Is HBO's New Harry Potter Finally Faithful To J.K Rowling's Books?

When HBO Max announced the reboot of the J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter series the ardent fans of the franchise were thrilled. Now that they have released the first look of young Harry to be played by Dominic McLaughlin, the internet has done what the internet always does- gasped, screamed internally, debated and fallen into a collective nostalgic spiral.

The look- boy-eyed boy, with round rimmed specs, and a scar on the right side of the forehead- feels like a wizardry regalia. At just 12 years old, McLaughlin has managed to channel a version of The Boy Who Lived that feels startlingly aligned with how readers first imagined him – a little wiry, introspective, slightly lost, deeply caring and utterly magnetic.

The series that is set to bring back the adventures of Harry Potter and his two best friends is set for release in 2027. Though we have captured the thrill and the magical world of Hogwarts through the Warner Bros. franchise starring Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, and Rupert Grint, the new cast includes Dominic McLaughlin as Harry, Arabella Stanton as Hermoine and Alistair Stout as Ron Weasley under Mark Mylod's direction.

Moreover, while Daniel Radcliffe’s portrayal remains iconic for its earnest, wide-eyed, and noble to a fault portrayal, it was, in hindsight, a bit of a detour from Rowling’s ink-and-paper protagonist. Radcliffe was brighter, more confident, and notably less physically "scruffy" than the books suggested.

McLaughlin, by contrast, looks like he stepped directly out of Mary GrandPré’s illustrated covers. His hair looks genuinely unbrushed (no Hollywood shine here), the glasses aren’t flattering, and the scar isn't theatrical; it is faintly there, as it always should have been rather than being glowing or glamorised.

Sources close to the production have revealed that J.K. Rowling herself was reportedly "taken aback" by the resemblance, noting that "Dominic captures the precise, almost eerie vulnerability I always saw in Harry. He’s more like the boy in my head than Daniel was."

Naturally, fandoms are split — with older millennials fiercely loyal to Radcliffe, and younger audiences are thrilled to finally get a Harry that mirrors the book covers they've grown up seeing.

One viral comment summed it up: “This kid looks like the actual text description. Daniel was our Harry, but Dominic is Harry.”

Along with the debut of look, the production has also shared the new faces of the supporting cast including Neville Longbottom, Dudley Dursley, and more on their social media.

So, what can you expect from the upcoming HBO max adaptation? Many are crediting the restraint in their adaptation. From what we know of the cast and their looks, we know that these characterisations aren’t overly polished, and the robes aren’t dramaticised.

It’s early days yet the series won’t hit screens until 2027 but if the image is anything to go by, Harry Potter may be coming home to the version fans imagined while tucked under the covers with a flashlight and a hardback. Let’s just hope the magic holds.