Paramount has signed a multi-year licensing deal with Warner Bros. Discovery to become the exclusive linear television home of all 11 Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films beginning July 3. The agreement, announced Thursday, marks the first time the Harry Potter film franchise will air on MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, and Paramount Network.
NBCUniversal, the previous linear rights holder since 2018, retains co-exclusive streaming rights alongside Warner Bros. Discovery’s HBO Max. The deal lands less than two weeks after the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust division approved Paramount Skydance’s $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery on June 12, a transaction that, once closed, would place the Harry Potter franchise under Paramount’s ownership outright.
Paramount Lands Linear Rights to 11 Films
Paramount has signed a multi-year licensing deal with Warner Bros. Discovery to become the exclusive linear television home of all 11 Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films. The agreement covers the eight Harry Potter films and the three Fantastic Beasts spinoffs, marking the first time the franchise will air on MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, or Paramount Network. A marathon launch is set for the Fourth of July weekend, running from noon ET/PT on Friday, July 3 through Sunday, July 5. NBCUniversal’s eight-year run as the franchise’s linear home ended with the announcement.
Expanding Paramount’s portfolio with the ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Fantastic Beasts’ films underscores our commitment to delivering world-class franchises to the wide range of audiences our brands serve. As one of the most beloved and enduring franchises in entertainment, ‘Harry Potter’ continues to captivate audiences across generations, and this addition enables us to deliver the magic and adventure of these timeless stories to fans of all ages.
So said Laurel Weir, head of programming and acquisitions for Paramount Media Networks and chief research and insights officer for TV Media, in a statement. The multi-year agreement gives Paramount control of a series whose eight Harry Potter films have generated more than $7.7 billion at the global box office, per THR. The franchise’s theatrical run was launched by director Chris Columbus with the 2001 release of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and the new licensing deal lands on that film’s 25th anniversary.
NBCUniversal’s role is reduced but not eliminated under the new arrangement. The company retains co-exclusive streaming rights to the films alongside Warner Bros. Discovery’s HBO Max. The linear rights shift gives Paramount control over the franchise’s TV schedule through the summer. The multi-year agreement includes options for renewal when the initial licensing term runs out. NBCUniversal continues to operate its Peacock streaming service independently of the Paramount deal.
The End of NBCUniversal’s Harry Potter Run
NBCUniversal had been the linear home of the Harry Potter films since 2018, when it first struck a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery. That agreement put the franchise on USA Network and Syfy, among other NBCUniversal channels. Thursday’s announcement hands those rights to a competing media conglomerate at the same time NBCUniversal continues to operate its Peacock streaming service.
NBCUniversal did not respond to a request for comment before publication. The loss cuts off a long-tenured library asset at a moment when the company has leaned into original Peacock programming and live sports rights to keep subscribers. Harry Potter had been one of the most reliable movie draws for NBCU’s cable portfolio. Under the 2018 pact, the films were programmed across NBCUniversal’s cable networks. NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery’s HBO Max will continue to share streaming rights to the franchise.
When and Where the Films Air This Summer
MTV will open the franchise on Paramount’s airwaves with a Fourth of July weekend marathon of all eight Harry Potter films, running from noon ET/PT on Friday, July 3 through Sunday, July 5. The Independence Day window gives the network a high-attraction counterprogramming play against holiday weekend viewing. The marathon marks the first time Harry Potter has aired on MTV in the franchise’s 25-year history. All eight films will run across the three-day window, with the marathon continuing through Sunday evening. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 closes out the marathon.
Paramount Network follows on Monday, July 13 at 6 p.m. ET/PT with a week-long showcase of all 11 films in the deal. Each weeknight through Sunday, July 19 features one of the Harry Potter or Fantastic Beasts titles, with weekend airings beginning at noon ET/PT. The schedule places the films on Paramount’s flagship cable channel across a seven-day window.
Nick at Nite takes over on Sunday, August 9 at 7 p.m. ET/PT, hosting a week-long event showcasing all eight Harry Potter movies, with each title encoring the next day on Nickelodeon. The children’s network will re-enter the franchise over Labor Day weekend beginning Thursday, September 3, as part of Warner Bros. Discovery’s annual ‘Back to Hogwarts’ celebrations. That Labor Day window marks Nickelodeon’s first participation in the annual fan event. The staggered schedule gives each Paramount network a turn at the franchise through the end of the summer.
| Network | Window | What airs |
|---|---|---|
| MTV | July 3-5, noon ET/PT start | All 8 Harry Potter films over 3-day holiday weekend |
| Paramount Network | July 13-19 | All 11 films, one per weeknight, weekend encores from noon ET/PT |
| Nick at Nite | Aug 9, 7 p.m. ET/PT | All 8 Harry Potter films over 1 week, next-day encores on Nickelodeon |
| Nickelodeon | Sept 3 onward | Harry Potter films over Labor Day weekend (Back to Hogwarts) |
The Merger Behind the Paramount Harry Potter Deal
The Harry Potter licensing deal lands less than two weeks after the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust division approved Paramount Skydance’s $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery on June 12. Federal regulators cleared the $111 billion media merger without demanding a single concession or behavioral remedy, according to the antitrust division’s full review of the merger. The transaction still needs sign-off from European Union and United Kingdom regulators, and states including New York and California are reportedly preparing to sue to block it, according to Reuters.
