With the announcement that HBO Max is dropping the “HBO” part and rebranding as a new streaming service called Max also came the blockbuster announcement of a Max Harry Potter TV series.
The announcement was made by Casey Bloys, the Chairman and CEO of HBO & Max Content, who said they’re working on “a faithful adaptation” that will put on screen each book of the series. Could we even see Aberforth Dumbledore’s relationship with goats? Unfortunately, I don’t think so. If the Harry Potter TV show was on HBO, we’d probably see the truly gritty and subtle details from the books but HBO Max dropped the “HBO” part precisely because the execs wanted to have a family-friendly image.
Also read: The Harry Potter by Balenciaga Deepfakes Are Really… Something Else
So, what is the Harry Potter TV series story?
The good news is this:
“This new Max Original series will dive deep into each of the iconic books that fans have continued to enjoy for all of these years,” said Bloys.
Yes, the rumors were true: there will be a Max Harry Potter TV series that will dive into every little detail of the 7 books.
Even better, Bloys said that the project could run for “10 consecutive years”, which would mean a lot more space to depict each and every detail in the novels. Plus, he said the budget could be the same as Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon, or go even higher, which means Max is fully committed to the Harry Potter series.
Even the 8 movies dedicated to 7 books struggled to cover some important aspects. Fans will know that the first 3 books are so short, they’re about the size of the fourth in the series. This meant filmmakers so far had to cut a lot of stuff (cough cough Peeves and regular Hogwarts shenanigans, including those relationships that were cut from the movies.).
““Each season will be authentic to the original books and bring Harry Potter and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world, while the original, classic and beloved films will remain at the core of the franchise and available to watch globally,” said the press release.
Also read: AI-Based Website Creates Realistic Harry Potter Characters After Book Descriptions
Harry Potter TV Show on Max release date
The even better news? Even though it was just announced, we already have a tentative release date for the Harry Potter TV show and it’s earlier than you might think.
Max is aiming to launch the Harry Potter series in 2025 or 2026 – which, for a series, is a super rushed launch. However, considering HBO Max underwent yet another rebranding and Warner Bros. Discovery is spending a lot on it, it makes sense that they’d go full steam on a flagship series. Despite Hogwart Legacy’s launch troubles and critical mess surrounding it, the game did prove fans are as eager as ever to go back to Hogwarts – and maybe even beyond.
Harry Potter TV Show on Max cast & original actors’ reaction
Since it’s so early in the timeline, the cast for the Harry Potter TV series wasn’t announced – not even a tentative name for the showrunner.
We do know that it will be a fully original cast and, so far, none of the original Harry Potter actors have any involvement in the project. The original Harry Potter cast has not yet reacted to the news, though odds are not all will be enthusiastic.
In recent times, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson have all distanced themselves from JK Rowling by issuing statements of support for the trans community.
Is JK Rowling involved in the Harry Potter Max TV show?
Critics will be dismayed to find out that yes, JK Rowling will work on the Harry Potter TV series.
Unlike with Hogwart Legacy, where the author had no control over the material, JK Rowling’s company Brontë Film will produce alongside Warner Bros. Television. JK Rowling also did not take part in the HBO Harry Potter 20th Anniversary reunion but will be involved in the TV show.
“Max’s commitment to preserving the integrity of my books is important to me, and I’m looking forward to being part of this new adaptation which will allow for a degree of depth and detail only afforded by a long form television series,” said JK Rowling in a statement.
Her statement as well as her involvement triggered a new series of criticism, with most media outlets raving against the Harry Potter TV series. On Twitter, the Max Harry Potter show is also getting bombarded by Potterheads. You can check out some of the reactions to the announcements put together by Screenrant or, if you dare, venture into the replies of the official announcement.
And before we also get some rants headed our way, a small disclaimer:
As someone who grew up with Harry Potter, I decided to cherish my fond childhood memories and basically Obliviate myself in regards to any JK Rowling statements. I had thought The Curse Child was the lowest point in this universe but unfortunately reality has proven otherwise. Still, in honor of those childhood memories me and millions of other fans share, I do think the discourse around the topic should be less vitriolic.
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