“I Would Try to Stay Away,”- Hans Zimmer Charts His Approach for His 'Harry Potter' Series With Respect to John Williams’ Work on Films

Published 09/18/2026, 10:06 PM EDT

via Imago

Hans Zimmer had a unique approach to creating the music for HBO’s Harry Potter series. Comparisons began almost immediately after the reboot of J.K. Rowling’s famous series was announced. From the costumes to the casting, much of the early discussion has focused on whether the show can live up to or even surpass the legacy of the original films.

The same can be said about the music, which was handled by legendary composer Hans Zimmer. Understandably, this is a huge responsibility for Zimmer, since John Williams composed the music for the original movies. Looking back, the composer revealed that he had one simple approach to the task while expressing immense praise for Williams.

Hans Zimmer on creating music for Harry Potter after John Williams

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Hans Zimmer candidly shared that he could not write like John Williams and expressed his appreciation for the legendary composer’s work. He further added that even if he could write like Williams, he would steer far away from replicating what the composer did for the Harry Potter films. So, one thing is certain, and that is the music for the Harry Potter series will be different from the scores audiences came to love in the movies.

"I can’t write like John Williams, but even if I could, I would try to stay away as far as possible and try to be original," Zimmer told Collider.

via Imago

Now, Zimmer had some experience with this kind of situation, having composed the music for the 2013 Superman film Man of Steel, which followed John Williams’ iconic score for the 1978 Superman film and its 1980 sequel. During his interview with Collider, he recalled feeling nervous after being offered the job and said he almost did not want to take it. However, a conversation with director Zack Snyder helped calm his nerves and allowed him to find a new approach to the music. 

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Whether it is the music or the story, the HBO series has garnered plenty of hype. While the first season will soon arrive at Christmas, production on the second season has faced several hurdles.

The second season of the Harry Potter series faces a delay

HBO’s Harry Potter series was greenlit for a second season, with production originally expected to begin last month. However, filming has now been pushed to October, and this could potentially lead to a delay in the premiere of Season 2, although nothing has been confirmed as of yet. According to The Sun, the delay was due to an incomplete script. 

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Credits: Aidan Monaghan/HBO

The bosses reportedly want “the plot and characterizations to be perfect” for the second season, which will be based on the second book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Considering the heavy scrutiny from both old and new fans, the effort is understandable. However, how HBO handles the delay and whether it affects the season’s premiere remains to be seen.

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What do you think about Hans Zimmer's approach to create music for Harry Potter series? Let us know in the comments.

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Pritha Debroy

1235 articles

Pritha Debroy is an Entertainment writer at NetflixJunkie who can seamlessly switch between breaking down an NBA play and obsessing over the latest K-drama twist. She has written over 3,400 NBA and NFL articles, but her true joy lies in diving into Netflix’s trendiest shows—unpacking themes, stories, and yes, the occasional celebrity chaos. When she is not writing, you’ll find her devouring thrillers (anything by Freida McFadden is an instant yes), revisiting comfort classics like 10 Things I Hate About You and 27 Dresses, or hunting for her next binge-worthy series.

Edited By: Aliza Siddiqui

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