Wizards And Whatnot
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The new Harry Potter series will reportedly be the most expensive TV series ever

Harry Potter requires a great deal of special effects to manage the magical essence, but the new show is expected to shatter television expense records.
ByJustin Brayton|
Molly Weasley - Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley. Malfoy family members - Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy and Johnny Flynn as Lucius Malfoy. Hogwarts students - Leo Earley as Seamus Finnigan, Alessia Leoni as Parvati Patil, and Sienna Moosah as Lavender Brown. Dursley parents - Bel Powley as Petunia Dursley and Daniel Rigby as Vernon Dursley. Cornelius Fudge - Bertie Carvel as Cornelius Fudge
Molly Weasley - Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley. Malfoy family members - Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy and Johnny Flynn as Lucius Malfoy. Hogwarts students - Leo Earley as Seamus Finnigan, Alessia Leoni as Parvati Patil, and Sienna Moosah as Lavender Brown. Dursley parents - Bel Powley as Petunia Dursley and Daniel Rigby as Vernon Dursley. Cornelius Fudge - Bertie Carvel as Cornelius Fudge

As the new Harry Potter series for HBO continues to inch closer towards reality, fans can see the reimagining taking shape. It has been a long time since viewers have had the chance to immerse themselves in the wizarding world on the screen. Casting decisions are coming at us fast and furious, and for the most part, the decisions have been exciting and offer a fresh perspective for the long-standing narrative.

Casting is not the only news that has come out recently regarding the new series, however. As the series gears up for filming, the cost is coming out as well, and it is certainly a doozy. In fact, it is expected to be the most expensive television series ever filmed, which makes sense given the location and some of the effects required to make it feel believable.

The cost is not a bad thing, though. In fact, the UK, where filming is located, is gearing up for a lot of positives for the region as they prepare to fill the needs of the film company.

Harry Potter series to set cost record of over $100 Million per episode

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Photograph by Aidan Monaghan/Courtesy of HBO

With casting for the Harry Potter series well underway, and filming set to start soon this summer, other pieces of information are starting to trickle out. Perhaps the biggest bombshell has been the announced cost for filming the show. Per episode, the estimated cost is expected to be as high as £75 million, or over $100 million, according to Warner Bros studio.

Breaking that out further, it is expected that the series will cover all seven of the original J.K. Rowling books with their own individual seasons. If each season has 6 episodes, that would total 42 episodes for the series, equating to a record-breaking cost of over £3.15 billion. With that kind of cost, it is essential for the show to be highly successful in viewership in order to even begin to turn any sort of profit, though the £7.4 billion profit projection is pretty massive. The series is expected to start releasing in 2026.

How does cost impact the United Kingdom?

While the cost seems staggering for anyone simply looking at the numbers, it will actually have a major and positive effect on the citizens of the UK, where the entire series is to be filmed.

A senior Hollywood producer told Express:

"There’s no question Harry Potter will become the biggest TV show the world has ever seen – as well as providing an enormous windfall for the UK.”

According to the report, the series could bring over £3 billion into the UK economy, and provide a ton of jobs for citizens that can help lower the unemployment rate, further boosting the overall economy.

As more filmmakers continue to flock to the United Kingdom for the better affordability when compared to filming in the United States, the country should continue to see opportunities and economic growth. While the Harry Potter series cost is absolutely staggering, it can only be a good thing for the country and region, and they certainly hope it leads to more major movies and series in the future.

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