When the Harry Potter TV series recently broke the internet after officially revealing the three young actors cast as Harry, Hermione, and Ron, most of us naturally assumed that would mark the end of the week’s theatrics. But no, more drama has emerged, as has been the case throughout the entire lead-up to the highly anticipated HBO reboot. Fans, and supposedly members of the crew, are currently up in arms about a particular filming decision regarding location…

According to recent reports, filming has officially begun on the Harry Potter series, which is due to run for the next ten years (with each season covering each of JK Rowling’s books). 

All of the original Harry Potter films were filmed exclusively in the UK, a fact that a number of British fans hold very close.

The Bodleian Library (Oxford), was used as the filming location for the Hogwarts Library in the Harry Potter films. pic.twitter.com/Q3aIuUa3ar

— Bibliophilia (@Libroantiguo) March 4, 2016

Gloucester Cathedral where Harry Potter was filmed. pic.twitter.com/VLQc71024u

— Harry Potter World (@PotterWorldUK) October 15, 2018

That’s why it allegedly sparked some controversy when the news slipped that one of the most iconic scenes from the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, was actually going to be filmed off the coast of France.

The HARRY POTTER TV series is said to be filming in France… in Bretagne! 🇫🇷

Actual filming has been underway on the Ile de Sein for the past 5 days, in particular on the Tévennec lighthouse

Probably for the Hut-on-the-Rock scene!

(source: Ouest-France) pic.twitter.com/GiKStpO74A

— Wizarding World Direct (@WW_Direct) May 24, 2025

Harry Potter HBO goes to France:

Cast and crew have have set up on the Île de Sein off the coast of Brittany where they are thought to be re-creating the famous moment that Hagrid says, 'You're a wizard Harry'. pic.twitter.com/3TxTQp7SRp

— UnBoxPHD (@UnBoxPHD) May 31, 2025

The scene in question depicts the moment Harry is first told that he’s a wizard by Hogwart’s gamekeeper, Hagrid. In the books, the scene—an isolated hut in the middle of the sea—takes place on an island off Cornwall. But this won’t be the case for the series.

@lostcyberghost

You Are A Wizard Harry! #HarryPotter#Hagrid

♬ Harry Potter and The Philosophers Stone - lostcyberghost

An anonymous source revealed to The Sun: “This caused a certain amount of amusement among the British crew who all agreed that they could have easily got windswept in virtually any part of the British Isles.”

“They’ve been slightly bewildered by the fact they’ve actually gone to France to make a show which is so British—particularly since it’s the first place they’ve gone to and they’re doing key scenes there. For fans it’s likely to be a sign that with American producers running the show, it might not be as mindful of Harry Potter as a national treasure that shouldn’t be tampered with,” the source continued.

At this point, it does feel like the public will find any excuse to criticise the HBO series, which is understandable given the combination of transphobe JK Rowling at the helm and the overwhelming sense that a reboot simply isn’t necessary. Either way, efforts from the crew are steaming ahead.