TV & Film
Harry Potter TV series reportedly ‘close to deal’ with JK Rowling
J.K. Rowling would ensure that the programme ‘remains loyal to her original material’ if a deal is struck
It’s been reported that HBO — owned by Warner Bros. Discovery — is in talks to produce a new TV adaptation of J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book series.
According to Bloomberg, each season of the series would be based on one of Rowling’s seven main entries in the Harry Potter series, potentially meaning a franchise that spans many years for the entertainment conglomerate. The publication claims that the report has come from ‘a person with knowledge of the matter’.
According to the unnamed source, David Zaslav, the CEO of Warner Bros Discovery, and HBO boss Casey Bloys are said to have been trying to persuade Rowling to get involved with the series as a producer.
The source said that Rowling wouldn’t be involved in the televised adaptation as the primary creator, nor would she lead the day-to-day running of the production, but she would ensure that the programme ‘remains loyal to her original material’ if a deal is struck.
The publication said that a spokesperson for Warner Bros declined to comment. The news comes as Warner Bros. Discovery is reportedly looking for the series to form part of the company’s new streaming strategy, as it prepares to host a presentation for investors and the general public next week on April 12th.
The presentation will preview its new streaming platform – which will combine HBO Max and Discovery+ into one – along with its upcoming raft of streaming content.
It was Warner Bros. who was responsible for the Harry Potter film series, bringing Rowling’s books to life on the big screen between 2001 and 2011.
Starting with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, there were eight film instalments in the wildly successful franchise, concluding with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. Together, the eight films generated some $7.7billion at the global box office.
Since then, Warner Bros. has produced and distributed multiple spin-off films based on the Harry Potter world: 2016’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, 2018’s Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, and last year’s Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.