Harry Potter TV series reportedly shot an extremely important scene of Harry and the Dursleys this week

Production on the Harry Potter TV series continued last week with shooting at one of London's famous public venues. This most recent shoot is indicative of the way the series is using soundstage work and real-world locations in its early production period.

On-location filming has been reported to be a major priority for this adaptation by industry sourcaes, which are being produced by HBO and Warner Bros. Television. The production has also generated significant public interest since its lead cast was announced earlier this year.

Although studio filming is still the dominant method, some scenes are being filmead in different areas of the UK, drawing new attention to locations linked to the Harry Potter brand. Commentators have also noted the show's organized schedule of outdoor sequences to wrap before transitioning into large-scale studio filming.

This recent work is part of the overall push toward providing a whole television adaptation of the books, which has triggered debate on variations in visual presentation from other adaptations.

Back to Harry's first magical encounter

Harry goes to the London Zoo with the Dursley family to celebrate Dudley's birthday in the first book of Harry Potter. On the trip, Harry touches a snake in the reptile house and unwittingly makes the glass enclosure disappear. This results in Dudley being inside the enclosure while the snake disappears.

This is an important scene in the novel as it is Harry's first unintentional use of magic and opens the reader's eyes to the tense relationship between Harry and the Dursleys. As per production news, the same setup was replicated this week in the shoot. The characters involved were Harry, Vernon, Petunia, Dudley, and Dudley's friends.

The shoot was done within the reptile house, replicating the setup within books. It has not been officially revealed who the actors were on set, although the key Dursleys cast has already been announced. Dominic McLaughlin portrays Harry Potter. Daniel Rigby and Bel Powley portray Vernon and Petunia Dursley, with Amos Kitson acting as Dudley Dursley.

Broadening the Dursleys' role within the Harry Potter series

The HBO adaptation seeks to delve deeper into the Dursley family's influence on Harry's childhood. The TV series will, as per statements by showrunners, depict character interactions omitted from the original film adaptations. Within the books, the Dursleys are depicted as neglecting and hostile towards Harry, locking him in a cupboard under the stairs and favoring Dudley.

One of the goals of the series that has been reported is to provide the audience with a richer understanding of Harry's life prior to Hogwarts. By opening up scenes like the trip to the London Zoo, the show wants to establish a better contrast between Harry's life with the Dursleys at home and afterwards in the wizarding world.

Production timeline and future projections

Shooting on the Harry Potter movies began officially in July 2025, with Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden being the primary production location. On-location shooting, like last week's at London Zoo,o will be choreographed to support studio shooting, especially where scenes are iconic in the book series.

The first season of the series will delve more into the events of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" than the initial film. More scenes with the Dursleys are also planned, such as the one in which Harry is handed the acceptance letter from Hogwarts and the follow-up scenes demonstrating their unwillingness for Harry to attend the school.

It is to keep its shoots until 2026, and the release date is set for 2027 on HBO and HBO Max. The main cast of the show includes Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, and Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape.

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