The DOJ statement, issued on the day of the closing decision, found the transaction “not likely to result in harm to competition or American consumers” across three areas: streaming video on demand, linear television, and theatrical film production. The antitrust division’s review covered more than two million documents from over 80 custodians, with state attorneys general participating in the eight-month investigation. The decision clears one of the largest regulatory hurdles for a merger that could reshape Hollywood’s competitive landscape.
Paramount’s $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. aims to turn the combined company into a theatrical and news giant, positioning it to compete against Netflix, Amazon, and Apple. Once the deal closes, the Harry Potter franchise would come under Paramount’s ownership outright, ending the need for any future licensing arrangement. The combined company would house Paramount, CNN, Warner Bros. Pictures, and the HBO Max streaming service under one roof.
Paramount has said the merger is expected to generate $6 billion in savings by eliminating overlapping operations. Hollywood unions have disputed that figure, citing fears of industry layoffs. David Ellison, the Paramount CEO who secured the merger approval, has said the combination gives Paramount the firepower to battle tech giants in the streaming wars. NBCUniversal continues to operate its Peacock streaming service independently of the Paramount deal.
- 11 films in the Paramount linear licensing deal
- $7.7 billion global box office for the eight Harry Potter films
- $111 billion Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger value
- $6 billion in expected merger savings (disputed by unions)
- 25 years since the original Sorcerer’s Stone release
Streaming Is Still Split Between HBO Max and Peacock
The Harry Potter films will continue to stream on both Peacock and HBO Max under co-exclusive arrangements, even as the linear rights shift to Paramount. The films are currently available to stream on both platforms under the existing deal structure. NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery’s HBO Max will share streaming rights to the franchise as the new linear arrangement with Paramount takes effect. The dual streaming availability means subscribers on either platform can continue to access all 11 films in the deal.
The streaming picture will grow more complicated once Paramount’s $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery closes, at which point HBO Max would sit under common ownership with Paramount+. NBCUniversal’s Peacock, by contrast, remains separate from that merger. The licensing deal itself runs for multiple years, giving Paramount’s networks a long runway to program the films across its summer schedule and beyond. NBCUniversal retains its co-exclusive streaming rights to the franchise alongside HBO Max, with no change to that arrangement. The shift is confined to linear television.
The HBO Harry Potter Series Lands on Christmas Day
A new Harry Potter television series, produced by Warner Bros. and based on Rowling’s seven-book saga, is set to premiere on HBO and HBO Max on Christmas Day, 2026. The adaptation will become the franchise’s flagship small-screen property, sitting alongside the films as Warner Bros. Discovery expands the Wizarding World across its streaming portfolio. The series is one of the most ambitious franchise adaptations in HBO’s pipeline.
The series is based on J.K. Rowling’s seven-book saga and will become the franchise’s flagship small-screen property. THR reports the series is set for a late December 2026 release, while Deadline reports the launch is expected in early 2027. The adaptation will run on HBO and HBO Max as a marquee tentpole for the streaming service, with the Christmas Day slot positioning it as a holiday programming centerpiece. Early breakdowns are already weighing ten ways the reboot might differ from the films.
The Paramount linear deal and the HBO series launch arrive in the same year that marks the 25th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the Chris Columbus-directed film that launched Warner Bros.’ eight-movie run. New actors are also stepping into the young wizard roles for a separate theatrical release opening this week. The broader Warner Bros. Discovery deal still needs sign-off from European Union and United Kingdom regulators.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do the Harry Potter movies start airing on Paramount’s TV networks?
MTV kicks off the rollout with a marathon of all eight Harry Potter films beginning at noon ET/PT on Friday, July 3, and running through Sunday, July 5. Paramount Network follows with a week-long showcase of all 11 films starting Monday, July 13, with one film airing each weeknight. Nick at Nite then picks up the slate on Sunday, August 9 at 7 p.m. ET/PT, with Nickelodeon re-entering the franchise over Labor Day weekend beginning September 3 as part of the annual ‘Back to Hogwarts’ celebrations.
How many Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts movies are included in the deal?
The licensing agreement covers 11 films in total: the eight Harry Potter films plus the three Fantastic Beasts spinoffs. The Harry Potter series began with 2001’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, with the three Fantastic Beasts titles rounding out the package.
Will the Harry Potter films still be available to stream?
Yes. NBCUniversal retains co-exclusive streaming rights to the franchise alongside Warner Bros. Discovery’s HBO Max under the new arrangement. The films remain available on both Peacock and HBO Max. The streaming picture could shift once Paramount’s $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery closes, at which point HBO Max would sit under common ownership with Paramount+.
When will the new Harry Potter HBO series premiere?
The new adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s novels is scheduled to premiere on HBO and HBO Max on Christmas Day, 2026. THR reports the series is set for a late December 2026 release, while Deadline reports the launch is expected in early 2027. The series will run alongside the films as the franchise’s flagship small-screen property.
Is Paramount buying Warner Bros. Discovery?
Paramount Skydance is acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery in a $111 billion takeover that the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust division cleared on June 12, 2026, without demanding any concessions. The transaction still requires sign-off from European Union and United Kingdom regulators. States including New York and California are reportedly preparing to sue to block the merger, according to Reuters.
