One of the things about book-to-screen adaptations that fans will likely never fully agree on is whether the actors are exactly right for the characters they're portraying. The topic of Harry, Ron and Hermione's casting for the original Harry Potter movies is tricky, I think, because on one hand, none of the actors cast for the roles perfectly fit the description, and yet, it's hard to imagine anyone else playing them. But what did J.K. Rowling think about Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint when she first met them? Apparently, she thought they were all too good-looking, but there's more to it than that.

As of this writing, I have just over an hour left of the final Harry Potter full-cast edition audiobook to listen to, and then I'll be sad it's over all over again (possibly sadder than I was while listening to that one scene in Book 6). Listening to Audible's new full-cast editions of J.K. Rowling's beloved, magical series has made me a bit nostalgic about the movies, which is how I ended up poking around in the bonus features of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. It was there that I came across the interview Daniel Radcliffe and J.K. Rowling did with each other in the 2012 bonus feature, which includes the conversation they had about her first impressions of him, Grint and Watson when they were cast to play their characters. On that subject, she started with:

While there are definitely differences between Harry and Radcliffe (like their eye color), and Ron and Grint, the differences between Watson and Hermione might be brought up the most. Hermione is described as having big teeth and bushy hair in the book. While the movies did seem to try to add some volume to her hair in the first two, let's face it, Emma Watson has always been beautiful.

Rowling brought up meeting Watson for the first time, and she prefaced this by saying it was lucky she'd met her over the phone beforehand, because it sounds like Watson exuded Hermione energy during that conversation, but didn't quite look how the writer envisioned her character. Here's how Rowling described both interactions, starting with the phone conversation:

If you're a fan of the books, you know that Hermione's appearance at the Yule Ball in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a total glow-up. She had her teeth shrunken down a bit (following a mean spell cast on her by Malfoy that elongated them), and went to extra lengths to tame her hair for the big dance. Radcliffe brought this scene up with Rowling during their conversation, specifically questioning if they shot themselves in the foot for this scene in the movie, since she was already beautiful, to which Rowling agreed with a laugh:

Of course, Hermione was never described as ugly in the books, and Rowling made that clear by adding:

I think it's interesting what she said about the character having the choice to "become a little more groomed and glamorous." From how she put it, this was intentional for the character in the book, but I think we can all agree that it gets lost in the movie.

Hermione being a geeky girl who's brave, smart and vital to the success of so much that happens in the story is what makes her such a great character, and that's more than enough. If I recall correctly, she was actually a bit put off by how much work it took to get her hair fixed up, which seems very on brand for the character. She can make herself look glamorous if she wants to, but it's not going to be her top priority. Still, as Rowling said, "it's a film." She'll continue to see the character as she does in her imagination, the same way we can when we read the books if we want.

As much as I would've loved to see Hermione get a true glow-up in the movies, it's not a major game-changer for the plot that the film's Hermione is beautiful from the start. However, I do appreciate Rowling's sentiment here, particularly as she sounds more than satisfied with how Emma Watson played the role.

Fans already have takes about the casting for the upcoming Harry Potter TV show. And there will undoubtedly be more opinions once the series premieres this holiday season. In the meantime, I strongly encourage you to give the new Audible full-cast audiobooks a shot if you're a fan of the books and/or love audiobooks. I've had so much fun listening to them. It's almost like getting to experience the story all over again.

Harry Potter has its fair share of plot twists and absolutely devastating deaths, and sometimes, those two things collide with one gut-punching moment. To this day, kids (and adults who are experiencing the Wizarding World for the first time) have to face these moments and the emotions that come with them. It turns out, J.K. Rowling’s own son also went through that experience, as she revealed which book’s ending left him very upset.

While you can stream all the Harry Potter movies with an HBO Max subscription and experience the world that way, there’s nothing more magical than reading the books for the first time. However, it’s also an emotional experience, especially for a sixth grader, as @clharrington024 pointed out on X:

“Magical and moving and heartbreaking” does feel like the best way to describe the experience of reading that book and Dumbledore's death, specifically, for the first time. The parent went on to thank J.K. Rowling for these books, and they urged parents to read the Harry Potter series with their kids. This message is what led to the author sharing her own story about her kid’s experience with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

It turns out, even when your mom wrote the book, you can’t avoid the tragedy of Dumbledore’s death, as Rowling posted:

That's such a fair question, and it's one I asked my mom too. That's because I was like the kids in this story. I was in fifth grade when I read the Harry Potter books, and Half-Blood Prince’s movie had just been released. Up to that point, I, for some reason, had assumed Dumbledore was immortal and could not die. So, you can imagine how distraught 10-year-old me was when I learned about what happened to him.

Now, a whole new generation will get to experience the ups and downs of this series with the new Harry Potter show. This book-to-screen adaptation will premiere its first season, which will follow Socerer’s Stone, on the 2026 TV schedule. So, it will be quite some time before we see John Lithgow’s Dumbledore meet his tragic end. However, there’s no doubt in my mind that it will hurt just as much as it did the first time I read the book and the first time I watched the movie. And I bet these kids would agree.

That’s a compliment, though. Dumbledore's death is harrowing in the best way, it sets the stage for the final battle and makes it clear that no one is safe in this series. So, while the end of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has broken many fans’ hearts (including J.K. Rowling’s son’s), it’s also one of the reasons why Harry Potter is so great.

When the upcoming Harry Potter TV series debuts, it’s all but guaranteed that a ton of people will tune in to watch it on HBO Max. Serious Harry Potter fans who still love the franchise will certainly tune in, as will a lot of people who are simply curious about the reboot of the franchise. What’s clear is that opinions on the new show are quite strong months before we actually see it, and now, J.K. Rowling has shared her feelings about it following the release of the first trailer.

What J.K. Rowling Says About The New Harry Potter Series

One voice that is obviously going to be heard among all those talking about the new Harry Potter series is J.K. Rowling. The creator of Harry Potter responded to a fan praising the recent look at the new series, making it clear that she is fully on board with what is being created. She posted to Twitter...

Rowling is credited as an executive producer on the new series, which isn’t always a title with a great deal of power, but she is known to exert significant influence over the use of Harry Potter outside her books. It’s difficult to imagine that anything done in the show was done without her explicit approval. Certainly, if she for any reason had come out against it, that would likely be a big problem for the show’s success.

Feelings among Harry Potter fans, however, is still quite mixed.

