Harry Potter is in a 25th-anniversary year for the first film, with anniversary merchandise, screenings, and Universal Studios Japan events running through fall 2026. The HBO original series Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is scheduled to premiere at Christmas on HBO Max, which launches in Japan on October 1 through Prime Video and Hulu Japan.
Most of the recent activity is tied to the 25th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Universal Studios Japan announced a Back to Hogwarts event for September 1 through September 30, 2026, with the Wizarding World area rented exclusively for fans on September 1 from 8:30 PM to 10:00 PM and the Hogwarts Castle Walk returning through January 17, 2027. The park then detailed the goods and menus for that event, including a Butterbeer with a commemorative mug, collectible pouches, robes, wands, and digital badges. TOHO Cinemas is selling a 9,800 yen Hogwarts Express popcorn box from August 26 at 43 theaters and on its online store, alongside a limited-time Sorcerer's Stone screening from August 28 that adds IMAX, Dolby Cinema, and 4D formats and a previously unreleased making-of video.
The anniversary has also pulled in merchandise partners. Bandai is releasing a five-type gashapon line of flocked magical creature charms scheduled for the fifth week of August 2026, and the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts collaboration with niko and ... returned for a second installment on August 21 with house knit cardigans, a trunk case, and a Newt-inspired apron. Amazon Japan's Merch on Demand service began selling Harry Potter T-shirts at 2,500 yen each in June. At the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo, Travis Japan members Shizuna Yoshizawa and Kaito Matsukura performed a one-night-only Death Eater Demonstration on September 1, opening the Dark Magic Halloween event that runs through November 8.
The series itself is moving to a new format. HBO Max launches in Japan on October 1 as an add-on inside Prime Video and Hulu Japan, and the first season of the HBO original series, titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, is scheduled to premiere at Christmas. Outside the franchise proper, Belarus-based developer Frogstorm announced the magic-school action-adventure Hemlotrion: Broken Mirror on September 8, which the studio frames as carrying on the legacy of early 2000s Harry Potter-style games, drawing both nostalgia and concern over similarities.
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Travis Japan members Shizuna Yoshizawa and Kaito Matsukura performed a one-night-only "Death Eater Demonstration" at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo on September 9. The special show opened the "Dark Magic Halloween" event, which runs from September 10 to November 8 at the Great Hall.
Belarus-based developer Frogstorm announced Hemlotrion: Broken Mirror on September 8. The action-adventure game casts players as a student at a secret magic school, learning spells and exploring to uncover mysteries. Frogstorm says it carries on the legacy of early 2000s Harry Potter-style games, drawing reactions of nostalgia and concern over similarities.
Warner Bros. Discovery is bringing its HBO Max streaming service to Japan as add-on subscriptions inside two existing platforms. On September 1, Prime Video announced a partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery that puts HBO Max inside the Prime Video app from October 1. Hulu Japan, owned by Nippon Television, announced the same day that it will launch a new brand, HBO Max on Hulu, also on October 1. The Prime Video offering has two plans: Standard at 1,000 yen per month with up to 1080p, and Premium at 1,400 yen per month with 4K UHD. At launch, subscribers can watch all seasons of House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, Game of Thrones, Sex and the City, and Euphoria, along with films such as Barbie and One Battle After Another. Season 1 of the new HBO original Harry Potter series, titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, is scheduled to premiere at Christmas. The Hulu Japan deal also includes exploring international distribution of Nippon Television and Hulu Japan content on HBO Max.
