Before the Harry Potter franchise enters a new era with the premiere of HBO’s remake, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone will be getting a specialized theatrical treatment. The movie adaptation of the first book in J.K. Rowling’s fantasy series hit theaters in 2001, making next year its 25th anniversary; Warner Bros. had already announced a global re-release for this milestone.
Now, Variety reports that Warner Bros. will be continuing its partnership with Cosm to bring a “shared reality” version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to audiences, following The Matrix and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory getting the same treatment. Tickets to this updated version of Harry Potter will be on sale sometime in early 2026.
This immersive experience is made possible by Cosm’s 87-foot diameter LED domes and advanced filmmaking technology. Cosm currently has venues in Los Angeles and Dallas, and will open new ones in Detroit and Atlanta next year. The Cosm versions of these films are produced in conjunction with Little Cinema and MakeMake Entertainment.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is directed by Chris Columbus, who returned for the first sequel before the franchise was passed on to other filmmakers, before landing with David Yates, who has directed every Wizarding World movie since Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Columbus’ entries are characterized by a much more whimsical take on the setting.
Meanwhile, production continues on HBO’s Harry Potter remake, which will adapt more storylines and details from the book, being allowed to do this by the extended TV show format. The plan is to adapt one book per season, meaning the show will run for years. Characters including Harry, Ron, and Hermione have been recast with new actors; the series is slated to premiere sometime in 2027.
It remains to be seen if the Harry Potter TV show will overtake the movie franchise, and it will premiere amid controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling. In recent history, Columbus has commented on Rowling, saying that her many anti-trans statements are “very sad,” while the author has heavily criticized original Hermione actor Emma Watson for her comments.
Despite all this, Harry Potter remains a pillar of pop culture for many, and Warner Bros. and Cosm see potential in bringing a magical new experience to life through re-releasing Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in this format. It’s possible, especially with events like this, that the movies will always be the more beloved adaptation.
- Release Date
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November 16, 2001
- Runtime
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152 Minutes
- Director
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Chris Columbus