Dust off your spellbooks and iron your cloak, because Harry Potter is officially going back to school in a brand new television series on HBO.
Of course, it wouldn’t be the first time that the boy wizard’s adventures at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry have been brought to life on screen. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson first introduced audiences to this vibrant fantasy world as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger in the hugely popular feature film series that ran from 2001 to 2011.
Now, with successful reboots of series and films such as Wednesday, Scream, Willow and Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies becoming increasingly popular, a new generation of viewers has emerged ready to explore a new take on this classic wizarding story.
Read more here: Harry Potter series launched with JK Rowling as executive producer; to run for 10 years (Deadline, 2 minutes reading time)
What do we know about the Harry Potter TV series?
HBO has announced the first details of the Harry Potter television series and revealed the series’ showrunner and writer.
HBO appointed Francesca Gardiner (“Succession,” “His Dark Materials,” “Killing Eve”) as showrunner and executive producer and Mark Mylod (“Succession,” “Game of Thrones,” “The Last of Us”) as executive producer and director of several episodes.
According to a press release from Warner Bros Discovery, the series will be filmed over a period of ten years, with each season focusing on a different part of Rowling’s seven-volume story.
The show will be led by an all-new cast that promises to bring Potter’s battle with the evil Voldemort to a whole new generation of pop culture fans. However, fans can expect the same level of detail, stunning locations and respect for the source material that the film adaptations did so well.
A launch date for the Harry Potter television series has not yet been announced, but once it is confirmed, it will launch on Warner Bros. Discovery’s new Max streaming platform.
Read more here: Harry Potter TV series in early development (Variety, 2 minutes reading time)
How did the fans react?
Some Harry Potter fans did not react well to the idea of a TV spin-off, as they still have not forgiven Rowling for her comments about transgender women.
The author was “cancelled” after speaking out in favor of protecting women’s gender-based rights and was accused of “ruining her legacy” by expressing her views on trans rights.
Watch: Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe stands by the trans community
Initial reports of a TV spin-off series prompted some to declare a boycott of the series to prevent Rowling from profiting from the royalties.
Read more here: What JK Rowling’s work could mean for the Harry Potter franchise (Variety, 13 minutes reading time)
Where in the Harry Potter timeline will the series take place?
Although Warner Bros Discovery’s new series has a wealth of material to draw on – from Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts spin-off stories to Jack Thorne’s Broadway stage show The Cursed Child to numerous characters who could lead their own work – it will keep things simple and retell the most important Harry Potter adventures.
This means we get to know the titular “Boy Who Lived” once again. We follow him from his time as an orphan in a tiny room under the stairs of his cruel aunt and uncle to his discovery that he is actually a wizard and the only one who can defeat the tyrannical and deadly Voldemort.
It also means we get to relive his time at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and get to know the colorful characters that lurk there – from eccentric teachers to Potter’s trusted school friends and all the magical creatures that lurk in between.
Read more here: Harry Potter director Chris Columbus would return for the film Cursed Child with the original cast (People, 3 min. reading time)
Who could play the main role?
The cast of the new Max Harry Potter TV series is not yet known, but according to the latest press release, it will feature an “all-new” line-up of faces.
This is no big surprise. Many of the original actors from the Harry Potter films have publicly distanced themselves from JK Rowling following her controversy over her transsexuality.
Radcliffe has apologized several times to anyone who felt offended by her comments and whose love for the books may have been “tarnished” by them.
The actor has also commented on whether he would return to the franchise, saying in an interview with ComicBook.com that he would rather not.
He said: “As far as I know, they’re trying to start from scratch and I’m sure whoever does it will want to put their own stamp on it and probably won’t want to figure out how to get old Harry to make a cameo appearance somewhere. So that’s certainly not what I’m aiming for.”
“I’m very happy that the torch is being passed, but I don’t think I need to physically pass it on,” Radcliffe added.
Other Harry Potter stars, including Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, have spoken out against Rowling’s views on trans issues.
Radcliffe has also stated that he would not be interested in reprising his role as adult Harry Potter in The Cursed Child, but has not ruled out taking part in another Potter project.
Read more here: Daniel Radcliffe revealed that there are two more Harry Potter characters he would like to play in a reboot. (Insider, 1 minute reading time)
Meanwhile, many of the cast members from the feature film series seem to have differing views on returning. Tom Felton, who played Harry’s arch-enemy Draco Malfoy, doesn’t seem to be keen on the idea of reprising his role.
Rupert Grint is open to the idea of a Harry Potter television series, but would not want to play Ron Weasley himself.
But Ralph Fiennes has said he is absolutely ready to return as Lord Voldemort.
Read more: Everything the Harry Potter cast said about a possible reboot (Us Weekly, 2 minutes reading time)
