UPDATED with newest: At its Max streaming occasion in April 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery confirmed a brand new period is coming for Harry Potter followers. The firm introduced a TV collection based mostly on all seven books in regards to the boy wizard written by J.Okay. Rowling. See beneath for probably the most present solutions to a very powerful questions in regards to the mission.
What is the Harry Potter TV collection about?
“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,” stated Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO, HBO & Max Content in regards to the mission, which he additionally assured followers could be “a faithful adaptation.”
Early reviews had every season of the collection specializing in one guide within the Harry Potter guide collection, which consists of seven novels, however Bloys stated the mission would run for “10 consecutive years,” which would appear to defy the 1 season, 1 guide assertion. For those that say Fantastic Beasts could possibly be leveraged to supply 10 seasons over 10 years, WBD brass stated particularly throughout the announcement that FB is not going to be part of the collection.
Whatever the case, Bloys promised that, as the corporate embarks on its new Harry Potter journey, “We do so with the full care and craft of this franchise.”
Who Is creating the Harry Potter collection?
It has taken a bit, given the preliminary announcement was in April 2023, however in current months Warner Bros. invited a choose group of creatives in to pitch concepts for what the collection could possibly be. They have been Martha Hillier, Kathleen Jordan, Tom Moran and Michael Lesslie. Now, the streaming service and Warner Bros. Television have narrowed it to Jordan, Moran and newer addition Francesca Gardiner, sources stated.
Deadline broke the information final month that Succession author Francesca Gardiner is among the many finalists. Gardiner was a consulting producer on Seasons 3 and 4 of HBO’s Succession. Before engaged on the Jesse Armstrong creation, she was an exec producer of HBO and BBC fantasy co-manufacturing His Dark Materials and was a co-exec producer of AMC’s Killing Eve. She has additionally written on exhibits together with Starz’s The Rook and Amazon’s The Man In The High Castle.
Jordan created Netflix collection Teenage Bounty Hunters. Jordan can also be working with the Orange Is The New Black streamer on The Decameron, which obtained a collection order in 2022.
Tom Moran is a British author, who created Amazon collection The Devil’s Hour, which starred Peter Capaldi. He additionally labored on Amazon sci-fi collection The Feed and Rob Lowe cop drama Wild Bill.
It’s an attention-grabbing mixture of Brits and Americans, most of whom have some expertise working with streamers and lots of of whom have shepherded initiatives within the sci-fi/fantasy house.
We’ve heard that the group of writers have been commissioned by Max to create pitches for a collection reflecting their tackle the IP. Rowling is known to be concerned on this pitching course of. The trio will have the ability to hone in on their pitches for the subsequent couple of months, with a choice on who will get the job anticipated in June.
When will the Harry Potter collection be launched?
The collection is predicted to be on air in 2026, in keeping with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav.
“We’ve not been shy about our excitement around Harry Potter,” Zaslav instructed Wall Street analysts on the corporate’s fourth-quarter earnings name. “I was in London a few weeks ago with Casey [Bloys, CEO of HBO] and Channing [Dungey, chairperson of Warner Bros Television] and we spent some real time with JK and her team,” he enthused. “Both sides just thrilled to be reigniting this franchise. Our conversations were great.”
Given the outcomes on that earnings name, WBD wants Harry Potter’s magic sooner slightly than later.
Ditto J.Okay. Rowling, whose manufacturing firm posted a 74% drop in income in 2022. That rebounded considerably after the stage model of Harry Potter And The Cursed Child proved to be a post-pandemic crowd pleaser. The writer bought a $10.5 million paycheck for it in 2023.
The success of the stage present demonstrates that there’s nonetheless an urge for food for Hogwarts-related content material. Likewise the large hit that’s Hogwarts Legacy, which grew to become the bestselling online game of 2023, shifting 22 million models. (That’s unbelievable, however for comparability Rowling’s seven bestselling Harry Potter books have moved 600M copies worldwide.)
