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TV & Film

Everything We Know About HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Series So Far

The Harry Potter movies were released in 1997, based on the books by JK Rowling by the same name. The books were an immediate success with long lines at the signing events. The books allowed a mass pre sold fanbase for the movies. This allowed big level marketing, great CGI affects and a big cast.

Max's 'Harry Potter' TV Series Max
Max's 'Harry Potter' TV Series. (Max)

The Harry Potter books, written by J.K. Rowling, became an immediate success after their release in 1997, drawing long lines at signing events. This fanbase built up before the movies were even released, creating a massive fandom for the franchise. The strong fan following and large budget of Warner Bros enabled extensive marketing, cutting-edge CGI effects, and a star-studded cast. Now, a series reboot is in the talks.

Rowling sold the rights to the books but still had the final say in the
scriptwriting of the movies. The cast thoroughly enjoyed their time on the sets and developed a close rapport similar to that on screen. Recently, an announcement was made on the official Instagram account of Harry Potter. They gave a casting call for the entire UK for a reboot. The series will be produced by HBO and it was originally announced in 2023 by Warner Bros, a parent company of HBO and Max. Each season will be based on a book. The series has promised to be more accurate and faithful to the books but fans are not satisfied by this.

The studio has set the release for 2026, but fans are still waiting for any posters or teasers. Most fans have reacted negatively, expressing their frustration on X (Twitter) and TikTok. They argue that their favourite franchise isn’t ready for a reboot and doesn’t need one. Their concerns are understandable—who wants to see anyone tamper with a franchise they consider perfect?

Other sources have rightfully reported that this reboot will leave a bad taste in fans’ mouth.

HBO Max’ Financial Motives; Another Cash Grab?

Like the previous movies, HBO Max is likely to allocate a big budget for production. Max has high revenues and is quickly ascending in market share in the US. Like its parent, it has seen success since its launch. Most of the series produced have had high budgets such as The House of Dragon and The Last Of Us.

This reboot presents a significant opportunity for HBO Max to further enhance its revenue stream without the need for substantial investment in new content. Following a recent price increase for subscribers, the launch of this new series is poised to drive additional growth for the platform. These increasing prices may also be benefiting for the future of the franchise, attracting new customers and retaining the old fans of the franchise, while making more money for the app.

It is relatively evident that financial gain appears to be the primary objective, potentially overshadowing consideration of fans’ preferences. A company such as HBO which is part of a conglomerate company Warner Bros usually focus on financial gain and it is a big incentive. It is essential for them to keep attracting new audiences to their apps and services to keep this stream of revenue going.

Will the JK Rowling Controversy Affect the Series?

There has been debate as to whether fans will still have the same liking towards the series. JK Rowling has been in hot water for her recent tweets which have been perceived as “homophobic”. Users on X (Twitter) have been trying to get her cancelled and she has regularly been facing significant lash back from the internet after claiming that youngsters with mental health issues are being pushed towards surgery/ hormonal medicine and compared this to conversion therapy.

Many stars spoke up against her calling these tweets condescending. Previous Harry Potter stars Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe have shown displeasure over this saying they disagree with her views. Furthermore public opinions about her have changed since the release of the movies and fans are speculating if the series will be as successful, or if they want to support a project that will help her benefit her financially. It is unclear if she will still receive the same love from fans as she did during the initial release of the books and movies. However, HBO Max defended her position as an executive producer, stating that she is an indispensable member of the team.

How are Fans Reacting to this New Series?

One fan on X (Twitter) said that the franchise has not out been long enough for it to have a reboot, and the official Harry Potter account tweeted that it will be impossible to cast leads similar to the original. A TikTok user posted another video targeting the future actors, claiming they cannot be replaced. Another saying new actors may not be able to live up to the expectations of their predecessors.

@hopereadsthings

“but the movies left out so much” like yes, most book-to-movie adaptations do. they will likely have to sacrifice plot points for the show too. the only hope that show has is that the showrunner is allegedly supposed to be the person who did His Dark Materials which was extremely well done. i truly believe they won’t be able to replicate the og movies’ success, following, and anticipation. ANYWAY, i could be completely wrong and the show could totally nail it but i’d be so surprised. also fuck jkr #harrypotter #harrypotterreboot

♬ Succession Main Theme – L’Orchestra Nazionale di Mendoni


Many people on TikTok have posted videos to express their frustration over the reboot replacing the movies. They are not willing to give it to someone else. Another reason the frustration seems to be building is that the fandom has been requesting a movie on the Marauders (the previous generation of Harry Potter). They have even chosen fan casts for their favourite actors (Andrew Garfield as Lupin, Aaron Taylor Johnson as James Potter and Ben Bates as Sirius). Others have requested a movie on the Black Sisters, or more insight into the life of Dumbledore and Grindelwald.

One of the reasons the movies became so popular was due to the amazing chemistry the three protagonists (the golden trio) had. Fans believe the only way to continue to magic is to dive into other worlds instead of a reboot because lets face it, no one can replace them. No doubt the books and movies created an unbelievable magical experience but it is not clear if this reboot will live up to fans expectations.

After years of tirelessly asking for an expansion of the franchise, fans received the complete opposite. They are unhappy with the series and it seems it may stay this way. Such upsetting reactions reinforce the fans disappointment in Hollywood and other production companies reliance on reboots and remakes.

Possible Cast Members: Who will Replace the Iconic Cast?

Given the size of the project the internet is constantly speculating who the new possible cast members could be. A recent rumour has surfaced stating that Cillian Murphy may be the new Voldemort. Since he has notoriously played an anti-hero in The Peaky Blinders fans think he may be the perfect choice. Other sources claimed that Paapa Essiedu has been offered the role of Snape.

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has also stated that he is happy to pass on the torch to somebody else and is excited to see someone else play the role. But he feels he has passed through that stage and would not return to the franchise as a cast member. However, some speculate that a cameo could bring old cast members back to the franchise. Unfortunately, since the release of the movies we have lost many great actors such as Dame Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane, Alan Rickman, and Michael Gambon. The new actors have a very high benchmark they need to meet.

The series is still in its preliminary stages of production and casting is mostly speculation. There is no information for the choice of the three protagonists and fans must wait for more information.

It will be interesting to see how HBO Max keeps up with the shooting of the series. The movies did an excellent job with timing. Each came out annually which ensured the cast grew up as the movies released making it seem exceptionally realistic. HBO needs to meet expectations to garner success, especially with the existing critique. It is expected that once cast announcements are made, significant buzz will be created on the internet, causing fans to go into uproar.

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