Fans Still Aren’t All Convinced The Harry Potter Series Is Necessary

While J.K. Rowling has provided a ringing endorsement, fans' response to the show, as it has been from the beginning, is much more mixed. Fans replied to an Instagram post of Harry Potter's new teaser with a variety of very strong opinions. Many, to be sure, as excited for the project as Rowling herself, comments include…

• I’M SO READY 🙌❤️ -richardsaleofficial
• I’M READY!! My heart has already returned to Hogwarts… now all that’s left is for December to arrive. ⚡️🎄 🏰 -marloshuck
• It gets on my nerves how many grown ups complain about the TV show. I'm so excited for this. They can make a thousand versions of Harry Potter and I'll watch everyone of them. -keymberly
• Can’t wait for this -nickshirley
• I'm SO happy for them... Hogwarts still exists ❤️ -la.vica_

However, there are equally strong feelings on the opposite side. From the beginning, there have been fans and some involved in the original movies who have been asking why Harry Potter needed to be rebooted in the first place. That's considering the original films aren’t that old, and are seen as near-perfect by many. This new look at the show hasn’t changed those people's minds. Comments on that side look like this…

• Not everything need a remake. for me harry potter wasn’t only about the story but my experience and memories as a child. Reading the whole book for 3 days, locking myself in my room untill i finished it. HP made my childhood magical and exciting. But these children are so cute and lovely, I will give it a chance and probably love it too, maybe not as much as the harry potter i grew up with -syifaacn
• This was soo disappointing to watch -oyealianjum
• Why do they keep making remakes? The first saga was already perfect -ttoadstl_
• You could just continue with the story, because those original actors, and I mean all of the cast, could never be replaced. I feel very sad about this somehow, and I am not eager at all to watch it. 🥴 -neckaarch_92
• Give me one reason why you need a remake of one of the most perfect franchise ever made? -man.of.steel.99

Whether or not a new Harry Potter series needs to exist, it certainly will. And it's clear that while fans are divided, Rowling herself approves of it.

The first episode of Harry Potter set to debut on the 2026 TV schedule on Christmas Day. You'll be able to stream it with an HBO Max subscription.

The Internet has been deeply abuzz about HBO’s Harry Potter TV series adaptation. There’s been a lot of talk about how lengthening the story into a TV series will help to expand the lore and give fans scenes, moments, and character interactions that were present in the books but missing from Warner Bros.’ popular film series. We, in fact, already know this is true thanks to some leaked set materials, and there’s one cut Harry Potter movie scene that we now know is absolutely going to play out in the upcoming book-to-screen adaptation.

I’m not precious about most of the changes the Potter movies make from the books, but one really notable one is how the first film cut ahead and jumped right into the dropoff action. In J.K. Rowling’s first book, readers actually meet the incredibly-named Vernon Dursley first, and learn one very notable fact about Vernon and his family:

It’s a single-sentence paragraph on the first page of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (or The Philosopher’s Stone), but it sets the tone for the nebulous and later negative relationship Harry experiences with his aunt, uncle and cousin. In the subsequent couple of pages, Vernon starts hearing chatter about the Potters from curious folk, and begins to be concerned before Albus Dumbledore, Rubeus Hagrid and Minerva McGonagall show up on his street–the exact moment in which movie fans will know Warner Bros’ movie begins.

It’s moments like these that should help flesh out the series, and some set photos have indicated we 100% will get this early scene when the episodes air. The photos (via Daily Harry Potter and other outlets) have shown Vernon Dursley, played by Daniel Rigby, suited up and going about his workday. He begins to encounter some strange sights, including unusual people in robes, and there are also pics of Jon Furlong playing Dedalus Diggle during what will doubtless be the opening scene.

I’m excited to see it, because it should be a more traditional start to the series. I’m also excited to see this because it indicates those watching the series with an HBO Max subscription should be getting a lot of moments that we missed the first time around. New Draco Malfoy actor Lox Pratt confirmed as much a few months ago, telling fans “you get to see” so much more when the series fleshes everything out.

This isn’t the first time a character from the books has been listed to be popping up when Potter eventually gets a TV release date next year. Nicolas Flamel, Charlie Weasley, and others have also been mentioned. But given this should change the very way the series opens up, I’m stoked to see something new for the small screen, and additional new components overall. Now, will Petunia Dursley get a redemption arc? Only time will tell.

Production on HBO’s Harry Potter show is ongoing and, in the meantime, this new take on the Wizarding World remains a much-discussed topic amongst fans. Simultaneously, there’s also been much discussion about J.K. Rowling – the other of the fantasy book series – and some of the personal views she’s expressed in recent years. A handful of cast members from the series have been asked for their take on the matter, including John Lithgow. With that, Lithgow has now seemingly come to terms with one thing involving Rowling.

It was first reported over a year ago that Lithgow was being courted to play the role of Albus Dumbledore on the HP series, and his casting was confirmed shortly after. Since then, the 80-year-old Oscar nominee has been fielding various questions about his involvement in the show. As previously alluded to, the veteran actor has also been asked about Rowling’s comments on transgender individuals, which have garnered backlash. That topic came up again when Lithgow spoke with The New York Times, and he said:

Back around the spring of 2025, John Lithgow spoke about his “big decision” to play Dumbledore and stated that Rowling – who he reportedly hasn’t met, as of this writing, per NYT. At the time, Lithgow said the author was “absolutely not” a variable that factored into his choice to sign on for the show. Around the time that Lithgow addressed his casting, fans also took to social media to share supportive sentiments.

Lithgow was asked about Rowling again while taking part in a Q&A for an unrelated project. While discussing the matter, Lithgow explained that he took “the subject and the issue extremely seriously.” At the time, the Conclave actor also said the Harry Potter series was “so much about acceptance” and made reference to themes like “good versus evil” and “kindness versus cruelty.” Later in the discussion, Lithgow also said it “upsets [him] when people are vehemently opposed to my having anything to do with” Potter.

Another star of the upcoming TV show who was asked about J.K. Rowling was new Rubeus Hagrid actor Nick Frost. When asked about Rowling, Frost said she was “allowed her opinion and I’m allowed mine, they just don’t align in any way, shape or form.” The Hot Fuzz alum was also asked if the series might be overshadowed by the controversy and opined that “maybe it shouldn’t blow over.” Frost then said, “we shouldn’t just hope it will go away, because it makes it easier,” and he closed out his thoughts by stating, “maybe we should educate ourselves.”

In terms of the behind-the-scenes logistics of the Potter series, Francesca Gardiner – whose credits include His Dark Materials and Killing Eve – serves as showrunner. J.K. Rowling is credited as an executive producer and, in the lead-up to filming she shared updates on the development. Most notably, last summer, she took to social media to praise the scripts and, in a separate post, she explained that while she wasn’t writing for the show herself, she had “worked closely” with the writers’ room.

Production on the first season of Harry Potter – which is set to be released in 2027 – is set to continue in the U.K. until the middle of this year. All the while, John Lithgow has expressed his commitment to the part and has been reckoning with it being “the last big role [he’ll] probably play.”

As HBO’s Harry Potter TV series remains in production, franchise creator J.K. Rowling continues to be a topic of discussion. Rowling has received backlash in recent years due to her views on transgender people. As a result, several of the actors involved with the show have been asked for their thoughts on the matter. One of the latest to share their thoughts on Rowling is Johnny Flynn, who’s playing the role of Lucius Malfoy. Flynn spoke candidly about why he believes the set has been a positive place to work amid the blowback.

Filming for the Wizarding World-set show began in Hertfordshire, England around July 2025 and principal photography has also taken place in other parts of the U.K. as well. Flynn recently caught up with THR and provided some insight into what it’s been like to be on the set of the massive production. During his chat with the trade, Flynn also acknowledged the “important” conversations related to Rowling. As for working on the set, the British discussed the tight bonds that have been forged amongst the cast and crew:

As for his actual role in the show, Flynn also spoke to Lucius’ presence at this point. The actor continued:

Based on the Emma alum’s description of the set’s “really special atmosphere,” there’s a firm level of camaraderie amongst him and his colleagues. It can be argued that such interpersonal relationships are important, especially when working on such a massive and time-consuming project like Potter. A major reason why Flynn also seems to really be relishing his time on set is due to the fact that his devious (and beloved) character is arriving on the scene earlier than expected.

