Harry Potter returns to the cinema for his 25th birthday: I’ll explain why the magic of Hogwarts has never stopped bewitching us

25 years ago cinemas welcomed for the first time the big screen adaptation of a modern fairy tale destined to mark global pop culture. Over 7 billion and 700 million dollars in total revenue after, from 26 August to 2 September 2026 Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone returns to the cinema to celebrate an important anniversary. The film directed by Chris Columbus does not offer a simple nostalgia effect, but offers the public 12 minutes of new content linked to behind the scenes.

In multiplexes the enthusiasm is palpable and tangible. The popcorn buckets shaped like the red locomotive of the Hogwarts Express, the reproductions of the Sorting Hat placed on the volumes of the four houses, the flying brooms and the personalized Gryffindor glasses complete with mini fabric scarf have gone viral in a few hours, dominating social trends and literally selling like hotcakes. A collecting phenomenon that demonstrates how the universe created by the writer JK Rowling continues to generate an extraordinary economic and cultural impact, capable of transcending eras.

The Back to Hogwarts ritual and the exclusive event in the Venice Lagoon

The central moment of the celebrations coincides with September 1st, the date which in the narrative corresponds to the departure of the students from Platform 9 and ¾ of King’s Cross station. This year the famous Back to Hogwarts takes on a global dimension with special events organized all over the world, from the United Kingdom to China. In Italy, attention is focused on Venice, where during the days of the Film Festival a private event will take place surrounded by the strictest secrecy.

The guests will reach a small island in the lagoon via dedicated shuttles departing from Piazza San Marco and the Lido, to access a location transformed into a theme with settings, iconic objects and menus inspired by the saga, before the evening screening of the film in a restored 4K version. A celebration that is also linked to a historical memory: on 1 September 2013 the actor Daniel Radcliffe landed at the Lido to present an independent film, unleashing uncontainable enthusiasm among hundreds of waiting fans.

The legacy of the original cast and the relay with the new HBO Max series

In 2001, the face of the eleven-year-old protagonist was entrusted to Daniel Radcliffe, alongside Rupert Grint in the role of Ron Weasley and Emma Watson in that of Hermione Granger. Today the franchise is preparing for a radical renewal with the television series produced by HBO Max, whose debut is set for Christmas Day 2026. The production has completed a long process of selections open to young talents from all over the United Kingdom.

The role of Harry Potter was assigned to the young Scottish actor Dominic McLaughlin, alongside Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger. The handover between past and future was sealed by a personal message sent by Daniel Radcliffe himself to his successor, wishing him to have an unforgettable experience on set.

A refuge for the heart: from darkness to light

But why do we continue to cry, smile and dream about this story? Because, even before flying brooms and spells, JK Rowling’s saga tells a profound and touching human truth. It is the story of a lonely child, forgotten in the darkness of a closet under the stairs, who suddenly discovers that he is not a mistake, but that he has a place in the world.

The letter brought by Hagrid is not just an invitation to a wizarding school: it is a promise of redemption. It’s the voice we all want to hear when we feel inadequate or lost. The search for the Philosopher’s Stone thus becomes the metaphor of our journey: the discovery that true friendship can heal the deepest wounds and that even the darkest loneliness dissolves in the face of love and courage.

A home for every generation

The true magic of Hogwarts is that it never closes its doors. For the little ones it is the revelation of the adventure, the certainty that justice can triumph and that even the weakest can make a difference. For those who grew up with Harry, he is a comfort moviea warm hug on a cold day, but also a mirror in which to find one’s scars, the losses overcome and the value of personal choices.

As long as there is someone capable of being moved by the sound of a joke or the close-up of an owl in the snow, that track will remain open. Because Hogwarts is not simply a place to visit on the screen: it is the house we will always return to, whenever we need to believe that light can overcome shadow.