the series as being a “decade-long”, consisting of seven seasons which will each taken on one of Rowling’s books. A premiere date is yet to be confirmed but production is currently aiming to release the first series in 2027.
It is not currently known what channel the show will be on in the UK but HBO programmes regularly appear on Sky Atlantic.
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