[Update: We’ve confirmed that once theHarry Potterfilms start airing on Syfy and USA, they will no longer be available to stream or watch VOD on HBO. The updated story follows below.]
If you’re were a fan of sitting back on the weekends and catching theHarry Pottermarathons on ABC Family and then Freeform, you’ll be happy to hear the films are coming back to cable TV. Freeform’s “Harry Potter Weekend”came to an end last yearas the basic cable rights to the lucrative film franchise shifted from Disney to NBCUniversal, with the new owner then licensingthe streaming rights to HBO. That pay cable network marked the occasion with aHarry Pottermarathon of its own in January, and all eightHarry Pottermovies are available to stream on demand on HBO Go and HBO Now, but now the films are returning to basic cable.
IGNbroke the news that a “Wizarding Weekend” marathon will be kicking off this summer on NBCUniversal-owned Syfy and USA, as it appears the moniker of “Harry Potter Weekend” is dead and gone now that the films are no longer on Freeform. This should be welcome news to those that don’t own the movies but enjoy watching the marathons on TV, or those thatdoown the movies but still find it comforting to have thePottermarathons on in the background during a relaxing weekend (I’m in the latter camp).
A specific date for the marathon has yet to be announced, but IGN does have an exclusive trailer celebrating the exclusive on-air home for the franchise. For now, thePotterfilms are still streaming on HBO, but a representative for NBCUniversal tells Collider that HBO willnotbe able to stream theHarry Potterfilms once the rights transfer this summer and the Syfy and USA marathons begin, which could be as soon as the end of June. So enjoy thePottermovies on HBO while they last—that window won’t be open for long.
Regardless, this is very good news. Check out the trailer below.
