Harry Potter TV Series Coming..."Targeting Release in 2026"

WSJ "Warner Bros CEO Meets Original Creator Rowling to Persuade"

The bestselling novel series 'Harry Potter' has begun production for a TV drama aimed for release in 2026.

David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery (hereafter Warner Bros.), announced during an earnings conference call on the 23rd (local time) that the goal is to release the 'Harry Potter' TV series on the OTT (video streaming) platform Max in 2026, according to reports by the US daily The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 24th.

The 'Harry Potter' TV series is planned to be made into a total of 7 seasons, just like the novels and movies.

Previously, Warner Bros. announced the launch of the streaming platform Max in April last year and revealed plans to produce the 'Harry Potter' series as one of the new contents.

The original author, Joanne Rowling, will participate as an executive producer in the production.

According to WSJ, Zaslav, Warner Bros. CEO, personally met with Rowling last year to persuade her for the production of this TV series.

Rowling, who has fully entrusted all rights related to the 'Harry Potter' series including movies, games, and merchandise production, had initially expressed a negative stance on producing a TV series in interviews and other statements.

Moreover, the relationship between Warner Bros. and Rowling, who had collaborated for over 25 years producing the 7 'Harry Potter' films, began to become strained in 2019 following Rowling's remarks denying transgender identity.

At that time, Rowling posted on social media (SNS) claiming that a person's gender cannot be changed after birth, which drew criticism from fans worldwide and the LGBTQ+ community.

Even the lead actors of the 'Harry Potter' films criticized Rowling, and she was reportedly disappointed that Warner Bros. did not actively defend her, leading her to distance herself from Warner Bros. thereafter.

However, Zaslav, who took office in April 2022, judged that producing the 'Harry Potter' TV series was essential for the successful establishment of Warner Bros.' streaming platform. Shortly after his appointment, he flew to London, UK, where Rowling resides, to personally persuade her, according to insiders.

A source familiar with the matter told WSJ that Zaslav actively courted Rowling, responding to her question "What are your ambitions for the company?" with "You are the most important," ultimately securing her agreement to produce the TV series.

In a statement related to the TV series last year, Rowling said, "Max's promise to preserve the integrity of my books is important to me," and added, "I look forward to participating in a new adaptation that captures the depth and detail only possible in a long-form television series."

Specific details about the casting of actors for the new Harry Potter series have not yet been disclosed.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.