OREANDA-NEWS. HBO Max has released the first teaser for the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary Special: Return to Hogwarts. The long-awaited reunion of the characters will take place at midnight on January 1 on HBO Max.

"Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, along with other actors from the eight Harry Potter films, will return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first Harry Potter film franchise,"- the HBO Max channel says.

Mark Williams (Ron Weasley's father) appears in the clip, along with Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid) and Matthew Lewis (Neville Dolgopups). Helena Bonham Carter, Rafe Fiennes, Gary Oldman, Imelda Staunton, Tom Felton, James and Oliver Phelps and others will also return to the roles. Chris Columbus, who worked on the first two installments of the franchise, will direct.

Harry Potter creator Joanne Rowling will not be involved in the special - she is not listed in the credits. This is likely due to the recent scandal surrounding the writer, who has criticized modern concepts of gender identity and transgenderism.

It was previously reported that the special will recreate some iconic scenes, including the boarding of the Hogwarts Express on Platform 9¾ and the Christmas Ball. Other details of the project have not yet been revealed.

The Harry Potter wizard film series is released by Warner Bros and consists of ten films, starting with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) and ending with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011).