HBO is in the process of developing a Harry Potter television series, based on the book series by JK Rowling. According to Bloomberg, the series will be available on both cable and streaming, and each season will focus on one book from the original series. The seven-season plan is intended to be the cornerstone of a new streaming strategy for Warner Bros., HBO's parent company.
The report also states that Warner Bros. Discovery's CEO, David Zaslav, and HBO chief, Casey Bloys, worked to convince Rowling to produce the new series, although it is not expected that Rowling will be showrunner or serve as the primary creator. Rowling will be only involved in the project to ensure that it remains true to her original material.
Warner Bros. Discovery has expressed its interest in expanding the Harry Potter franchise. They had previously created the original film adaptations of the Harry Potter series and the prequel Fantastic Beasts franchise. Last month, CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels hinted at more Harry Potter content coming in the future, and the announcement of the upcoming television series seems to confirm this plan.
During a panel at Morgan Stanley's investor conference, Warner Bros. Discovery CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels highlighted the success of the recent Hogwarts Legacy launch as an example of the vast opportunities available to the company in expanding its franchises.
"Take Harry Potter as an example, the Wizarding World, the fact that we are enjoying this massive success with the Hogwarts Legacy launch, 12 years after the last film came out, shows that there is so much opportunity and we're only just starting to expand that," Wiedenfels shared.
Wiedenfels also mentioned the upcoming Harry Potter tour in Tokyo and stressed the importance of coordinated franchise management, citing it as one of the biggest opportunities for the company, stating
"We've got the new Harry Potter tour coming up in Tokyo in the middle of the year. Long story short, I think this one-company approach, great leadership in the individual business units, but coordinated franchise management is probably one of the biggest opportunities the company has.”
Warner Bros. is set to unveil its new streaming plan that includes rebranding its online service as Max, which initially debuted as HBO Max. The company plans to offer fresh content, with an emphasis on creating new movies and television series based on existing characters and stories that are familiar to viewers. Warner Bros. has a vast library of shows and movies that align with this strategy, such as J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World, the Lord of the Rings, and a stable of superheroes at DC Comics and all of its imprints.
Zaslav has made the decision to reduce the number of movies and TV shows the company produces and focus on producing high-quality content. In February, he revealed plans to produce a new series of movies based on Lord of the Rings, but specific information on the project is yet to be determined.
Although, Zaslav's decision to reduce the number of movies and shows the company produces and focus on creating high-quality content, is a great move for Warner Bros. Discovery. However, a tv series remake of Harry Potter may not be the content they shouldn’t be producing. Disney’s Star Wars Sequel Trilogy or Amazon’s The Rings of Power are prime examples of not messing with a franchise’s legacy. Although shows like The Mandalorian, especially season one, would be a perfect influence for a Wizarding World tv series, a self-contained story within the universe with only references or cameos to the main storyline.
According to the Bloomberg report, additional details regarding Warner Bros. Discovery's new streaming plan are anticipated to be released next week.
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