First Harry Potter Movie Returns to Theaters This August With Unseen Extras to Celebrate Its 25th Anniversary

The first Harry Potter film will get a fresh theatrical release this August, to celebrate its 25th anniversary.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (or the Philosopher’s Stone, if you’re British) originally launched in November 2021, kicking off an eight-movie franchise that earned more than $7.7 billion at the box office.

Now, 25 years later, Warner Bros. plans to make the most of its anniversary with a big screen re-release, commemorative merchandise and events at key Harry Potter locations.

While tickets are not yet on sale, Warner Bros. has said that fans should expect Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone screenings to take place globally from August 27 to September 3. In a press release release shared with IGN, word of re-releases for the franchise’s other seven movies was also mentioned, with full details to follow.

All screenings of the first film will include 10 minutes of behind-the-scenes extras “not previously seen on the big screen” — though it’s unclear yet exactly what these might be. Additionally, a Shared Reality version of the movie with supplemental visuals will be shown at Cosm venues in Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta and Detroit.

Warner Bros. clearly sees 2026 as a huge year to push its aging Harry Potter movies, with new 25th Anniversary merchandise and collaborations with a swathe of big name brands including Hallmark, Timex, Crocs and LEGO. Warner Bros. Studio Tour experiences in Tokyo and London will also be updated with new content.

The big screen adaptation of JK Rowling’s book series ultimately concluded in 2011 with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. There are no current plans to adapt the franchise’s stage play sequel story Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

This year being the 25th anniversary is timely, as it allows one final wring of nostalgia for the Harry Potter films before the franchise’s big 2027 reboot. HBO’s brand new Harry Potter TV show will debut at some point next year with a fresh cast, and a plan to adapt the seven-book series into at least seven seasons of television, released throughout the next decade.

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social