Max Orders Decade-Long Harry Potter TV Adaptation

Facts

• US streaming service Max confirmed on Wednesday that it has ordered a decade-long television adaptation of the Harry Potter books written by JK Rowling.¹
• The television show will feature a separate cast than the one featured in the eight films released between 2001 and 2011. Rowling is slated to be an executive producer.²
• In a statement, Casey Bloys, chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, said the show will be a “faithful adaptation” of the books, with each book being presented as one season of the show.³
• In addition to the books and films, Harry Potter has inspired a Broadway show, theme parks, video games, and an international touring exhibition. The video game Hogwarts Legacy sold 12M copies and made $850M in the first two weeks following its February release.⁴
• Max, formerly known as HBO Max, is the streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, which formed in a merger between WarnerMedia and Discovery Inc. last year.⁴

Sources: ¹The telegraph, ²New York Times, ³NPR Online News and ⁴CBS.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by The hollywood reporter. Warner Bros. Discovery should rethink the political implications of deciding to work with Rowling before going forward with this project. Any collaboration with her on the new series is a slap in the face to the trans community, as Rowling has been vocal about her anti-trans agenda. Ten years of a series with her as an executive producer will provide a platform for Rowling to continue to air her hateful views.
• Narrative B, as provided by Variety. It’s possible to separate the person from the politics, and Warner Bros. Discovery will focus on what’s going to be on the screen – an incredibly affirmative, positive story told over the course of a decade. Rowling’s views on an unrelated topic don’t make her any less of a valuable consultant for the upcoming series.