Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts

2022

1 hr. 45 min.

Documentary

Fantasy

Kids & Family

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List

93%

27 Reviews

Tomatometer

87%

500+ Ratings

Audience Score

In this retrospective special, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson join filmmaker Chris Columbus and other legendary cast members as they journey back to Hogwarts to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first Harry Potter film.

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Critics Consensus

Affectionate and revealing, Return to Hogwarts offers an intimate glimpse into how the making of the Harry Potter franchise delivered its own special kind of magic for those involved.

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LÃ©o R

I'm not a Potter-Head, but I don't remember crying that much in my entire life watching something. Seeing this trio after all these years and the rest of cast & crew getting reunited made me so emotional, get to know how was the process of creating this wonderful world we all love so much, and how they had to deal with fame still being just kids, was amazing. Emma, Rup and Dan will always be in everyone's heart, they are SO, SO especial and I think this doc managed to convey just that. I wish it had more behind the scenes and visual effects breakdowns though, but seeing the actors, directors, producers and everyone who worked really hard for making this saga possible reliving the experience after 20 years it's absolutely priceless. It was everything PERFECT, beautifully shot and edited — so was the design of it all. This is a masterpiece, thank you HBO!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/29/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This would have been 5 stars if it weren’t for the fact that they left JK Rowling completely out of the picture. Her work inspired all of this!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/06/23

Full Review

Jill B

Loved this. My kids were riveted to these movies. Great to have this insight

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/16/23

Full Review

Adrian T

a nostalgic, loved and magical trip

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/05/23

Full Review

Rami A

It's good to see the old gang back again. Even after 20 years, the films still hold up and are beloved by many fans.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/20/23

Full Review

Elizabeth H

I would recommend watching this as any Harry Potter fan. However, I was expecting a more group setting and get-together.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/30/23

Full Review

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Casey Patterson

Director

Daniel Radcliffe

Self

Emma Watson

Self

Rupert Grint

Self

Chris Columbus

Self

Helena Bonham Carter

Self

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Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts: Featurette - Where The Magic Began

2:26

Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts: Trailer 1

1:41

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Kristen Lopez

indieWire

The Harry Potter 20th Anniversary Reunion Special is essentially a long bonus feature youd probably find on a DVD or Blu-ray box set. I wasnt convinced a time or two that old interviews werent just reused.

Rated: D

Feb 7, 2022

Full Review

Liz Shannon Miller

Consequence

What Return to Hogwarts captures best, in the end, is how completely life-changing an experience it was to make these films, even for the less-recognizable cast members who also grew up on set.

Jan 4, 2022

Full Review

Lucy Mangan

Guardian

It is a slick and calculated production, designed to give Potterheads exactly what they want, how they want it. But it contains enough untold stories and honesty from the participants and unfakeable camaraderie to give it more genuine heart.

Rated: 3/5

Jan 3, 2022

Full Review

Diondra K. Brown

Common Sense Media

Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts is an emotional, enlightening, and thrilling retelling of the experience of making the eight films that defined a generation.

Rated: 5/5

Jan 25, 2022

Full Review

Saibal Chatterjee

NDTV

All said and done, Return To Hogwarts knows its constituency pretty well and serves up joys and diversions that it will respond to. The film is packaged for easy, even piecemeal, consumption.

Rated: 2.5/5

Jan 11, 2022

Full Review

Alberto Carlos

Espinof

It works, and we pay attention to the screen for a hundred minutes, but it lacks the charm and magic that the movies gave off. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 3/5

Jan 10, 2022

Full Review

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Synopsis

In this retrospective special, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson join filmmaker Chris Columbus and other legendary cast members as they journey back to Hogwarts to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first Harry Potter film.

Director: Casey Patterson
Executive Producer: Casey Patterson
Genre: Documentary, Fantasy, Kids & Family
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2022