HBO GO takes you back to Hogwarts this January 1, 2021.

By Steve Sanchez

Have you ever imagined sharing a tankard of butterbeer in Hogsmeade with your batchmates, hopped on a broom and pretending you were a Seeker hunting for the Golden Snitch, or shouted “Knight to E3!” while playing a game of Wizard’s Chest… this New Year’s will transport you to a magical place that we all were introduced to 20 years ago. 

This January 1, 2022, our favorite trio of magical heroes are reuniting in the place it all started: Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts exclusively on  HBO GO. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson will join filmmaker Chris Columbus and other cast members from all eight “Harry Potter” films for the first time in a retrospective special to celebrate the anniversary of the franchise’s first film, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is the debut novel of  British author J. K. Rowling which follows the titular character, a young wizard who discovers his magical heritage on his eleventh birthday when he receives a letter of acceptance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry makes close friends and a few enemies during his first year at the school, and with the help of his friends, he faces an attempted comeback by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, who killed Harry’s parents.

The series took the world by storm, and in 2001 Harry and his friends took the leap from the page to the big screen and have inspired generations for the past 20 years to believe in the power of magic, friendship, and love. 

“Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts” premieres on HBO GO on New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, 2022. According to HBO GO, this feature will “tell an enchanting making-of story through all-new, in-depth interviews and cast conversations.”  Can’t wait to see your childhood friends again? Don’t fret! All eight of Warner Bros.’s original “Harry Potter” films are streaming now on HBOGo!

Relive meeting for the first time Rupert Grint as the wisecracking Ronald Weasley, Emma Watson as Hermione Granger the brightest girl in school, Daniel Radcliff as Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived. Remember how the spell is correctly pronounced “leVIOsa” not “levioSAHHHHHH!” Rewind to the time Harry and the Gang used the Room of Requirement as training grounds to teach themselves Defense Against the Dark Arts. 

Other alumni of the film franchise joining the tribute are set to include Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Imelda Staunton, Tom Felton, James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Mark Williams, Bonnie Wright, Alfred Enoch, Matthew Lewis, Evanna Lynch, and Ian Hart.

Tom Ascheim, president of Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults, and Classics, said in a statement. “This retrospective is a tribute to everyone whose lives were touched by this cultural phenomenon — from the talented cast and crew who poured their heart and soul into this extraordinary film franchise to the passionate fans who continue to keep the Wizarding World spirit alive 20 years later.”

So whether the Sorting Hat placed you in Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, or Slytherin… mark your calendars and call your friends! It’s time to enter Platform 9 ¾ and Return to Hogwarts! Stream it this January 1, 2021, in HBO GO using the subscription voucher from Lazada and Shopee.