According to sources, HBO Max, which is owned by AT&T, is considering making a TV show based on the books or transforming Rowling’s co-written stage play “The Cursed Child” into a feature film.
Harry Potter Film Series:
For months, there has been talk that WarnerMedia will use the franchise to boost sign-ups for its HBO Max streaming service. After all, transitioning its blockbuster Star Wars and Marvel franchises into digital series has been a huge success for Disney’s streaming platform Disney+.
However, WarnerMedia quickly dismissed reports that a show based on the iconic book series will be coming to HBO Max in January.
Nonetheless, WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar recently reaffirmed the studio’s support for Potter. Kilar said earlier this month during the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecommunications Conference in a webcast session, “There’s this little thing called Harry Potter, which is one of the most beloved franchises.” “And we’re grateful to be able to collaborate with J.K. Rowling, so I’d argue there’s a lot of fun and promise there as well.”
Kilar didn’t explain more but WarnerMedia is understandably interested in learning more about the Wizarding World. The studio had started to explore this world even before Harry Potter’s birth with its Fantastic Beasts film series.
Is Harry Potter being converted in a feature film or series with HBO?
Since their initial publication in 1997, the Harry Potter books have been a critical success and have been a central part of the cultural zeitgeist over the last two decades. However, in recent years, author J.K. Rowling has received criticism for remarks about transgender men and women that have been interpreted as transphobic and patriarchal.
The very people who were once influenced by the Harry Potter novels and films have turned against Rowling as a result of her comments, resulting in a temporary drop in book sales and threats of boycotts against potential material.
Rowling’s critics included GLAAD and the Human Rights Movement, as well as the actors who brought her work to life. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, who played Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley, respectively, in the original films, provided the most notable voices.
In an interview with Esquire published last Friday, Grint reiterated his support for trans people. He felt that it was important for him to speak up out of kindness and respect. Grint believes that it’s an important community that should be protected and we can’t agree more.
Nonetheless, the controversy can come back to bite AT&T. When it was announced that HBO Max was developing a new Harry Potter series, die-hard fans were torn between wanting more Wizarding World content and being disappointed. They didn’t want to reward Rowling’s recent actions with their wallets, as much as they wanted to see more material.
You know, this would be really cool were it not for the fact that J.K. Rowling still presumably receives profits from video games sales. So, unless that’s confirmed otherwise, trans representation in a Harry Potter game doesn’t feel great to me. Money to Rowling? No thanks. https://t.co/cjBTQiztcf
— Charlotte Clymer ????️???? (@cmclymer) March 2, 2021
Fans are conflicted about endorsing new content that would potentially help Rowling financially, according to social media comments.
Rowling’s recent comments are unlikely to tarnish the Harry Potter brand for long, according to Csathy, who described it as a “rare, timeless, everlasting” franchise that will eventually overshadow its founder.
Stay tuned with Stanford Arts review for latest updates.