Johnny Flynn’s casting as Lucius was announced shortly before filming began, though it wasn’t until a few months ago that he formally confirmed that he’d appear as the Malfoy patriarch in Season 1. Since Flynn’s casting, his predecessor, Jason Isaacs, has shared positive thoughts on his casting. A few years back, Isaacs also fielded questions about J.K. Rowling’s personal views. While the actor said he wouldn’t “stab her in the back,” he also stated that he and Rowling “differ” when it comes to their views on certain topics.

The past few months have seen others share their thoughts on Rowling’s statements as well. New Hagrid actor Nick Frost weighed in, saying “she’s allowed her opinion and I’m allowed mine, they just don’t align in any way, shape or form.” Frost also questioned whether the situation should be allowed to “blow over” and opined that “maybe we should educate ourselves.” Additional thoughts came from John Lithgow ahead of his turn in the role of Albus Dumbledore. Lithgow says it “upsets [him] when people are vehemently opposed to my having anything to do with” the show. He finds it “ironic and somewhat inexplicable that Rowling has expressed such views,” given the inclusive nature of the Potter books.

As it stands, J.K. Rowling apparently isn’t involved in the day-to-day work that goes into the Harry Potter show. Rowling did, however, read over scripts during the writing process and had some level of involvement with casting the actors. While public discussions about the author continue, it seems Johnny Flynn and his collaborators are seeking to highlight their positive experiences with the work and Rowling’s source material.

Harry Potter is set to debut on HBO sometime in 2027, and it’ll also be available to stream with an HBO Max subscription. In the meantime, the original eight films can be streamed on that aforementioned platform.

As of late, there’s been much discussion about the release of the Epstein files, millions of documents detailing the illegal exploits of late financier and child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. One batch of docs was released in December 2025, and another three million were just divulged on January 30th. Several notable celebrities have been named in this set of files but not for criminal activity. Among those mentioned was Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, who was named in connection to Epstein’s alleged attempt to attend an event.

The incident in question reportedly took place sometime in April 2018, at which point Jeffrey Epstein apparently tried to attend a Broadway opening party for the stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. According to Deadline, Epstein was reportedly sent tickets by the producers yet, when he arrived for the celebration, he was reportedly turned away at the door. After this purported development was revealed, many took to social media to criticize Rowling.

Upon learning of Jeffrey Epstein being invited to the Cursed Child party, some social media users opined that the reason he received the tickets was because J.K. Rowling herself invited him. Rowling caught wind of those accusations, and she took to X to issue a response. The outspoken writer who birthed the Harry Potter movies and books didn’t mince words when addressing the speculation surrounding her:

According to the files, it was publicist Peggy Siegal – a longtime associate of Epstein’s – who reportedly tried to get him an invite to the show. Siegel reportedly reached out to Colin Callender, the head of Playground Entertainment, and without explicitly naming Epstein, she said “a very important friend” wanted to see the show. Callender said he could help get the person in, and he put Siegal in touch with another Playground employee. While conversing with that other team member, Siegal allegedly named Epstein.

Callender has since spoken to Deadline and claimed not only that he didn’t know Epstein was the person Siegal was referring to but that he was also not one of the 1,600 people on the official guest list. Epstein did ultimately receive tickets, though they were the wrong passes, leading to him being turned away. After Siegal learned about this, she was reportedly upset and asked for a formal apology, though Callender said neither he nor any of his colleagues obliged.

When it comes to J.K. Rowling, this entire situation comes as the writer continues to receive backlash for her views on transgender rights. The last few years have seen Rowling double down on her stance, and her comments have reportedly strained her relationships with Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe and other Wizarding World alums. All the while, Rowling retains a creative role within the franchise, as she’s currently an EP on the upcoming Harry Potter TV series.

As for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, it's now in production again as part of an ongoing North American tour. The most recent leg of that stint has even seen franchise OG Tom Felton reprise his role as Draco Malfoy. As that show goes on and the upcoming TV series continues to film, it remains unclear whether J.K. Rowling will speak further about being mentioned within the Epstein files.

HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter TV series has garnered a lot of attention since it was announced a few years ago, and not all of that has been for positive reasons. J.K. Rowling – the author of the best-selling book series on which the Potter show is based – has garnered backlash for her comments regarding transgender individuals. Following this, a number of disappointed fans have begun publicly questioning those who’ve joined the show. Now, the series' Dumbledore actor John Lithgow is sharing his take on the matter and discussing his commitment to playing his character.

John Lithgow appeared at the International Film Festival Rotterdam this weekend and promoted his new movie, queer drama Jimpa. As part of that Q&A ( via THR ) Lithgow was asked about his involvement in the Wizarding World show. Aside from discussing the “insane” eight-year contract he signed to play powerful wizard Albus Dumbledore, the 80-year-old actor also broached the topic of Rowling’s controversial viewpoints:

Since J.K. Rowling began sharing views on trans people, some fans have argued that they run counter to the themes present within the Harry Potter books. The principles Lithgow named are among the values that have been argued for by fans. Considering those ideas, the Oscar-nominated actor admitted to being surprised that Rowling would share these specific viewpoints. He also mentioned the writer's lack of involvement in the upcoming TV show.

Lithgow’s comments suggest that Rowling may not be involved in the day-to-day work that happens on the series, which is currently filming in the UK. Despite that, Rowling has been in the mix, sharing thoughts on scripts and apparently helping with the casting process.

In 2025, Rowling also said she’d been open to casting people who held political and societal opinions that differed from her own. Reports of John Lithgow’s casting initially surfaced in February 2025 and, now, he seems grateful to be playing the beloved Dumbledore:

The Shrek alum is far from the first actor associated with Harry Potter to address J.K. Rowling’s views. New Hagrid actor Nick Frost asserted that his own views did not align with Rowling’s and seemed to be against the notion of letting this ongoing conversation “blow over.” OG Hermione actress Emma Watson has also spoken about Rowling, admitting that while she doesn’t see eye-to-eye with the author on certain topics, she does still care for her. Though Watson also wished she and her former collaborator could’ve had a formal conversation about the situation. Rowling eventually responded and chastised Watson’s comments.

At this point, it would appear that the conversation swirling around J.K. Rowling isn’t slowing down. John Lithgow, for his part, seems quite cognizant of the situation while simultaneously focused on completing the job he was hired for, and does seem extremely passionate about. Fans will be able to see Lithgow’s Dumbledore when the Harry Potter series drops sometime in 2027.

There are major IPs and then there's the Wizarding World. What started with J.K. Rowling's novels became a book to screen adaptation (which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription), as well as a stage play, theme parks, video games, and more. But it all started with the books, and the acclaimed author recently confirmed an urban legend about her graffitiing a hotel room after she finished writing The Death Hallows. Let's break it all down.

