An HBO Max Harry Potter TV Series Is Reportedly in Early Stages at Warner Bros.

By Fletcher Peters  |  January 25, 2021 | 11:41am
Photo Courtesy of Warner Bros.
TV News Harry Potter
An HBO Max Harry Potter TV Series Is Reportedly in Early Stages at Warner Bros.

Get ready for more of the most beloved Wizarding World, Potterheads. Warner Bros.’ magical blockbuster franchise might be on track for a live-action TV series, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Sources say that executives are in the early stages of meeting with writers to bring Harry Potter to HBO Max. According to these sources, potential writers for the series have been contacted to investigate different avenues the beloved world could explore in a TV landscape—but nothing is set in stone quite yet.

No writers or talent have been attached at this stage, as the conversation about the possible series is still planning with broader ideas. “There are no Harry Potter series in development at the studio or on the streaming platform,” HBO Max and Warner Bros. said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, confirming that no deals have been made just yet.

J.K. Rowling, the author of the original seven books, controls the franchise with Warner Bros. Since the release of her famed series, Rowling has gone on to spark backlash based on her statements regarding trans folk after penning an essay saying that transgender individuals should be defined by biological sex and announcing a novel with a cross-dressing villain. Still, a Harry Potter series at HBO Max would give the author a chance to be involved in writing and producing with the streamer.

WarnerMedia has been prioritizing its streaming service since its release last year. All eight Harry Potter films were available on the platform’s release day, though they’ve since bounced to NBC’s Peacock and then back to rentals only. This announcement comes after HBO Max’s revivals of series like Gossip Girl, Sex and the City, and Friends, the streamer clearly tossing most of its eggs in the nostalgia basket.

The rights to the Harry Potter IP are complicated: though Warner Bros. controls the franchise with Rowling, the studio signed a deal with NBCUniversal that lasts until 2025, giving them broadcast, cable, and streaming rights to Potter’s world. If Potterheads expect to see all of the original films and a new series all on HBO Max, they’re going to have to wait quite a while.

Fletcher Peters is a New York-based journalist whose writing has appeared in Decider, Jezebel, and Film School Rejects, among other spots. You can follow her on Twitter @fietcherpeters gossiping about rom-coms, TV, and the latest celebrity drama.

For all the latest TV news, reviews, lists and features, follow @Paste_TV.

 
Join the discussion...