Is a ‘Harry Potter’ TV Series Actually Happening?
Between the Fantastic Beasts franchise pumping out films with multiple A-listers, Broadway’s The Cursed Child, and Pottermore, you would assume that Potter enthusiasts would be satisfied. Yet, truth be told, Fantastic Beasts “just isn’t Harry Potter” and, given all the help J.K. Rowling had in penning the Broadway play, the production lacks her signature voice and tone.
When push comes to shove, fans want to see Harry Potter once more — at some point in time. Fans want to see the familiar faces — McGonagall, Snape, the Weasley family, and all others grace the silver screens — or our small screens — to take us out of our everyday lives for a blip in time.
Every so often, rumors surface that a Harry Potter movie may be coming once more, or that a TV show reboot is on the horizon, yet, do any of these rumors offer a shred of credibility? Is Harry Potter going to become a TV show — presumably on HBO Max given the service is a part of WarnerMedia? Unfortunately, at the moment, sources close to those who would be involved, say such a project remains a pipedream. Yet, the future remains undetermined.
Debunking the ‘Harry Potter’ TV show rumor…for now
According to MentalFloss — relying on intel from HypeBeast (who spoke with J.K. Rowling’s representatives) — the Harry Potter series that keeps coming up in conversation is unlikely to transpire…at least any time soon. Mental Floss noted that J.K. Rowling’s representatives shared the following:
There are no plans to develop the Harry Potter stories into a TV series. Any reports are purely speculative.
J.K. Rowling has also chimed in previously to note the absurdity of such a production, stating that the show would be sure to greet audiences… “right after the opera, Potter-on-ice, and the interpretative dance version of Beedle the Bard,” noted MentalFloss (quoting the author’s Twitter). Despite J.K. Rowling’s teasing, you can’t blame fans for expecting such a show, as the author — and those behind the original franchise — have refused to release their grip on Potter.
J.K. Rowling still makes updates via Pottermore, and the original material is the basis for several offshoots
If J.K. Rowling were truly allowing Harry Potter to fade into the past, would the author continue to clarify fans’ questions or comment on ways she would adjust the source material? Furthermore, would Fantastic Beasts even exist? Would Broadway’s Harry Potter and the Cursed Child — following the saga’s next generation — ever have made it to the Great White Way?
In the end, expecting such a show is a logical presumption; those capable of making it seem tethered to the world’s money-making capacities, and the magical universe Rowling has created. Thus, while the show may not be on its way soon, one day, the money at the heart of such a project will likely come out on top. Yet hopefully, the financial pull leads to a series just as narratively strong as its predecessor. Money without the magic simply won’t work for Potter.
