Warner Bros. Discovery has announced its 2026 “Back to Hogwarts” program. It’s a global celebration of the 25th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, featuring a week-long theatrical re-release, live fan events in four regions around the world, and a new look at the upcoming HBO original series.
The celebration focuses on September 1, the day students traditionally return to Hogwarts in the Harry Potter stories, and the WBD tradition has become an annual global event that unites fans in movie theaters, live gatherings, online, in stores and at home.
As part of the anniversary celebrations, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, which was released internationally as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, will return to theaters for one week only, along with 12 minutes of never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage on the big screen. Separately, all eight Harry Potter movies will be shown in theaters around the world from August 27th to September 3rd.
In London, HBO Max will host its first-ever “Back to Hogwarts” celebration on September 1, building anticipation for the HBO original series’ Christmas debut. The one-day fan event will include interactive moments and giveaways inspired by the new series, with location and ticket details to be announced. WBD said fans should not expect any events, countdowns or announcements at King’s Cross Station on that day and urged fans not to travel to the station.
Further live celebrations are planned in France, Italy, Spain, Germany, China, Australia and Japan. Highlights include a large-scale cane lesson choreographed by Paul Harris in the Orangerie Gardens at Versailles in Paris, a celebratory screening in Venice, fan festivals in Madrid and Sydney, an event in Berlin, and anniversary activities in China featuring an “Owl Messenger” installation.
Theme park activities will take place at Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood from August 1 to September 1, and include anniversary experiences and the return of the “Hogwarts Always” projection show at Orlando’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade. Universal Studios Japan will offer after-hours access to the Wizarding World area to select guests on September 1st, and Universal Beijing Resort will debut its own “Hogwarts Always” projection show in conjunction with the Gathering Night event on August 28th.
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter opens the day with an 11am announcement broadcast repeated every 30 minutes on platform 9 3/4. The tour is running a contest to win an original Hogwarts trunk autographed by cast members Bonnie Wright, Mark Williams, James and Oliver Phelps, as well as two admission tickets for September 1st. Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter will feature a unique countdown event and photo opportunities. In North America, Harry Potter Shop New York and Harry Potter Shop Chicago will hold a countdown at 11 a.m. to sell the new “Back to Hogwarts” collection.
Mobile games are getting involved as well, with Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery adding new adventures and rewards, and Harry Potter: Puzzles and Spells running its own countdown event.
The program will culminate in the annual Back to Hogwarts Showcase, which will be streamed live on September 1st through the official Harry Potter YouTube and TikTok channels and will feature announcements from across the series.