The Harry Potter movies are a big reason why the franchise has remained so popular over the years, but they wouldn't have been popular without the source material from the novels. The books were sensations after the first few entires, so the pressure was on for Rowling to deliver with the final chapter The Deathly Hallows. A fan on Twitter posted about her putting her own graffiti in a hotel room at the time, and she took to social media to confirm this story. As she put it:

There it is. While her assistant originally thought this was a tall tale, Rowling did in fact mark up her hotel room after writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. This story has made its rounds online in the years since, but Rowling did apparently admit to the graffiti at the time. And yes, that hotel room has become more popular a result of this viral story.

J.K. Rowling went on to share more about this story in the responses section of her tweet. One fan asked if the hotel was mad about her marking up the place, and she offered even more context by saying:

Rather than getting in trouble, it sounds like the hotel was happy to be part of Harry Potter history as a result of Rowling marking up her hotel room. It's a unique way way that she blew off steam after finally finishing the seventh and final book in the Potter series.

The author spoke about the fallout to her graffiti later in the responses on Twitter. She revealed that while the hotel immortalized this viral moment, but that she's gotten some backlash from parents who were unhappy with her messaging. In her words:

Points were made. And as The Wizarding World is passed down from generation to generation, there are parents who take umbrage with Rowling's decision to graffiti her hotel room back in the day.

Rowling's magical world is once again meet a new audience with the upcoming Harry Potter TV show, which is headed to HBO. Longtime fans are excited to see a more accurate adaptation of the novels, as they won't have to cut it down to fit into a movie. We'll just have to see if the show results in more people visiting the author's graffiti.

The Harry Potter franchise is streaming in its entirety over on HBO Max. The TV show isn't expected to be released as part of the 2026 TV schedule, but hopefully we get some information/footage sooner rather than later.

It’s kind of wild when you think about it, but the kids in the Harry Potter movies’ cast spent much of their upbringing on the set of the eight-film series. You can see the fruits of their labor (soon alongside the Harry Potter TV show as well), but some of their best memories happened when the cameras weren’t rolling. The actors who played the Weasley twins in the movies just shared one funny moment they had with J.K. Rowling that sounds like it freaked them out at the time.

James and Oliver Phelps played Fred and George Weasley in all of the Harry Potter movies from the ages of 14 to 24. As the twins just recalled to The New York Post, there was a lot of “waiting around’ on the sets of the large-scale fantasy films. One time, the brothers got into some real tomfoolery with Rupert Grint in his dressing room when they made a crossbow to use to play darts. As Oliver shared:

This is definitely giving classroom energy, except it took place on the glamorous sets of one of the Harry Potter movies, and the adult the kids were a little scared of was none other than bestselling author, J.K. Rowling. But in the instance of the Phelps twins, what was going on with the crossbow was very much in line with their characters anyway.

As James added, they could simply say they were “trying to channel” the troublemaking Weasley’s, perhaps if the author did accidentally really get caught up in the crossfires of a crossbow.

The Phelps twins reminisced about the on-set memory as the second season of their Harry Potter-themed series, Wizards of Baking, premieres on Food Network and HBO Max this weekend. The show that allows the actors to reunite with the set they grew up on first started last year during the holidays, and it clearly made an impact on fans considering it’s already back for a second round.

When CinemaBlend spoke to the Phelps brothers last year for Wizards Of Baking, they shared what it felt like to return to the set, what they learned from the late Maggie Smith, and their continued close relationship with Bonnie Wright (considering she guest starred on the show). This season, Afshan Azad, who played Padma Patil, and Devon Murray, who played Seamus Finnigan, are joining the show for the first time, along with Warwick Davis coming back as well.

You can check it out when Wizards of Baking premieres on November 2, and look forward to new versions of Fred and George Weasley when the Harry Potter series premieres in 2026.

The Wizarding World is a global sensation, thanks to J.K. Rowling's novels, stage plays, theme parks, and the Harry Potter movies (which are streaming with a HBO Max subscription). Over the past few years there's been some drama surrounding the property, thanks to Rowling's controversial views on transgender women. This led to some of the other people in the franchise distancing themselves from the author, and after Emma Watson spoke about the state of their relationship, now Rowling has written a long response on her thoughts.

A number of members from the Harry Potter cast has responded to her comments about trans people, particularly Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, who put their support behind that community. Following the latter's viral interview, where she spoke about Rowling opening doors while also mentioning their political differences, the author took to X (Twitter) to share her own thoughts. Part of the response reads:

Obviously the cast of Harry Potter knows the franchise well, thanks to the decade they spent bringing the eight-movie series to life. But Rowling seems to take umbrage with the actors using their voice, particularly when it comes to the world she created.

When Daniel Radcliffe spoke out about Rowling, he also addressed the queer Harry Potter fans who are having trouble separating the author with her recent comments. Indeed, some Potter fans have boycotted the franchise altogether. Later in her long tweet about the cast, Rowling continued:

The ongoing narrative does consistently get the public's attention, with LGBTQ+ folks and their allies criticizing the author, while some fans have aggressively defended her. It's a dizzying situation, one that the writer claims she's tried to keep Watson and other actors out of. Although back in March J.K. Rowling threw shade at the actors.

In her recent post, Rowling claimed that Watson only recently changed her tune: writing:

Clearly this is a complicated situation, one that elicits strong relationships from the celebs in question and fans alike. And as the Harry Potter TV show continues filming its first season, smart money says the discourse surrounding the Wizarding World isn't going to stop anytime soon.

The Harry Potter franchise is streaming in its entirety ton HBO Max, which will also be the home of the TV adaptation. We'll just have to wait and see if the drama between Emma Watson and J.K. Rowling continues to heat up.

There are major franchises, and then there's the Wizarding World. Generations were brought up on this property, starting with J.K. Rowling's novels and then growing with stage plays, theme parks, and of course the Harry Potter movies (which are streaming with a HBO Max subscription). The IP has been the subject of some controversy, related to J.K. Rowling's controversial views about the transgender community. And Emma Watson recently got real about her relationship with the author, and what is the most "painful" part of their estrangement.

Back in 2020, Watson stood up for trans people on social media, after Rowling's comments started to go viral. The author hasn't stopped in the years that followed, with some fans boycotting Harry Potter as a result. In a recent appearance on the Jay Schetty Podcast, the Little Women actress spoke about about balancing her support of trans people with the good relationship she previously had with Rowling. In her words:

Watson spoke about her refusal to write off people who she disagrees with, something that's become increasingly common in recent years. So even though she was hurt by J.K. Rowling saying the trio of leading actors "ruined" the movie franchise for her (among other comments), it seems like the 35 year-old actress doesn't want to harbor anger towards her former collaborator and friend.

As Watson explained, the ongoing strain between her and Rowling is one reason why she hasn't continued to comment on the author's continued controversies. But she's also clinging to her beliefs, while hoping that she and J.K. Rowling get a chance to speak privately about the state of their relationship (or lack thereof). In fact, she reveals that the lack of dialogue is part of why the Perks of Being a Wallflower actress was so hurt over the situation. In her words:

Emma Watson met J.K. Rowling when she was just 11 years old filming Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. The book to screen adaptation ended up being a global sensation, and the two women seemingly had a good relationship through the franchise's time in theaters. Alas, that's changed in the past few years, seemingly as a result of Watson standing up for the transgender community.