At a Goldman Sachs convention final yr, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav made identified the necessity for extra Hogwarts magic explicitly. Ignoring the Harry-less Fantastic Beasts movies, the CEO insisted the boy wizard presents an enormous alternative, claiming that the IP has been “underused” of late.
“We haven’t done anything with Harry Potter for more than a decade,” he stated, earlier than occurring to notice that when one examines the efficiency of Warner Bros. during the last 20 years with out accounting for it’s massive three — Potter, Lord of the Rings and DC — the corporate’s efficiency is “relatively flat.”
Zaslav referred to as that sort of big-ticket IP “one of the big differentiators of this company.” And he appears to be relying on it to make an enormous distinction.
“When you put those franchises in, it’s the best-performing studio in the world. We need to deploy our best capital, and we need to do it with the best creative people in the world,” he stated.
How to observe the collection
It will, in fact, be on Max as soon as the collection is prepared. The service has three value tiers: Max Ad Light, which fits for $9.99 a month or $99.99 a yr and permits two concurrent streams; Max Ad Free might be priced at $15.99 a month, or $149.99 a yr, and also will enable two concurrent streams; and Max Ultimate Ad Free which prices $19.99 a month, or $199.99 a yr, and permits entry to 4 concurrent streams.
In addition, WBD’s different present epic literary adaptation, House of the Dragon, is on the market not solely on the corporate’s streaming service, but additionally to cable subscribers on HBO. The Potter collection will comply with swimsuit, in keeping with execs. So when you have HBO through your cable supplier, you’re all set.
If you’re in Canada, WBD has struck a multi-year licensing settlement with Crave for the likes of Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, the DC Universe and HBO content material.
Which actors are starring within the collection? Are any of the unique Harry Potter stars returning?
There might be new actors taking part in the collection’ most important characters, however nobody has been solid but. Warner Bros. TV Group Chairman Channing Dungey stated not too long ago that that casting will come after they discover a showrunner.
As for that, Warner Bros. may be very probably trying to solid younger actors, provided that they’re continuing by way of Rowling’s books so as. “The tricky part is the first two books, where the kids are on the younger end, around 11 or 12,” stated Dungey of the casting course of.
“We have been trying to be very close to the vest,” stated Bloys. “We haven’t gone out to agencies. We have our own internal process where we’ve been thinking about people but we have not wanted to go out into the world. Now that the news is out there…we’ll start going out to the business.”
As for a return of any of the movie franchise’s stars — like Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson or Rupert Grint — by no means say by no means. It will surely be a PR increase for the collection and, whereas new actors might be solid within the main roles, there are all the time flashforwards or the at present en vogue multiverse plot ploy that might create house for extra acquainted faces within the collection.
But Daniel Radcliffe has stated he’s effective with sitting on the sidelines.
“My understanding is that they’re trying to very much start fresh and I’m sure whoever is making them will want to make their own mark on it and probably not want to have to figure out how to get old Harry to cameo in this somewhere,” Radcliffe instructed ComicBook.com. “So I’m definitely not seeking it out in any way. But I do wish them, obviously, all the luck in the world and I’m very excited to have that torch passed. But I don’t think it needs me to physically pass it.”
Another longtime Potter participant who probably received’t be concerned is David Yates, who directed the final 4 films, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) and Deathly Hallows Part One and Two (2010 and 2011). In addition, Yates took on the Potter spinoff Fantastic Beasts trilogy. He says there was no dialog about his involvement with the collection. And it appears like he’s pleased with that.
“Huge affection and a lovely group of people I worked with,” Yates instructed Deadline. “But we haven’t had a conversation since we finished it.”
“It’s been about ‘Let’s just park it, and be done for a while,’” he stated of the Potter franchise.
“Never say never, I would say, but I’m excited about moving on,” he stated.
Will J.Okay. Rowling be concerned within the new Harry Potter TV collection?
