These New Harry Potter E-Books Will Blow Your Mind

Reconnecting with the rest of the cast of Harry Potter isn't the only thing that transports Tom Felton back in time — seeing his brand new Funko does too! "Usually when someone...shows me a new version, I'm just like, 'Where did you get it?'" he says. "There's one of Draco in his Quidditch outfit, which immediately takes me back to my broomstick days. But they all have their own unique little charms."

Funko is currently collaborating with Kinder Joy, which Tom and I agree feels like the muggle version of the Hogwarts Express trolley ("You get excited about the chocolate, and then after that, you get the Easter egg surprise inside"). He also says both brands bring up plenty of memories from his 10-year stretch at Hogwarts.

And as it turns out, Tom Felton and I have very vivid memories around the same movie: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. My local children's museum hung larger-than-life posters promoting the film, and I remember feeling how much emotional weight this particular movie held, especially as we neared the end of the story. The 2009 film catapulted the series into its final two installments, and played a huge role in Draco Malfoy's arc.

"[At the time,] we weren't privy to where our characters were going so all I did really was just focus on who [Draco] was in that particular film," Tom says. "Which is why shooting Half-Blood Prince was probably the most enjoyable. To see the the reason why Draco is, well, the way he is, I thought it was very impactful and I'm amazed at the subtleties that fans pick up on now about his story. It's a very multi-layered character."

While Tom Felton says Draco's not a good guy, he also believes the character doesn't want to end up like his father. "I think he would rather make peace than start another fight," he tells me. "He's done enough fighting...I think it's time that he chilled out a bit."

For his own relaxation, Tom recently made a trip to the Harry Potter Studio Tour in Leavesden (where the cast filmed the series) "just to sort of pop in and see home."

"I spent like three hours...just walking around and seeing how much people enjoy it," he says. "There was a teenager with her mom taking a picture of my costume and I couldn't help but photo bomb thinking it was, you know, a nice surprise or it would be funny. But I was quickly ushered [away] by her mom saying, 'Would you mind?' So I thought that was quite funny."

Even if you haven't made the trip to London to see the Studios in person, you probably recognize them from Max's Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special, where Tom Felton reunited with the rest of the Harry Potter cast.

"I think the 20-year reunion was the reminder of, crikey time flies," he continues. "We're all bona fide adults now, but still feel like kids, I think, at heart because as soon as you put us all in the room together, we just go back to who we were when we first met. So that's a nice feeling."

​Rapid Fire With Tom Felton

Brit + Co: You record your own music, but what are you listening to right now?

Tom Felton: It changes day to day. I mean, my staple answer is the Beatles because I never get bored of it. George Harrison being my — well, not favorite Beatle, you can't really pick one, but you know what I mean — I listen to a lot of his stuff. I love Ed Sheeran's work, huge fan of him. I recently discovered a new artist, Ren. Really think he's very skillful so I've been enjoying his music too.

Brit + Co: Harry Potter is our ultimate comfort watch, what's yours?

Tom Felton: I wanna say something that [Harry Potter director] Chris Columbus has done, like Home Alone is a very comforting film. I mean, even The Borrowers, to be fair, was pretty cool. The Simpsons was a big one.

Brit + Co: Would Draco get along with any of the other characters you've played?

Tom Felton: It depends how old Draco was, but long answer short, no. I played the Boogie Man in a film called Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting and he's a bit of an evil rock star. So, maybe they would meet up once a week to play chess together.

Brit + Co: Who's your dream future co-star?

Tom Felton: I mean, I'd work with any one of my fellow wizards and witches again. I suppose off the bat I would say Jason Isaacs just because I love working with him and you learn so much [from him]. But I think also there is a secret desire for me and Daniel [Radcliffe] to be in a film together where he plays the villain and I get to be the good guy.

When is the HBO Harry Potter TV show release date?

The new Harry Potter series is expected to hit Max in 2026, according to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav (via Deadline). That means we could start seeing cast lists and getting more specific plot details in 2025!

Will there be a Harry Potter TV series?

Yes, we're getting a new Harry Potter series in television format! The official video announcement features the Hogwarts candles we see in the first film coming together to create that classic golden, lit-from-within logo. It's totally magical and nostalgic, but has a new contemporary edge I can't wait to see in its full form.

Who plays Harry Potter in the new series?

In an interview with Comicbook.com, Daniel Radcliffe makes it clear that even though he's very excited about the new show, he probably won't be included in the new cast of Harry Potter.

“I’m sure whoever is making [the series] will want to make their own mark on it and probably not want to have to figure out how to get old Harry to cameo in this somewhere,” he says. “So I’m definitely not seeking it out in any way. But I do wish them, obviously, all the luck in the world and I’m very excited to have that torch passed. But I don’t think it needs me to physically pass it.”

There's no word on whether any of the original cast will be returning, but after we cried while watching the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, we can only hope that Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Bonnie Wright, and Tom Felton will at least make cameo appearances. I'd love to see Daniel Radcliffe in the Ministry of Magic, or see Tom Felton walking around Diagon Alley. (However, I'm really hoping they're cast as the professors. Just imagine Emma as Professor McGonagall!)

