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‘Harry Potter’ Casts a Festive Spell Over London’s Oxford Street

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The countdown to HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ series is almost over. ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ is the first season of the new adaptation and will run for 8 episodes, with Mark Mylod directing and Francesca Gardiner serving as showrunner.

The series was first announced in 2023, and filming began at Leavesden Studios in July 2025. HBO revealed in March, alongside the first teaser trailer, that the show would premiere on Christmas Day.

As the holidays approach, the Wizarding World is coming to one of London’s best-known shopping streets. ‘Harry Potter’ is taking over the Christmas lights on Oxford Street this holiday season as part of a partnership between HBO Max and the New West End Company.

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Footage shared by Deadline shows the decorations already hanging above the street. They include a heraldic banner with a lion crest, in the style of Gryffindor’s colors, alongside a ‘Harry Potter’ sign and string light designs.

According to Time Out, the display combines the street’s classic star lights with a series of ‘Harry Potter’-themed designs. The official switch-on is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Monday, November 9.

The lights are only part of the celebration. A new ‘Harry Potter’ flagship store opens on Oxford Street on November 4, giving fans a dedicated shop just days before the switch-on. Together, the store and lights turn the area into a festive destination for Wizarding World fans ahead of the HBO premiere.

The show’s young leads won’t be at the event, however. Dominic McLaughlin, who plays Harry, Alastair Stout, who plays Ron, and Arabella Stanton, who plays Hermione, will not attend the switch-on.

HBO explained that with production on the second season underway, it is mindful of its young actors’ schedules and limits requests on their time outside production and school. A spokesperson added that HBO is excited to bring the series to Oxford Street and to screens this Christmas.

The Sun, citing unnamed insiders, reported that safety concerns over possible protests also played a role. Those claims have not been officially confirmed by HBO. The themed display has also drawn criticism. A petition launched by the not-for-profit Good Law Project collected more than 10,000 signatures and was sent to London Mayor Sadiq Khan, asking him to cancel the lights.

The petition argues that the decorations won’t make trans people feel welcome or safe. Khan’s office responded that the mayor is not responsible for organizing the lights, which are arranged by the New West End Company, and a City Hall spokesman said the mayor will support all of London’s diverse communities, including trans and non-binary Londoners.

Alongside its young leads, the series features John Lithgow as Dumbledore and Paapa Essiedu as Snape. Janet McTeer and Nick Frost, who plays Hagrid, are also part of the main cast.

Warwick Davis is currently the only original film cast member set to return. Hans Zimmer is composing the score, and J.K. Rowling serves as an executive producer alongside Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts and David Heyman.

The Oxford Street lights give fans in London a fun way to celebrate the new series before it arrives. Visitors will be able to see the decorations throughout the shopping season, with the premiere arriving on Christmas Day.

For fans who grew up with the books and films, it’s a fitting way to welcome a new generation to Hogwarts. Many will be watching to see whether the new series can capture the same magic.

What are you most excited about in the lead-up to HBO's Harry Potter series?

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