Warner Bros has reached an agreement to produce a TV series based on the Harry Potter books, written by the famous J.K. Rowling. The bombshell news was originally launched by Bloomberg, which cites two anonymous sources close to the developments. Now comes the official thanks to a press release that confirms everything.
Apparently the TV series could be part of a larger Warner Bros project that will lead to the replacement of the two platforms HBO Max and Discovery Plus, in favor of a new combined service whose name is still secret. The new TV series could be one of the most important launch content if the news is confirmed.
Although few will not know it, Warner Bros originally adapted the 7 books that make up the saga into a series of 8 films starring actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, which were released between 2001 and 2011. What will be talked about in the rumored TV series? We will most likely see a sort of in-depth reboot, where each book will be the protagonist of an entire television season and the original stories will find further depth than the film versions.
At the moment the situation is a bit nebulous and, while the project is there, the source says that Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav and HBO boss Casey Bloys have been working to convince Rowling to produce a new series, but the deal has not yet been completed. The goal, however, would be to involve the writer so that the TV series is adherent to the original works, but she will not be the main screenwriter according to the sources.
Since the release of the original films, Rowling’s reputation has slowly and inexorably plummeted due to her comments on the trans community. On several occasions in recent years the writer has expressed controversial opinions on the concept of sex, gender identity and the rights of these people, provoking dissent and also impacting future works related to the world of Harry Potter. Even the main actors of the franchise have repeatedly distanced themselves, emphasizing their support for the trans community.
The Harry Potter brand has spawned a number of successful products and spin-offs, such as the recent Hogwarts Legacy game, or the theatrical production that can still be seen in a London theatre, Harry Potter and the Curse of the Heir. But it was above all books that achieved unique results in the history of literature. According to U.S. publisher Scholastic Corp., the book series has sold 600 million copies in 85 languages in 25 years, making it the bestseller of all time. The eight films based on the series generated worldwide ticket sales of more than $7.7 billion.
Warner Bros. Discovery is officially working on a Harry Potter series for its new streaming service called Max. The news came through a press release, in which the company states that it will be a series developed over many years, and in which every single season will represent a book of the original saga, promising greater fidelity than the famous films. Here is an excerpt from the communiqué.
The stories in each of Rowling’s Harry Potter books will become a decade-long series produced with the same epic skill, love and care for which this global franchise is known. […] Each season will be true to the original books and bring Harry Potter and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world, while the original, classic and beloved films will remain at the heart of the franchise and available to watch globally.
There will of course be a new cast, but the most beloved characters and magical places of the original saga will obviously be present.
The other big news is that author JK Rowling will be among the show’s executive producers. An active role was not certain, since as explained in the original news just above, in recent years she has been heavily criticized for her offensive comments towards the transgender community. In addition to Rowling, executive producers will be Neil Blair and Ruth Kenley-Letts, with David Heyman currently in talks for the role. Nothing is known obviously about the cast and it is too early to talk about it, but we are sure that there will be plenty of news about it in the coming months.