In the same interview, Watson was asked if she still wants to have the chance to speak with Rowling directly. She responded resoundingly with:

It sounds like Watson has a strong sense of self, including the way that her continued involvement in the J.K. Rowling controversy could add to an unhealthy online discourse. It remains to be seen if she and the architect of the Wizarding World will ever get a chance to speak about the state of their relationship.

While some folks are boycotting the IP, the Harry Potter TV show is currently filming its first season. It should be interesting to see how popular that adaptation is, and whether or not J.K. Rowling's comments about the trans community dissuade people from tuning in.

The Harry Potter franchise is streaming now on HBO Max, which will also be the home of the TV show. While Emma Watson took some time away from acting, her fans are no doubt hoping for a return to the big screen.

If you love all the best fantasy movies that are out there, then I’m sure you’re probably a fan of Harry Potter. The franchise has been expanding throughout the years, ever since the end of the Harry Potter movies. Now, it feels like it’s bigger than ever.

From a new theme park opening up to plans for more stores in the future to a whole new television show, here is what is new – and upcoming – in the Wizarding World that you have to look forward to, my Potterheads.

A New Harry Potter Store Opened In Chicago (April 2025)

The first thing to note is that a new Harry Potter shop opened in Chicago in April 2025. This is the second store focused around the franchise that has opened in the United States. The first-ever Harry Potter store opened in New York City in 2021 and has been running strong ever since.

Like the New York store, the Harry Potter shop in Chicago is relatively the same with its merchandise and theming, except for the absence of VR experiences that the New York store has. It is located at 676 N Michigan Avenue. There's also a Butterbeer Bar (that’s right, an actual bar serving butterbeer and snacks). If you happen to live in that area, that may be worth checking out.

A New Ministry Of Magic At Universal’s Epic Universe Expanded The Harry Potter Portion (May 2025)

While the shops of Harry Potter are expanding across the United States, the influence of the Harry Potter fanbase has continued to spread in Universal Parks. With the opening of Epic Universe, a new land for the Wizarding World was unveiled to the public in May 2025, with its theme centered on the Ministry of Magic.

If you aren’t aware, the Wizarding World has two sections in two of the existing Universal parks. The first, located in Islands of Adventure, is themed around Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. The second, which is in Universal Orlando, is themed around Diagon Alley.

Now, the new section lies between different Ministries of Magic, focusing on aspects related to 1920s Paris, where the Forbidden Beasts films were set, and, of course, the British Ministry of Magic, which we are all well aware of. The section of Epic Universe is now open to the public.

Another New Harry Potter Shop Will Open In Japan (August 2025)

You thought this was the end of the Harry Potter shops? Think again, because now we’re going global.

According to the official Harry Potter website, a new shop for the franchise will be opening in Harajuku, Japan, in August 2025.

This does make sense, as there is a section of the Wizarding World at Universal Studios Japan, so I could see why they would be opening one there. While the Harajuku store will be a large one, there will also be another Harry Potter store reopening, which will be labeled as Harry Potter Akasaka.

What a time to be a Harry Potter fan across the globe.

Tom Felton Is Returning As Draco Malfoy In Harry Potter And The Cursed Child (November 2025 – May 2026)

I’m sure everyone and their mother heard about this news when it was announced. Still, Tom Felton is actually going to be back as Draco Malfoy, this time in the Broadway stage production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, for a several-month run, November 2025 – May 2026. The news was confirmed by the Harry Potter official website.

Honestly, out of the entire Harry Potter cast, Tom Felton has shared his love of the franchise so much, and it makes perfect sense for him to return in the role that really made him big. Tickets are already on sale, and fans are eager to see.

Two More Pocket Potter Books Will Be Released (February 2026)

I bet you’re wondering what the heck Pocket Potters are because when I first read about this, so was I, but turns out, they’re illustrated books for children to properly understand the characters of the world of Harry Potter, sort of like the Who Is…? book series.

There are three books already scheduled to release in September about Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The next two on this list are actually Luna Lovegood and Dumbledore, according to the Harry Potter website. The following two books are scheduled for release in February 2026.

The HBO Harry Potter TV Adaptation (2027)

This is a major new addition, so let's talk about it!

Harry Potter is getting a TV adaptation this time around, and it’s been making some serious headway. The series will premiere on HBO and is set to be a faithful adaptation of the Harry Potter books that we all know and love. Production has begun, and we know that it will be released at some point in 2027, according to the Harry Potter official website.

The cast has been set. There’s a new trio of kids that are all adorable, and several stars are set to play memorable characters. Some standout casting already is Nick Frost as Hagrid, and the incomparable John Lithgow as Dumbledore. We still don’t know who will be playing Voldemort yet, so we have that to anticipate.

Harry Potter: Wizards Of Baking Is Getting A Season 2 (TBA)

The last thing we know is that Harry Potter: Wizards Of Baking will be receiving a Season 2 at some point. The news was confirmed by Deadline in January 2025.

The show's first season was hosted by the Phelps twins (Oliver and James, who played Fred and George) and featured several contestants trying to make Harry Potter-themed baking dishes in order to win a significant prize. The series was a success, and it’s no surprise that it’s coming back for a second season. We don’t have an exact date yet, but we’ll be sure to update this as soon as we do.

What a time to be a Harry Potter lover, huh? I think it’s time to have a Harry Potter movie marathon once again.

HBO's upcoming HBO Harry Potter series is coming together, and production news has been shared here and there. Those eager for additional details just received a significant update regarding a big question: just how much is J.K. Rowling actually involved? After months of speculation, the author weighed in directly, revealing she's seen some early scripts and shedding light on her exact role in the highly anticipated show, which is set to debut on one of the best streaming services.

Posting on her official X account this weekend, the British writer of the globally popular fantasy series offered her take on the first two scripts. In short, she had some seriously high praise for the way in which the upcoming book-to-screen adaptation has been written:

J.K. Rowling's comments arrive as Warner Bros. Discovery’s serialized take on the beloved Wizarding World franchise is set to begin production this summer. As of this writing, a premiere window is set for the 2026 TV schedule. The series is being developed for HBO Max, and is promised to be a faithful, season-by-season adaptation of Rowling’s original seven novels.

Later on, Rowling followed up after a user asked if she was writing the show herself. She confirmed that isn't the case, but she did mention another key point:

Previous reports suggested that J.K. Rowling was directly involved in the show’s pitch process and would remain a key figure in its production through her Brontë Film and TV company. Now, the author's latest comments would seem to support this. Rowling also holds an executive producer title on the series.

HBO Chairman and CEO Casey Bloys addressed Rowling’s role in the production during an appearance on The Town with Matthew Belloni podcast, stating:

Bloys also acknowledged the ongoing controversy surrounding Rowling’s public views on transgender rights, a topic that has prompted backlash from many in the fanbase. Bloys added:

J.K. Rowling’s confirmation that she is working “closely” with the writers reinforces Warner Bros.’ original messaging that she would be directly involved in preserving the tone and structure of the book series. The new show is expected to span at least seven seasons, with each book adapted across its own full season.

