The most elusive Hollywood entertainment product is a safe thing; A title which in a way generates an absolute certainty of success. Some say it does not exist (Warner Bros. Joker 2). However, there is a next television program which is undoubtedly a safe thing, or the closest that we will probably never see – the greatest bet IP of Warner Bros. Discovery, HBO’s Harry PotterWhich earlier this week announced its basic cast for adults. However, there are also three major obstacles that the observers have arisen, which we will soon come.
Harry Potter Will reinvent the seven fantastic novels of JK Rowling which have sold more than 600 million copies worldwide, and its eight cinematographic adaptations have cumulated $ 7 billion and more. Each season will cover one of the seven pounds, with Succession writer Francesca Gardiner as showrunner and Game of Thrones The veteran Mark Mylod making several episodes.
The casting includes six times the Emmy winner, John Lithgow, like the wise and mysterious Hogwarts teacher Albus Dumbledore, Ozark The thief of the scene Janet McTeer as teacher Minerva McGonagall, Shaun of the deadNick Frost as the adorable hagrid half giant and, in a touch of diverse casting, Paapa Essiedu (I can destroy you) As a potions teacher from Rine Severus Snape. Production also examined 32,000 stunning hearing bands for the roles of Harry, Ron and Hermionia, 11, with these upcoming castings.
The wisdom of the project (which can be bowed on max in 2026 or 2027) addressed a debate, in particular around three questions.
The first: Will people want to watch a television version of two-decades aged films? Most likely yes. There is a huge amount of content in books that has not been included, or which has been radically abbreviated – especially once you have exceeded the first two books, which are much shorter than the others. Films often have a feeling of precipitated intensity (shouts outside the characteristic of Dumbledore “Harry, did you put your name in the cup of fire?!”“Be the most frequently mayor example). Although books have a rhythm that is much more suitable for series television and contains sparkling conversation trains between Harry, Ron and Hermione who was completely lost films.
The second: THE Fantastic animals The film franchise has finally flopped and Amazon The Lord of the Rings: The rings of power fought with fans (although Amazon maintains the streaming numbers of the latter are very strong). Warner Bros. ‘Harry Potter inspired series with three films and video premiums LOTR The show may seem to be very different projects to mention here, but the two were attempts to extend the beloved fantastic novels which had already been adapted to something rather new and different. Both had (or in the case of Power ringshave) the same struggle: these were prequelles based on a thin quantity of source material rather than on a beloved story with a story and characters who had already been proven. People tend to love the thing (The Lord of the Rings,, Harry Potter) And these offered fans “history before the thing”. Hbo Harry Potter Does not have this problem.
The third and most sensitive: Will viewers watch a program that the creator JK Rowling-with his anti-transpromothered opinions-produced? It is, obviously, a rather divisor question. But the answer seems to be “yes”. Just look at the 2023 Hogwarts inheritance Game, which faced boycott calls due to Rowling, but was the best seller of this year (HBO chief, Casey Bloys, also said the success of the game when he was questioned on Rowling by journalists). And the film franchise remained extremely popular: by a researcher, the 1999 film, Harry Potter and the sorcerer stoneWas monitored 40 million times worldwide over Max last year. In the end, people like this story and seem to have no problem separating the art of the artist over him.
All this puts HBO in a fairly strong position while already being in a strong position in recent times – with The white lotus Season three winning high ratings, first -year medical drama The Pitt burst and The last of us Back for season two to higher numbers.
Theoretical traps exist of course. The Potter series could face a backlash if it is perceived as an appearance and a cheap feeling compared to the films (this is not the project on which to cut the corners). Fans could create a snow White– Controversy while confirmed adult actors are pros, Casting Kids is always a bet and their chemistry is the key to the charm of history.
But if not, the Rowling novels offer such a detailed roadmap (the complete story lasts 3,407 pages), that already proven to work, that it would take a real concerted effort to turn Harry Potter in a thing less than saturation. No pressure, HBO.
This story appeared for the first time in the April 16 issue of the Hollywood Reporter Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
