According to a report from Bloomberg, Warner Bros. Discovery is reportedly in talks to produce a new TV series based on the original Harry Potter books. The series is expected to be a significant part of the company’s new streaming strategy, which involves combining its existing HBO Max and Discovery Plus platforms into one service.
The plan is to create one season per book, which will allow writers to explore the original stories in greater detail. However, since the release of the original Harry Potter films, author JK Rowling has been embroiled in controversy due to her comments about the trans community. This has led to franchise stars such as Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint publicly expressing their support for the trans community.
Despite the controversies, recent Harry Potter spinoffs such as the video game Hogwarts Legacy have performed well commercially. However, several outlets declined to cover the game due to the controversies surrounding Rowling.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has stated his intention to invest in a smaller number of bigger movies and TV shows. The company’s other franchises include the DC superhero universe and multiple upcoming Lord of the Rings films with New Line Cinema.