The new HP series is bringing in an entirely fresh lineup of actors. Nick Frost is stepping into the role of Hagrid, with John Lithgow set to play Dumbledore. Paapa Essiedu has been cast as Snape, while Janet McTeer will take on the part of Professor McGonagall. The trio at the heart of the story, Harry, Hermione, and Ron, will be played by newcomers Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout.

The new adaptation has stirred conversation, particularly due to ongoing controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling’s public statements. Aside from that, her excitement over the early scripts suggests that the series may stay true to the core of the original books, highlighting themes such as magic, loyalty, self-discovery and strength in the face of growing threats. For longtime fans, that could be reason enough to look forward to what's ahead. Those who eventually plan to tune in will need an HBO Max subscription.

The Harry Potter franchise remains a much-discussed topic but not solely for the reasons you might assume. J.K. Rowling, the author of the books at the center of the IP, has drawn backlash in recent years for comments she’s made about transgender people. This week, two notable Wizarding World stars, Tom Felton and Nick Frost were asked about Rowling, and they shared thoughts on her controversial views and their work with her.

Draco Malfoy Actor Tom Felton Weighs In On His Latest Wizarding World Gig

Last week, it was confirmed that Tom Felton would reprise his role as Draco Malfoy for the Broadway production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The actor appeared at the Tony Awards this weekend, during which he was asked about his reprisal. As shared on Instagram, Variety specifically asked him whether J.K. Rowling’s views “impact” him and his continued involvement in the fantastical franchise. Felton responded by saying that he’s not plugged into that matter and went on to discuss the impact of the Harry Potter movies:

In 2020, J.K. Rowling went viral for making disparaging remarks about transgender women and has been critical of legislation that would ease transitions for people. Rowling has since doubled down on her views, which have drawn mixed reactions from her collaborators and the general public. Around that time, Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe weighed in on the matter and, while he didn’t actually name Rowling in his response, he expressed support for the transgender community and those who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community. Hermione Granger actress Emma Watson also lent her support to transgender individuals amid the controversy.

One Wizarding World alum to support Rowling was Horace Slughorn actor Jim Broadbent. Bellatrix Lestrange portrayer Helena Bonham Carter also defended the author. When it comes to Tom Felton, his comments seem to suggest that he’s focusing on the impact that Rowling has made through her work as opposed to her personal views.

What Did Nick Frost Have To Say About J.K. Rowling’s Views?

The upcoming Harry Potter TV show is set to feature a fresh cast, which includes Nick Frost. As part of the new series, Frost will take on the role of Rubeus Hagrid, a character who was originated by the late Robbie Coletrane. Frost recently chatted with The Observer about his new gig and was asked about working with J.K. Rowling, given her views. Ultimately Frost thinks “she’s allowed her opinion and I’m allowed mine, they just don’t align in any way, shape or form.” As for whether the controversy will overshadow the show, Frost said:

Harry Potter’s TV adaptation is set to debut on HBO Max (which is soon returning after being reverted back from Max) sometime in 2026. Production is coming together, with filming locations being nailed down and the cast is being assembled. Meanwhile, ticket pre-sales for Tom Felton’s run on The Cursed Child will begin on June 10. As for whether J.K. Rowling’s views continue to be brought up as the Wizarding World continues, that remains to be seen.

J.K. Rowling has made no bones about her political feelings in recent years, and this week the topic came up again after one of the the new Harry Potter series actors Paapa Essiedu signed an “open letter” calling for the protection of trans rights amidst recent UK political rulings. Rowling said she’d never deny Essiedu work, but how does HBO feel about working with so many talents across a broad political spectrum?

Well, head honcho Casey Bloys recently spoke on the record over the matter after podcast host Matthew Belloni asked him on The Town if he monitored Rowling’s Twitter (X) account, which is where the author and producer is most active with her views. Bloys said he is “very aware” of how she feels personally but it does not impact the relationship Rowling has with Max.

Rowling’s been a cash cow for the studio, with the eight Harry Potter movies grossing more than $9.5 billion in total and spawning spinoffs with the Fantastic Beast movies and plenty of opportunities in the theme park space and with merchandise. Just recently, a new Potter shop opened in Chicago, and Tom Felton was even on hand to greet a gaggle of fans.

While the new Max series is reportedly going to cost a fortune, I'd assume the studio is hoping it will be a boon for those with a Max subscription. As part of that deal, per Bloys, Rowling is entitled to her own personal opinions, as he feels we all are.

Just shortly after the podcast broke, Rowling was asked about Paapa Essiedu seemingly disagreeing with her take on what is happening in the UK. A judge recently upheld transgender protections, but ruled there that the legal definition of the word “woman” would be based upon biology. Essiedu and others have felt there are wide-ranging implications to this, but while Rowling disagrees, she wrote on X that she did not have the power nor would want to cut the new Snape actor.

While Rowling has been notably vocal in her beliefs and will be involved in the upcoming series, in general, movie and TV sets are a hodgepodge of different types of people all working together for a common goal. The narrative surrounding Potter has simply been louder than most.

Harry Potter is set to become a new series with a new cast in 2026, and some actors like the aforementioned Felton have stated they are interested in a cameo.

While the new Harry Potter series has begun casting and there’s been excitement from fans, the discourse surrounding J.K. Rowling’s trans stance has also surrounded the series. It’s something John Lithgow was made aware of around the time he said yes to playing the new version of Dumbledore in the upcoming book-to-screen adaptation, but he says it wasn’t a “big” factor when determining whether or not he would take the role.

Instead, his biggest concern had to do with his own mortality and the length of the Potter series. Previous reports indicated that Max would like to release the Harry Potter series over the course of the next decade, which means Lithgow will be contracted to the gig for quite some time. Unlike the young cast, he says that’s a much bigger factor to consider.

When speaking with the The Times in a recent interview, he directly addressed Rowling and the actual ‘big decision’ he had to make.

Harry Potter roles like Professor Dumbledore are considerably meaty, and Warner Bros. reportedly isn’t holding back with the budget on the new Rowling series, either. So, it’s easy to see why the gig might be both appealing and daunting, particularly at the ripe age of 79. (The actor turns 80 in October.) If the show gets off the ground later in the year and premieres in 2026 as expected, that means Lithgow would be around 90 by the time the whole thing wraps.

It’s definitely something to consider. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t note the original Harry Potter movies dealt with a disruption in the middle after Richard Harris died following Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets wrapping filming. He was only 72. That was obviously a huge loss to that franchise, and while I would hope Lithgow has all the time in the world to complete filming the new series, he did absolutely factor the time component in.

Lithgow did say he was made aware of the Internet controversy surrounding the prolific author as he was signing on for the series. He told the outlet a friend of his who is the “mother of a trans child” did inform him, but when asked if it was ever a consideration factor for taking on a role in the popular franchise he said “heavens no” when it came into someone's politics factoring into his decision to take a role. He elaborated:

Rowling is involved in the new Harry Potter series as an executive producer, but separate writers, directors and showrunners are being hired for the new version, which fans will be able to view with a Max Subscription.

