A TV series based on the world of Harry Potter is reportedly in development. According to The Hollywood Reporter’s sources, the project is in very early development with Warner Bros. at HBO Max. However, that means no writers or actors have signed on. In fact, there is also no word on the show’s focus or what era it will be set in. THR’s sources tell them that executives for the streamer have been meeting with writers. But so far, only broad ideas have been discussed.
In a statement to THR, HBO Max and Warner Bros. said, “There are no Harry Potter series in development at the studio or on the streaming platform.” While The Hollywood Reporter is regularly a reliable source, this news is still not official. But with the franchise’s mass success, this project seems like a no-brainer.
The Value of a Harry Potter Series
As The Hollywood Reporter and others have pointed out, Harry Potter is one of Warner’s most popular and valuable IPs. The original books by J.K. Rowling created a worldwide phenomenon. Additionally, the eight-entry long film franchise starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint brought in over $7 billion worldwide collectively. Warner Bros. also has the Fantastic Beasts prequel series starring Eddie Redmayne. The first film was a big hit, bringing in $814 million worldwide on a budget of $180 million. However, its sequel didn’t do quite as well financially and earned a 36% rating on RottenTomatoes; the only film tied to Harry Potter to not earn a fresh rating.
A third Fantastic Beasts movie will arrive in 2022 with two more planned after that. A video game set in the universe is also being worked on. But expanding the Harry Potter IP through a TV series would be a smart call on Warner Bros.’ part. The company has already set plans in motion for its entire theatrical release calendar to premiere on HBO Max the same day as in theaters. This will undoubtedly earn them subscriber numbers against competitors. But with Disney+’s slew of Star Wars and Marvel shows coming and Netflix’s 70 or so original movies coming this year alone, it’s time to expand on arguably the biggest franchise Warner Bros. has access to.
