Could HBO Max be angling to give always-hungry Harry Potter fans something new?
Per the Hollywood Reporter's Lesley Goldberg, a live-action Harry Potter series is in the "early development" stages at the increasingly stacked streaming service. According to the publication's sources, executives at the streamer have held "multiple conversations" with possible writers for the series, with the discussions centering on multiple broad ideas about how to bring the Potterverse to the TV format.
At this time, no writers or other creatives have been attached to the alleged project. Furthermore, a rep for HBO Max and Warner Bros. told the publication no such series was in development. When asked by Complex for additional comment, a rep for both echoed that statement:
"There are no Harry Potter series in development at the studio or on the streaming platform."
Expanding the Potterverse, however, is believed to remain an ongoing priority for the brands.
The original film series concluded back in 2011 with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, which was followed by the Wizarding World franchise-launcher Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in 2016. The release of the second sequel to that Eddie Redmayne-starring entry, which sees Johnny Depp replaced by Mads Mikkelsen, has been delayed to 2022.
While the viability of the franchise remains, recent years have seen creator J.K. Rowling face repeated criticism over remarks widely considered to be rooted in transphobia. In June of 2020, original film series star Daniel Radcliffe shared an extended statement via The Trevor Project, in which he responded to recent (at the time) tweets from the author.
"Transgender women are women," Radcliffe, who noted it wasn't accurate to present the story as indicative of "in-fighting" between himself and Rowling, said. "Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I."