HBO’s Harry Potter series is off to the races. After months of casting rumors, some of Hogwarts' core faculty and staff have been cast, and we know the series will be filmed at the same studio where the OG movies were made. However, now there’s a new rumor going around about this project, as it’s been claimed that Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint were not formally informed that this new series was happening.

Apparently, the first Harry, Ron and Hermione to grace our screens are being kept in the dark about this whole situation. In a report from The Daily Mail, it was alleged that Radcliffe, Watson and Grint were not informed that the remake was even happening before it was officially announced. According to an insider, that is “heartbreaking,” as they explained:

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint were all the age of the first years when they began their journey in the Wizarding World, and they spent a decade in it as they made the Harry Potter films. To this day, they are all frequently asked about it, and this franchise serves as the biggest moment in their careers.

According to this insider, when it comes to the next iteration of Harry Potter, the original cast members “are a mere afterthought.” Apparently, they have “no involvement” in what’s coming next, and this is a totally new chapter:

According to the report, once the Harry Potter team finishes auditioning thousands of kids and picks their new trio, the first Harry, Ron and Hermione will not be informed about it. It would seem that they will find out the same way everyone else will, through the public announcement.

It’s well known that the books' author, J.K. Rowling, is involved in this new series. It’s also known that her views on women’s and trans rights have caused a lot of controversy. Over the years, the original Harry Potter cast has reacted to those views, and some, including Daniel Radcliffe, have spoken out against her.

Apparently, the author wants to fully move on from the movies, as the source claimed:

Overall, it would appear the trio does not have a say or knowledge about the upcoming series. However, they do get asked about it, and that will likely continue. Daniel Radcliffe has already been asked if he’d make a cameo, and as he continues to act and promote his work – and this goes for Watson, Grint, and the rest of the movies' cast too – he’ll likely get questions about it again.

So, as the Harry Potter series chugs along, and the original cast continues working on their own projects, we’ll keep you posted about how this new venture into the Wizarding World and the original films collide (or don’t). In the meantime, the original cinematic franchise can be revisited with either a Max subscription or a Peacock subscription.

There are popular franchises, and then there's Harry Potter. The Wizarding World (which is streaming with a Max subscription) has entertained audiences for decades thanks to theme parks, stage plays, and (of course) the Harry Potter movies. David Tennant is one of the many actors who helped to bring the story to life on the big screen, and he recently took a dig at J.K. Rowling when asked if he'd return to the property.

A Harry Potter television series is currently in development, and fans are curious about which actors might play various beloved roles. As a result, fans are hoping to see some of the Harry Potter cast pop up in new roles. David Tennant recently threw some shade at Rowling when asked if he'd return, but there's history there. Let's break it down.

J.K. Rowling's Previous Remarks About David Tennant

Some Potter fans have boycotted the franchise following comments J.K. Rowling has made about the transgender community, while various actors from the Wizarding World have spoken out in support of trans people. Rowling has been throwing shade at Potter actors on social media... including David Tennant.

The discourse between J.K. Rowling and David Tennant came to a head after he shared his support for the transgender community. Things got more complicated due to the pair's conflicting political views, eventually leading the author to take aim at him on Twitter. After Tennant went viral for saying he wished politician Kemi Badenoch would "not exist", Rowling tied that along with this support of trans people, posting:

The term "Gender Taliban" is definitely one that turned people's heads, as was the feud with Doctor Who actor David Tennant. He had a small but memorable role in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as Barty Crouch Jr., and joined the ranks of actors like Daniel Radcliffe who have spoken out about the transgender community. Rowling also called out the actor on another occasion, when Badenoch won the Tory vote, tweeting:

Now, David Tennant has responded:

How David Tennant Referenced Rowling Recently

The cast of the Harry Potter TV show is seemingly coming together, with John Lithgow confirmed to play Dumbledore. Fans want to see the original actors back in new roles, such as the former students playing professors.

Tennant was doing a Q&A at Planet ComicCon (via The Independent), where he was asked if he'd like to participate. The Jessica Jones actor said his "contribution has probably been made," and then he referenced the author, saying:

He's not wrong. Even if Tennant wanted to appear in the Harry Potter show (there are certainly plenty of characters to cast), it seems unlikely, given the state of his back and forth with J.K. Rowling. While she continued to work with Eddie Redmayne after he voiced support for the transgender community, the Fantastic Beasts franchise was already in motion when that happened. And now that series is seemingly over.

It's currently unclear when the Harry Potter TV series will actually debut, but it's in active development. For now, fans can rewatch the film franchise on Max.

There are popular franchises, and then there's Harry Potter. Generations grew up with The Wizarding World, including books, theme parks, and (of course) the Harry Potter films. Author J.K. Rowling has been involved in some controversy as of late, and she might be in hot water with the fandom after seemingly throwing shade at the film actors who "ruined" the movies for her.

The eight Potter movies (which are streaming with a Max subscription) are still beloved, with certain fans re-watching them annually. The Harry Potter cast grew up before our eyes, and they're now firmly in their adulthood. Rowling seemingly threw shade at the leading trio on Twitter, when answering a prompt about actors who instantly ruin movies. Check it out below:

Shots fired. While she didn't offer any actual names, the writer's comments seem to indicate that she's referencing Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint. All three of these actors have condemned Rowling's comments about the transgender community, and this tweet seems to indicate that she's harboring some resentment towards the trio.

While Rowling might have simply been joking, the comments section of her tweet is filled with folks sounding off regarding her apparent beef with Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson. Some are taking her side, while others are chastising her for throwing shade at the actors.

Rowling has spent years sharing her controversial opinion about the transgender community, inspiring a number of folks (both famous and not) to speak out against the beloved writer. Rupert Grint took the side of the trans community, alongside other Wizarding World actors like Emma Watson and Eddie Redmayne. The latter was in the midst of his tenure in the Fantastic Beasts franchise, so he had to continue working with Rowling despite his feelings.

This drama between Rowling and her fans over her views about transgender women have been going on for years now, and is seemingly not going to slow down anytime soon. The author definitely added fuel to the fire with the above tweet, and also recently got into a twitter fight with controversial recording artist Azealia Banks.

As J.K. Rowling continues her campaign against trans women, Harry Potter fans have had to grapple with how that affects their relationship with the Wizarding World. Some fans have boycotted Harry Potter, despite their years of affection for the franchise.

Regardless of this ongoing controversy, the developing Harry Potter TV series is still in the works at Max. Warner Bros. is continuing its relationship with Rowling, given just how popular the Wizarding World continues to be. And as such, I assume that saga happening between the author and the stars of the original Potter movies will likely continue for the foreseeable future.

J.K. Rowling created a slew of wonderful, quirky, sometimes-aggravating and cool characters when she created the Harry Potter universe, but she says now that AI is a thing, the fans have gotten a little weird. After one of them sent her a picture of herself and a much younger, ginger-haired may, she opened up about the implications of AI as well as well as her “ideal of beauty.” And in case you wondered, she’s not jonesing after a man who looks like Ron Weasley.

So, how did JK Rowling admitting she wouldn’t be into a young man like Ron Weasley even come up? Apparently, she came across an AI image that struck her as odd and tweeted about it.

