2026 will be an exciting year for those whose favorite Harry Potter trope is the franchise’s magical school, as the BBC releases its long-awaited TV adaptation of J.J. Arcanjo’s Crookhaven series. This popular and acclaimed set of five children’s books follows the adventures of Gabriel Avery, as he enrolls in its titular “School for Thieves”.
In advance of HBO releasing the first-ever Harry Potter TV show in 2027, Crookhaven will whet the appetites of fantasy fans with its brilliantly original take on one of the genre’s most successful tropes in recent years. The school in the series isn’t magical as such. Rather, it’s a place where children’s special talents for thievery are honed.
Nevertheless, its setting bears a striking resemblance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It combines elements of Oliver Twist and the legend of Robin Hood with the place which brought Harry Potter’s wizarding world to life for generations of readers and moviegoers. Crookhaven is the BBC’s most highly-anticipated fantasy release since His Dark Materials ended in 2022.
Crookhaven’s TV Adaptation Is Arriving On The BBC In 2026
The BBC and J.J. Arcanjo released first-look images of Crookhaven’s TV adaptation at the start of October, and the show is already in the broadcaster’s schedule for early 2026. We can expect an official trailer to drop at the beginning of the new year, which is a serious cause for excitement among fantasy-lovers.
While there are now plenty of fantasy books about magical schools, Crookhaven’s premise of a school that teaches pickpocketing, lock-picking, forgery and “crim-nastics” is highly original. What’s more, the BBC have pulled out all the stops in adapting Arcanjo’s novels, casting Emmy and BAFTA-winning actor as school headmaster Caspian Lockett, and Adolescence star Amari Bacchus in a supporting role.
The Fantasy Show’s Fictional School Is The Best In The Genre Since Hogwarts
As much as we were enthralled by the magical school in Syfy’s The Magicians a decade ago, Crookhaven is already shaping up to be the best screen rendering of a fictional school in the fantasy genre since Hogwarts in the original Harry Potter movies. If the show’s first-look images are anything to go by, we’re in for a treat.
It could even steal the thunder of HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series. Crookhaven will have a whole year to establish itself before fantasy’s biggest screen franchise finally comes to television.
Crookhaven Could Be Released Internationally By The End Of 2026
If the show goes down especially well on the BBC, proving capable of drawing a mass audience, it’ll almost certainly get picked up by major international streaming networks. We can expect Amazon’s Prime Video to express an interest, while HBO’s future in light of Netflix’s Warner Bros. takeover makes it an even more interesting proposition for British TV series.
Even if none of these streaming giants option Crookhaven, American viewers should still be able to watch it by the end of 2026, because in that case it will probably air and stream on BritBox. The BBC has a fantasy franchise with enormous potential on its hands here, and the show is definitely one to look out for in 2026.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
