Entertainment Reaction

Jeremy Jahns: The Harry Potter HBO Series FINALLY Looks Real

The Wizarding World is officially heading to the small screen, and OG movie critic Jeremy Jahns just dropped his reaction to the first trailer for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone Season 1. Known for having his finger on the pulse of the general public, Jeremy’s take is surprisingly optimistic with a few “Awesometacular” observations on the changes.

Watch the full breakdown in the video below:

The Highlights from Jeremy’s Reaction

The “Muggle-First” Vibe: Jeremy noted that the trailer feels more like a “muggle movie” that eventually transforms into something magical, which he digs because it mirrors exactly how Harry would have experienced discovering that world for the first time (01:12).
A New Dumbledore: The casting of John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore was a big surprise. Despite the “unspoken rule” about Americans staying away from British staples, Jeremy admits Lithgow actually looks the part (01:22).
The Snape Conversation: Jeremy addressed the casting of a Black actor for Severus Snape by comparing it to the legendary shift of Nick Fury in the Marvel world. He points out that while the change is a departure from the books, the actor is top-tier and perfectly capable of playing the “tormented introvert” who eventually makes us all cry (03:51), (05:11).
Age-Accurate Casting: One of the biggest wins for Jeremy is seeing characters like Snape cast at the age they were actually supposed to be in the books (early 30s), rather than two generations older as we saw in the original films (02:46).

Jeremy seems impressed that they aren’t just trying to “copy/paste” the movies, but are instead creating a whole new tone for a new generation. If you’re looking for another “book-to-screen” win, Jeremy’s take on this space odyssey is a must-watch. Check out his latest review: Project Hail Mary: Critics Call it a Masterpiece