HBO and Max unveiled their ambitious programming slate, featuring The White Lotus’ third season in February, a Game of Thrones prequel later next year, and the first Harry Potter series starting production in mid-2025 at Leavesden Studios.
HBO has revealed that the third season of its acclaimed TV series The White Lotus will premiere in February. This will be followed by the second season of The Last of Us later in the year, Warner Bros. Discovery confirmed.
Unveiling an ambitious global programming lineup, HBO and Max streaming service CEO Casey Bloys announced that the much-anticipated Game of Thrones prequel, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, is slated for release later next year.
Further fueling excitement, the first-ever Harry Potter television series, announced last year and currently in the casting phase, is set to begin filming in mid-2025 at Warner Bros.' Leavesden Studios in the UK. The series, described as a "decade-long" project, features an entirely new cast and lists the books' author J.K. Rowling as an executive producer.
Director and executive producer of Succession, Mark Mylod, shared updates during a London event, revealing that the casting team is reviewing 32,000 submissions for children’s roles. "We will watch every one," Mylod said, noting that the team evaluates between 500 and 1,000 tapes daily, with plans to "workshop" shortlisted candidates in January. "We are taking extraordinary care in selecting the actors to follow the excellence set by the original films," he added. However, he emphasized the focus on discovering talented British actors over established stars.
Despite controversy surrounding Rowling’s public statements on gender identity, Bloys addressed potential concerns about her involvement in the production, stating he was "not concerned."
Award-Winning Series Return with New Settings and Stories
The dark comedy The White Lotus will explore new territory in its third season, set in Thailand. This installment will feature singer Lisa from K-pop sensation BLACKPINK and Hollywood veteran Scott Glenn.
The post-apocalyptic drama The Last of Us, starring Pedro Pascal, will resume where its acclaimed debut season left off. Additionally, Salma Hayek, now an actress-turned-executive producer, announced that Max has renewed Like Water for Chocolate for a second season. Based on Laura Esquivel's bestselling 1989 novel, the Spanish-language series has resonated globally and became a top performer on the platform.
"We are thrilled to continue this powerful Mexican story and bring closure to such an impactful narrative," Hayek shared.
A Bold Programming Strategy for 2025 and Beyond
Bloys highlighted the platform’s plans to expand internationally, introducing new local content in markets such as France, where its first scripted series, The Confidante, has been a success. Several French-language productions are in the works, including The Seduction, a reimagining of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’s Dangerous Liaisons, starring Diane Kruger.
As Max prepares to roll out its robust programming slate through 2025 and beyond, the platform aims to set a new benchmark for global streaming content, promising an exciting future for fans across diverse genres.
With AFP
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