Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (2026)

Good question. Actually, there is no confirmed “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” movie for 2026 — the rumors you may have heard come from fan-made trailers and speculation.

What does exist is the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, written by Jack Thorne (based on a story by J.K. Rowling, Thorne, and John Tiffany)Below is a summary of its story, which is probably what people are referring to when they talk about “the 2026

movie” — but it is not (officially) a film yet.

Story Summary of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

1. Setting / Time Jump

   • The story takes place 19 years after the events of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

   • Harry Potter is now an adult: he works at the Ministry of Magic (Head of Magical Law Enforcement), and is married to Ginny.

   • He and Ginny have a younger son, Albus Severus Potter, who is about to start his first year at Hogwarts.

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2. New Generation & Friendship

   • On the Hogwarts Express, Albus befriends Scorpius Malfoy, Draco Malfoy’s son.

   • There are rumors swirling that Scorpius is somehow related to Voldemort, which makes things difficult for him socially.

   • In a twist, Albus is sorted into Slytherin (not Gryffindor), which surprises many because of his father’s legacy.

3. Family Tension

   • Albus struggles under the pressure of being Harry’s son. He feels like he can’t live up to his father’s reputation.

   • There is emotional distance between Harry and Albus; Harry doesn’t fully understand his son’s feelings, and Albus feels isolated.

   • A pivotal moment: Albus and Harry have a fight, and Harry says something very hurtful.

4. Time Travel / The Time-Turner

   • A major plot device is a Time-Turner, a magical device that allows its user to travel back in time.

   • Amos Diggory (father of Cedric Diggory) asks Harry to use the Time-Turner to go back and save his son, Cedric, who died during the Triwizard Tournament.

   • Harry refuses, but Albus overhears the conversation. Motivated to “fix” the past, Albus convinces Scorpius to help him steal the Time-Turner.

   • The boys disguise themselves (with Polyjuice Potion) and break into Hermione’s office at the Ministry to take the Time-Turner.

5. Alternate Timelines & Consequences

   • Albus and Scorpius use the Time-Turner to travel to key moments in the past (notably the Triwizard Tournament) to try to prevent Cedric’s death.

   • But their meddling has major unintended consequences: when they return to the present, things have changed drastically.

   • In one version of the altered timeline:

     • Voldemort wins.

     • Harry is dead.

     • Scorpius is a popular, powerful figure.

     • Hogwarts is under a darker regime, led by people like Dolores Umbridge, etc.

6. The Villain & Final Confrontation

   • There is a character named Delphi (Amos Diggory’s niece) who is more sinister than she first appears.

   • Delphi has her own agenda: she wants to restore the dangerous “alternate” timeline. As the story unfolds, it’s revealed that she may be connected to Voldemort in a very personal way.

   • Albus, Scorpius, Harry, Draco, Hermione, and Ron all eventually work together to stop Delphi and to fix the chaos caused by time travel.

   • There are big sacrifices and also dramatic time-jumps; at one point, the Time-Turner is destroyed to prevent further misuse.

7. Themes

   • Parent-child relationships: The story deeply explores how Albus feels overshadowed by his famous father, and how Harry struggles to connect with his son.

   • Legacy and expectations: Albus tries to make his own way, rather than just being “Harry’s son.”

   • Time and consequence: Using the Time-Turner shows how messing with the past is deeply risky and has serious effects.

   • Redemption and identity: Characters like Scorpius and Delphi deal with their own sense of identity and what they believe they should be.

Important Caveats / Reality Check

• No official 2026 movie: As of now, there is no verified film adaptation of The Cursed Child set for 2026. Multiple sources note that fan trailers are being mistaken for real ones.

• Play origin: The story comes from the two-part stage play, not a novel or movie.

• Mixed reception: While many fans love the play for its performance and spectacle, others are critical of the story, especially around the more controversial plot points (time travel, parent-child conflict, Delphi’s backstory).