Yes. A deal for J.Okay. Rowling’s involvement within the collection had been the most important hurdle in its path to the display: The writer has inventive management over any exploitation of her work. That settlement was finalized in 2023.
Rowling and longtime confederates Neil Blair and Ruth Kenley-Letts are exec producing, so she is predicted to be concerned within the decision-making on the collection. David Heyman, who developed the movies, was talks to do the identical. Rowling’s Brontë Film and TV is producing with Warner Bros. Television. Brontë Film and TV was based by Rowling and her literary agent, Neil Blair, in 2012.
“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,” stated Rowling in an announcement.
Since Warners launched its streaming service, there’s all the time been a aim to take advantage of Warners’ largest franchise for streaming. Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav, taking the reigns after the merger final yr, met with Rowling a number of occasions within the UK. He’s even spoken up in assist of the writer, who has been concerned in an ongoing controversy over her feedback on transgender points. Asked in regards to the streaming occasion about these controversies, Bloys demurred.
“No, I don’t think this is the forum [to discuss that],” he stated. “That’s a very online conversation, very nuanced and complicated and not something we’re going to get into.”
“Our priority is what’s on the screen,” Bloys continued. “Obviously, the Harry Potter story is incredibly affirmative and positive and about love and self-acceptance. That’s our priority — what’s on screen.”
As for a way shut the writer might be to the collection, Bloys stated, “[Rowling] will be involved. She’s an executive producer on the show. Her insights are going to be helpful on that.”
He was clear, nonetheless, that WBD wasn’t fully depending on Rowling for the mission.
“The TV show is new and we’re excited about that. But, remember, we’ve been in the Potter business for 20 years. This is not a new decision for us, we’re very comfortable being in the Potter business.”
How a lot will the collection price to supply?
“You know we make shows at this scale with House of the Dragon, Game of Thrones,” stated Bloys. “I imagine will be that scale or higher. The shorter answer is whatever it takes to make a quality show.”
Per Deadline reporting, House of the Dragon price almost $200 million and was the topic of HBO’s largest advertising and marketing marketing campaign ever, valued at over $100M in media spend (that’s a combo of advert spot worth and arduous money shelled out). So followers can count on an analogous outlay for the Potter collection “or higher,” in keeping with HBO/Max boss Bloys.
Will there be different Harry Potter-related initiatives?
“We’re free to do anything we want,” Zaslav has stated, earlier than hedging a bit. “Some areas we need to do with J.K., other areas we have the full ability to go forward. This is a full deployment on Max of Harry Potter. We can still develop other properties.”
It’s unclear the place these boundaries lie, however it’s clear that Warner Bros. Discovery would really like extra Potter. Since he took management of the merged firm, Zaslav has harassed a number of occasions his concentrate on franchises, with mining the Harry Potter IP recognized as a high precedence.
Deadline understands that there may be a possibility for greater than one of many above-mentioned writers to be concerned and that Max is open to the opportunity of creating multiple concept based mostly on Harry Potter.
How lengthy has this been within the works?
Max and its then-parent firm WarnerMedia began exploring a possible Harry Potter TV collection a few years in the past. At the time, Warner Bros. appointed Kids, Young Adult and Classics president Tom Ascheim to handle the Wizarding World and Potter franchises, which embody theme parks, excursions and the $9.1 billion-grossing theatrical library that spans the Harry Potter and spinoff Fantastic Beasts titles. Under that setup, Ascheim grew to become WarnerMedia’s senior rep in its relationship with Rowling and her representatives, and exploratory conversations for a Max collection bought underway.
After the Discovery acquisition was accomplished a yr in the past, that unit was disbanded and Ascheim exited the corporate. However, the significance of the Harry Potter IP has solely grown post-merger.
Zaslav spoke about his household’s personal private connection to the collection.
“My wife and I, we read (the Harry Potter books) to each of our three kids,” stated Zaslav, going off script on the Max announcement. “It’s really moving, for ten consecutive years, people will see Harry Potter on HBO; I mean it’s really something.”
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