Dengeki Hobby Web's TOKYO Toy Show 2026 breaking reports covered a wide range of first-time displays and new items across multiple manufacturer booths. Studio Sota showed its official mascot character "Bani Pockle" collection figure (tentative) for the first time, alongside a miniature tooth model, "Ketsurikuko -Arachne- Rebirth," and more. Toho's Godzilla booth featured new items centered on 'Godzilla -0.0', including five new DESKTOP MONSTER series figures and SPLASH MONSTER items. MegaHouse displayed Godzilla Petit Rama DX and One Piece Petit Rama figures, plus "Tobimasu" from Dragon Ball and Jujutsu Kaisen. Hot Toys unveiled its original brand Lab C's new "UFO" and "Bubble B" items, along with a voice-functioning Stitch puppet. HAPPINET showed an RC Godzilla with moving parts and smoke-blowing gimmick, a JGSDF Type 10 tank, and "Gulliver Adventure." Kawada featured nanoblock sets for Pokemon, Moomin, Tamagotchi, and Evangelion. SOOTANG HOBBY displayed Wuthering Waves figures for Japan and keycaps with Sanrio and Harry Potter designs. Re-Ment showed miniature figures collaborating with Pokemon, Sanrio, Animal Crossing, and Kura Sushi.
Bandai is releasing a gashapon line of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts magical creatures as flocked charms. The set includes Dobby, Hedwig, Pygmy Puff, Niffler, and Demiguise, five types total. Dobby's outfit is reproduced in flocked specification. Each play costs 400 yen including tax. Release is scheduled for the fifth week of August 2026, with timing varying by region and store.
Jessie Cave, the British actress who played Lavender Brown in the Harry Potter films, told the talk show "This Morning" that she started an OnlyFans account because acting alone could not support her four children. She films hair-fetish content, not sexual material, and was banned from Harry Potter fan events. Cave said the income saved her family and that she earned more in one year than in her entire acting career.
The second installment of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts collaboration with fashion brand niko and ... goes on sale August 21, 2026, at the official web store and niko and ... stores nationwide. New items include Hogwarts house knit cardigans, a trunk case, and a Newt-inspired apron. Product pages preview August 12.
Universal Studios Japan announced new goods and menus for the Back to Hogwarts event in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, starting September 1. The event celebrates the 25th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Butterbeer with a commemorative mug, collectible pouches, robes, wands, and digital badges are among the offerings. Hogwarts Castle Walk returns for a limited run.
TOHO Cinemas will release a popcorn box modeled after the Hogwarts Express on August 26, tied to the 25th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. The product, called The Prime Collection Hogwarts Express Popcorn Box, is priced at 9,800 yen including tax. It measures approximately 54 centimeters in length and has a special design where steam rises from the chimney when water is added. The item will be available at 43 theaters, including locations in Tokyo such as Hibiya, Nihonbashi, and Ueno, as well as Susukino, Akita, Utsunomiya, and Sannomiya. Sales will begin at the opening of each participating theater, and the item will also be sold on the official TOHO Cinemas online store the same day. The online purchase does not include popcorn. Sales methods and the full list of theaters will be announced on the official TOHO Cinemas page once decided. The release coincides with a limited-time screening of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone starting August 28, which will include premium formats such as IMAX, Dolby Cinema, and 4D, plus a previously unreleased making-of video after the main feature.
A four-episode side story centered on Drum, the smartphone-voiced partner from TBS drama VIVANT, will stream exclusively on U-NEXT starting July 12. The origin story reveals Drum's harsh past and features new cast members Ryohei Otani and Ginji Watanabe. Producer Kazutaka Iida said the story's motif is Harry Potter.
Amazon Japan's on-demand print service Merch on Demand has begun selling a line of Harry Potter short-sleeve T-shirts. The shirts feature designs including house prefect badges, the Hippogriff Rider, and Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, priced at ¥2,500 each. Sizes range from men's XS to 3XL, women's M to L, and kids' 100 to 150, with multiple color options per design.
Universal Studios Japan will host a Back to Hogwarts event from September 1 to September 30, 2026, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the film Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. On September 1, the Wizarding World area will be rented exclusively for fans after park closing, from 8:30 PM to 10:00 PM, with advance lottery entry required. The Hogwarts Castle Walk attraction returns for a limited run through January 17, 2027.