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HBO Recasts Ginny Weasley for 2026 Season Two

5/19/2026

Summary

HBO Recasts Ginny

HBO recasts Ginny Weasley for Season 2 after Gracie Cochrane leaves the series.
Cochrane’s family cited “unforeseen circumstances” and thanked casting director Lucy Bevan.
HBO said it supports Cochrane’s decision and thanked her for Season 1 work.
Season 2, titled *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, will begin filming in fall 2026 with a cast that includes Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton and others.
Season 1 wrapped production in May 2026 and will debut on Dec 25 2026.

Summary

**HBO Starts Production**

Production for the HBO “Harry Potter” series is underway at Leavesden Studios outside London.
Francesca Gardiner runs the show while Mark Mylod is executive producer and director.
Executive producers include J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts and David Heyman.
HBO partners with Brontë Film & TV and Warner Bros. Television.
Casting attracted tens of thousands of submissions, with no Ginny replacement named yet.

History

Historical Context

Warner Bros. bought the first four Harry Potter books for £1 million in 1999 and released the 2001 film, which earned $974 million worldwide, creating a blockbuster franchise model. That model inspired multi-company alliances, leading HBO, Warner Bros. Television and Brontë Film & TV to co-produce the new series, a partnership echoing the 2020 HBO Max launch of the original films.

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HBO Recasts Ginny

HBO recasts Ginny Weasley for Season 2 after Gracie Cochrane leaves the series.
Cochrane’s family cited “unforeseen circumstances” and thanked casting director Lucy Bevan.
HBO said it supports Cochrane’s decision and thanked her for Season 1 work.
Season 2, titled *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, will begin filming in fall 2026 with a cast that includes Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton and others.
Season 1 wrapped production in May 2026 and will debut on Dec 25 2026.

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