An inevitability, really. After the film series cracked open the bank vault to bag $7.7 billion at the global box office, Harry Potter is set to return to the live-action realm in an HBO TV series.
At the time of writing, the plan is for the show to debut in 2027, which will make it 16 years since Harry and friends last appeared on screens. According to Deadline, the series centers around the original seven novels, written by author J.K. Rowling, but will run for 10 consecutive years. In other words, certain books will be split into two seasons.
An undeniable fact is it will be a big show upon arrival. People will tune in based on name value alone to see what it’s all about. Its sustainability, though, might not be what Warner Bros.’ executives originally envisioned. Unless a variety of factors change, this show has already bought a one-way ticket on Hogwarts Express toward disaster – and quite frankly, it deserves it.
Unless you have been cosplaying as Rip Van Winkle for a few years, you will be fully aware how J.K. Rowling has molded herself into a controversial figure on the internet. The author has been accused of transphobia due to her online comments about transgender people. It’s to the point in which Rowling has divided the Harry Potter fanbase too. One only needs to look at the uproar surrounding Hogwarts Legacy and how there was a drive to boycott the video game because of its attachment to the author.
Taking this into account, it’s surprising to see Rowling’s heavy and publicized involvement in HBO’s Harry Potter series. Yes, the author signed a smart deal many years ago that she receives a significant amount of creative control over any adaptations, but HBO hasn’t exactly tried to distance itself from her either. Instead, it confirmed that Rowling is deep in the trenches and assisting in the selection of writers and directors, and that she “has a right to express her personal views,” as per Variety.
Now, Hollywood has cancelled or distanced itself from people for far less, so this appears to be a case where Rowling has an ironclad deal as a producer, so the network needs to play nice here – or it really is tone deaf. For many fans, though, Rowling’s involvement is an instant dealbreaker. They have no desire in supporting any of her future endeavors because of her social commentary – and they’re entitled to feel the way they do. There’s an argument to be made that even if Rowling wasn’t involved as a producer, she wrote the books, so she would always play a role in this TV show – whether people like it or not. Regardless, HBO’s glowing endorsement of Rowling feels like an instant dark cloud over the Harry Potter series before any content has been filmed.
Looking back at the Harry Potter film series, it featured sensational casting with the likes of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint as Harry, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley respectively. The supporting characters were equally well cast, seeing Maggie Smith as Minerva McGonagall, Richard Harris/Michael Gambon as Albus Dumbledore, Robbie Coltrane as Rubeus Hagrid, and Alan Rickman as Severus Snape to name but just a few. For many viewers, these are the definitive depictions of these characters.
Conversely, the casting rumors surrounding HBO’s Harry Potter series have set the internet on fire. Whether it be Mark Rylance or Mark Strong as Dumbledore, Brett Goldman as Hagrid, or Paapa Essiedu as Snape, there are opinions. Many, many opinions – with some valid, some outrageous. Look, this is no different to when any other franchise experiences a reboot. For example: Every time a new Batman actor is cast, it’s the equivalent of World War III on social media and everyone fears the sky is falling.
The issue with Harry Potter is how there are so many beloved roles to fill – not just one or two. The film series pulled off quite the feat in assembling the pitch-perfect cast, and everything that comes afterward will pale in comparison. The question remains: Can the movie cast be topped? Unlikely.
The Harry Potter HBO TV show had the opportunity to explore other parts of the timeline – like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power did with Middle-Earth – rather than be a straight-up reboot. In fact, it could have been a live-action adaptation of Hogwarts Legacy, exploring the history and secrets of the fabled school. Alternatively, what about a show about the Marauders? For years, fans have called for a movie or series about this celebrated group, throwing out dream castings such as Andrew Garfield as Remus Lupin and Ben Barnes as Sirius Black.
There’s such a rich lore to Harry Potter that it’s simply unnecessary to retread the same ground as before. Heck, why not even go back several generations to the 12th century to meet Harry’s first wizard descendent, Linfred of Stinchcombe? Yet, it appears like HBO doesn’t want to take any risks, hitting the reboot button and feeding vanilla to the audience.
In fairness, the previous attempt to expand the Wizarding World through the Fantastic Beasts films didn’t turn out so well. The fourth and fifth movies were cancelled after the less-than-satisfactory performance of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore and it also didn’t help that stars Johnny Depp and Ezra Miller attracted controversies that overshadowed everything else. That said, history has a nasty way of repeating itself, so who’s to say the same won’t happen with the Harry Potter series?
As mentioned before, the first season of the show is likely to attract eyeballs because of who it’s about rather than its actual substance. The true test will be thereafter. No one needed a reboot in the form of the Harry Potter HBO TV show, nor was it asked for, but Hollywood chose the lowest-hanging fruit as per usual. Ultimately, it could end up being one of the costliest mistakes yet.
