The runtime forHarry Potterseason 1 has been revealed, andit’s a bit shorter than those anticipating HBO’s remake had hoped. TheupcomingHarry PotterTV showwill offer a new take on on the Wizarding World, rehashing the books' story from a more modern perspective. With any luck, it will also deliver a more faithful adaptation oftheHarry Potterbooks, elaborating on the characters and subplots the movies left out. A TV medium should allow more time to accomplish this thantheHarry Pottermovies, but season 1’s run is still limited.
New details are emerging about the HBO reboot as casting is underway, and many of these aregood signs for theHarry Potterseries. However,season 1’s runtime continues a controversial streaming trendthat doesn’t bode well for its later seasons. It also raises questions about how wellHarry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stonewill be adapted. Fortunately, things look promising for season 1 at least.
Harry Potter Season 1’s Eight-Hour Runtime Is Shorter Than We Hoped
Shorter Seasons Are Becoming The Norm
Harry Potterseason 1’s runtimewas recently revealed, andit seems as though the first outing will be eight hours long. That means season 1 will probably be around eight episodes, which is becoming the standard for many streaming shows. Although HBO shows likeGame of Thronesused to boast 10-episode seasons, eight or nine episodes is now the norm. Some series even go down to six or seven episodes, making their shows feel more like extended movies.
Although eight hours isn’t the shortest runtimeHarry Potterseason 1 could have, it’s still somewhat disappointing.
Although eight hours isn’t the shortest runtimeHarry Potterseason 1 could have, it’s still somewhat disappointing. WithHarry Potterbeing a proven franchise — and with the newest adaptation having plenty to cover and expand on — a 10-episode outing feels more fitting. Eight is slightly less than many fans hoped for, but there’s a silver lining:Harry Potterseason 1 can still successfully adaptSorcerer’s Stonein eight hours. It’s the later books we have to worry about.
Harry Potter’s Remake Should Have No Problem Adapting Sorcerer’s Stone In Season 1
The Movie Was Pretty Faithful With 5 Fewer Hours
Although an eight-episode season feels underwhelming after the wait for HBO’sHarry Potterremake,it will be more than enough to adaptSorcerer’s Stone.ThefirstHarry Potterbookis the shortest in the series, clocking it at a little over 300 pages. While season 1 needs to establish the characters and Wizarding World properly, the story is short enough to get through in eight hours. TheSorcerer’s Stonemovie does it effectively, and it’s barely three hours long.
10 Harry Potter Side Stories That Deserve Full Episodes In HBO’s Remake
Many side stories in Harry Potter are told secondhand, but audiences of HBO’s TV remake deserve full episodes that dive into the nitty gritty.
Of course, thefirstHarry Pottermovie cuts a few things, like Peeves the Poltergeist and Snape’s potions trial. An additional five hours should be able to make up for those omissions, however, and even expand on certain elements of the novel.The bigger concern is whether theHarry PotterTV show will continue releasing eight-episode seasons as time goes on. Eight hours may be sufficient to doSorcerer’s Stonejustice, but the later books — especiallyOrder of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince,andDeathly Hallows— deserve at least 10.
Harry Potter
Cast
Harry Potter is HBO’s remake of the iconic Wizarding World film series that consisted of eight films between 2001 and 2011. Each season adapts a book from JK Rowling’s popular series and provides more book-accurate details than the movies did.
