The first Harry Potter television series is set to be made, with author JK Rowling acting as an executive producer, Warner Bros. Discovery announced on Wednesday.
Rowling has recently faced accusations of transphobia for putting an emphasis on biological sex over gender identity in comments about trans women. She denies the accusation.
Warner Bros. Discovery said the series will be “a faithful adaptation” of Rowling’s mega-selling books about the boy wizard and will air on the entertainment company’s rebranded streaming service Max.
The announcement confirms recent speculation that an episode-based show on the magical world of Hogwarts was in the works.
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,” Rowling said in a statement.
Warner Bros. Discovery said the stories from each of the books will become “a decade-long series” featuring a new cast. No timeline was given for when the show will be filmed.
During a press conference, Max content head Casey Bloys declined to comment when asked whether Rowling’s comments about trans people would make it more difficult to find actors for the series.
The Scottish writer has been plagued by threats and controversy since she publicly took issue in 2020 with the trans-inclusive phrase “people who menstruate” being used instead of the word “women.”
“Obviously, the ‘Harry Potter’ story is incredibly affirmative and positive and about love and self-acceptance. That’s our priority — what’s on screen,” Variety quoted him as saying.
“She’s an executive producer on the show. Her insights are going to be helpful on that,” he added.
The Max streaming service combines the platforms HBO Max and Discovery Plus and will officially launch in the United States on May 23.
AFP
