Harry Potter is one of the most successful movie franchises of all time. And now, Warner Bros Discovery is looking to bring the wizarding world to the small screen.
A new report from Bloomberg suggests that HBO is closing on a deal to develop a Harry Potter TV show for HBO Max. The series will still be based on JK Rowling’s best-selling book series.
According to the report, there will be seven seasons in total and each season will be based on one book. This means that HBO will be producing the series for a very long time.
Rowling would have a degree of creative involvement with the TV show under the terms of the deal. However, the controversial author will not serve as a primary creator or showrunner for the series.
Sources reveal that the negotiation between Warner Bros. Discovery and Rowling’s team is still in the preliminary stages. The studio hopes to bring the series to the HBO Max streaming service which will soon merge with Discovery+ and be rebranded.
Warner Bros. Discovery has been working on the Harry Potter TV series for some time now. Rumors started to swirl around January 2021, which predates WarnerMedia’s acquisition of Discovery in 2022. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has remarked on the importance of the franchise to the company.
Warner Bros. Discovery is scheduled to host a presentation for investors and the general public on April 12. The upcoming event will give audiences a preview of the merger between HBO Max and Discovery+ along with the upcoming content for the streaming service. It will be interesting to see if Warner Bros. announces the Harry Potter TV series during the presentation.
Warner Bros. has worked with JK Rowling to turn the Harry Potter novels into blockbuster movies. The project spanned a decade starting with 2001’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and ending with 2011’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2. The eight-movie franchise earned $7.7 billion at the worldwide box office and made Harry Potter a household name.
The Harry Potter franchise went on to add the Fantastic Beasts spin-off series and the best-selling Hogwarts Legacy video game. There is also a Broadway production: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
The series has had some negative publicity due to author JK Rowling’s views on transgender issues. The upcoming TV series may also experience a backlash similar to that of Hogwarts Legacy when it was announced.
Warner Bros. Discovery has not commented on the Harry Potter TV series as of writing.