Is Harry Potter on Netflix or Amazon Prime?

The Harry Potter series is currently available to stream on Max and Peacock. However, you can also rent the movies on Amazon Prime!

What else do I need to know about the new Harry Potter series?

“We are delighted to give audiences the opportunity to discover Hogwarts in a whole new way,” Casey Bloys, HBO & Max Content's Chairman and CEO, said in the press release. “Harry Potter is a cultural phenomenon and it is clear there is such an enduring love and thirst for the Wizarding World.”

The series will be created in association with Brontë Film and TV, and Warner Bros. Television, with J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair, and Ruth Kenley-Letts serving as executive producers. Over the last few years, Rowling has made headlines for her conservative views and commentary on transgender identities, but at the time, Bloys didn't comment when asked whether her involvement could affect their ability to move forward.

Literary References In The Tortured Poets Department

Down Bad — "Did You Take All My Old Clothes, Just To Leave Me Here, Naked And Alone"

While "Down Bad" feels like a reference to aliens, it's also reminding us of the story of Adam and Eve, who were left naked in the Garden of Eden after eating the Fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The "experiments" Taylor Swift references in the first verse (plus the "Fortnight" music video) are also giving Mary Shelley/Frankenstein!

So Long, London — "You Left Me At The House By The Heath"

Hampstead Heath is a beautiful area of London that reportedly inspired C.S. Lewis to write The Chronicles of Narnia in the late 30s and early 40s. As Narnia's self-proclaimed biggest fan, I'm totally claiming this indirect literary reference, especially since the Pevensies have to stay at the Professor's house when they're evacuated from London.

I Hate It Here — "I Hate It Here So I Will Go To Secret Gardens In My Mind People Need A Key To Get To"

This Taylor Swift song is all about wishing she was somewhere else during an early period of her life, and referencing The Secret Garden makes total sense. In the book, lead character Mary has to access the Secret Garden to discover the hope, joy, and healing she's lost.

thanK you aIMee — "I Pushed Each Boulder Up The Hill"

This seems to be another Greek mythology reference, this time to Sisyphus. He was forced by the gods to roll a boulder up a hill — and then do it again when it rolled back down. Considering this song seems to reference Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, and the drama that led to Reputation, it feels like a reference to the feud that rears its head over and over again.

Cassandra — "So They Killed Cassandra First Cause She Feared The Worst And Tried To Tell The Town"

In Greek mythology, Cassandra (whose name means "she who entangles men," FYI) was a beautiful woman, and princess of Troy. The god Apollo falls in love with her, and gives her the power of prophecy — that is, until she rejects him and he turns the gift into a curse where no one believes her anymore.

The Bolter — "She Fell Through The Ice, Then Came Out Alive"

This is another indirect literary reference I'm claiming that totally reminds me of Amy March from Little Women. Amy falls through the ice when the March sisters are all children living in Massachusetts. Fans have historically hated her character, which is tied to the "A curious child, ever reviled // By everyone except her own father" lyric.

Movie References In Taylor Swift's New Album

My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys — "I Felt More When We Played Pretend Than With All The Kens"

The internet has claimed Taylor Swift as the real-world version of Barbie, and after last year's blockbuster hit (and Taylor referencing Ken in "Hits Different") we get another nod to our favorite doll. Plus, this song reminds me of Syd from Toy Story destroying his toys, and "he was my best friend down at the sandlot" got me thinking about The Sandlot. So many movie references, so little time!

Guilty As Sin? — "How Can I Be Guilty As Sin?"

Taylor Swift wrote "Carolina" for the book-to-movie adaptation of Where The Crawdads Sing. In "Carolina," she sings that Kya's community has "said that I was guilty as sin and sleep in a liar’s bed.”

More Pop Culture References

• The Tortured Poets Department — Taylor Swift mentions poet & writer Dylan Thomas, singer-songwriter & poet Patti Smith, and American singer Charlie Puth, boygenius singer Lucy Dacus, producer Jack Antonoff.
• But Daddy I Love Him — This is a line in both The Little Mermaid and The Notebook.
• Florida!!! — Florence Welch is featured on this song, which mentions a hurricane. Florence + The Machine has a song titled "Hurricane Love."
• Guilty As Sin? — Taylor also references "The Downtown Lights" by The Blue Nile, as well as the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus in The Bible.
• Who's Afraid Of Little Old Me — Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf revolves around a bitter and aging couple who weaponize the youth of their guests against one another.
• loml — "The coward claimed he was a lion" is a reference to The Wizard of Oz, while "Mr. Steal Your Girl" is a Trey Songz track.
• I Can Do It With A Broken Heart — This whole song is about Taylor Swift's Eras Tour.
• The Alchemy + The Prophecy — In Taylor Swift's TIME interview, she references Harry Potter, which has huge themes around alchemy and prophecies.
• Clara Bow — This song references Clara Bow, Stevie Nicks, and Taylor herself!
• So High School — Taylor Swift Mentions video game Grand Theft Auto, Artistotle, and American Pie. She also mentions games like Kiss Marry Kill, Truth or Dare, and Spin the Bottle