To be honest, celebrities have varying feelings about Artificial Intelligence. Celebs like Scarlett Johansson have spoken out about the “misuse” of AI in the past. Stars like Ben Affleck have been a little less concerned, citing the creative needs of movies as taking precedent over what computers can produce. But for JK Rowling, it’s seemingly more about getting the facts straight.

A fan later asked the author, “Wait, what’s wrong with gingers?” She then clarified her feelings about AI (but also Ron Weasley) in the process.

Of course, it's also worth pointing out Ron was still a kid in the Harry Potter books. According to the Harry Potter timeline, he’d currently be at the ripe old age of 45 if the timeline of the books holds true. JK Rowling herself is 59 at this point, so there’d still be quite an age gap between the two if Ron Weasley were a real life person and not a fictional character. That's not her cup of tea, though it's worth pointing out Grint thinks Ron and Hermione would have divorced. So, fictionally speaking, Ron could be single and ready to mingle.

In real life, the actor who portrayed Ron in the movies, Rupert Grint, is only 36. Not that anyone is suggesting JK Rowling and Grint hook up. Rowling is married to Dr. Neil Murray and Grint has a lovely wife named Georgia Groome. The two even became parents a few years ago.

Regardless, AI has wide-ranging implications, and what the author seems to be saying here is if it were up to the technology, she’d be married to someone who is a redhead her son’s age, and that doesn’t feel accurate or pleasant. It’s a bit of a weird thing to have come up in the realm of AI, but I guess the point is that AI has a lot of real-life entanglements we may not have considered back when Steven Spielberg was putting together his own AI movie in 2001.

As excitement brews for HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter TV series, fans of the Wizarding World have been left speculating how the magical reboot will (hopefully) capture the essence of J.K. Rowling’s beloved books while standing apart from the iconic film franchise. Chris Columbus, who directed the first two Harry Potter films and helped create one of the most successful film franchises to date, recently weighed in on the monumental task awaiting the creators. Honestly, his comments make a ton of sense.

Columbus shared his thoughts with Empire Magazine (via Nerd Informants) on the creative crossroads the series faces, explaining how its relationship to the films could make or break its success. The director, who helped bring Hogwarts to life for millions of fans in the first two of the Harry Potter movies (in order), offered his invaluable perspective on the upcoming project.

And he’s not wrong. The dark look and unique feel of the original films—featuring the late, great Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid, Alan Rickman’s unforgettable Severus Snape, and the timeless music of John Williams—set the benchmark for how fans imagine the Wizarding World. Producers of the series say they intended the upcoming book-to-screen adaptation to be closer in line and more faithful adaptation of Rowling’s books. However, if the series leans too heavily into nostalgia, it risks being seen as derivative. On the flip side, reinventing Hogwarts, the characters, and its iconic themes could alienate loyal fans who’ve spent over two decades cherishing the originals.

However, the veteran Home Alone director also acknowledged the potential advantages the series has in its corner. With more time to explore Rowling’s world, the creators can dive deeper into the stories and characters that didn’t make it into the films. The filmmaker noted:

Let’s pause and appreciate that Columbus said the magic word: Peeves. The mischievous poltergeist, who terrorized students and staff alike in the books, was infamously cut from the movies, much to fans’ disappointment. The idea that Peeves—and other rich details from the books—could finally make their on-screen debut will surely make Potterheads cheer, though they may be skeptical of the forthcoming Harry Potter series.

Still, the shadow of the original series looms large. The HP films didn’t just define a generation; they became a cultural cornerstone, with their impact still being felt in theme parks, spin-offs, and cosplay conventions worldwide. So, only time will tell if the new show, which will be available to stream with a Max subscription, can overcome the original series' cultural impact.

There is no official word yet on casting or how the series plans to tackle these challenges, but one thing is clear: Chris Columbus is right—this is no small task.

One of the absolute best things about Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone (or Sorcerer’s Stone, depending on where you live) is the iconic first line. Mr. And Mrs. Dursely of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. In the simplest terms, it’s a statement of location setting to let readers know where the action is about to take place, but it’s actually so much more than that. It injects personality and immediately gives you a sense of the type of people The Durselys must be.

It’s no wonder the line has been singled out over the years, even recently finishing in the top five in a list of the greatest opening lines in literature history, right next to the likes of Nineteen Eighty-Four, Peter Pan and A Tale Of Two Cities. But apparently, that now iconic start wasn’t the first line Rowling wrote for The Philosopher’s Stone. The scribe recently did an interview with The Sunday Times to promote her most recent book The Running Grave, and during the conversation, she was asked about the first line she ever wrote for Harry Potter. Here’s what she said…

Now, this is actually very interesting for two different reasons. Let’s start with the most obvious, which is, with all due respect to this line, it’s a significant downgrade from the opener we eventually got. Like the iconic “thank you very much” line, it conveys a location to bring the reader into the world, but it has no personality and gives you no sense of the characters you’re about to encounter. It’s perfectly fine but it’s also bland and wouldn’t be found anywhere near a greatest of all-time list. So, I think we can all agree it was a strong revising choice.

Secondly, this is also very interesting because of the location. Godric’s Hollow, or Darke’s Hollow, as it was called then, was the location of Voldemort’s attack on Harry Potter. It’s where Harry’s parents die and is the catalyst for The Wizarding World being completed upended, but in the finished novels and The Harry Potter movies, that’s all presented as tragic backstory our hero and the readers find out later.

The fact that it’s the first thing Rowling wrote seems to imply (unless she was writing her first novel out of order, which seems unlikely) that she originally planned to start The Philosopher’s Stone in a completely different place by focusing on the first major story beat chronologically, and presumably introducing us to Harry and his parents before we're introduced to the Dursleys. There’s nothing wrong with that, but by revealing these details later, as we get in the final version, it really helps the reader empathize with Harry, as he’s out of place and initially missing major context for his backstory.

In my opinion, Rowling improves as a writer throughout the seven Harry Potter novels, the first of which did not have super high expectations when it was first published. Her storytelling is consistently great and richly complicated, but she gains confidence and goes for some more linguistic flourishes in the later books. Even in The Philosopher’s Stone, however, there are moments where her natural talent really shines through. The first line is perhaps the best and most obvious moment of that, and I’m so glad she revised to get there.

Ever since its introduction as a series of novels, the Harry Potter franchise has been wildly popular, eventually spanning movies (which can be streamed with a Max subscription), theme parks, and even Broadway. But in recent years author J.K. Rowling has been at the heart of controversy, specifically related to her views about the transgender community. And recently she claimed public critics of her transgender views have supported her privately.

Over the years a number of Harry Potter figures have responded to Rowling's comments, and instead voiced their support for the transgender community. That includes Daniel Radcliffe, who first used his voice in 2020 and hasn't stopped since. But according to the author, some folks have done an about face and checked on her after speaking out publicly. In part of her new book The Women Who Wouldn’t Wheesht (via Deadline), she claimed:

It sounds like she was expecting some people to turn their backs on her when revealing (and doubling down) on her trans rhetoric. But Rowling also says that some folks who condemned her publicly have reached out to make sure their relationship with the author was ok. 

J.K. Rowling didn't name any names, although fans can assume that Daniel Radcliffe's continued support of the trans community exclude him from the list of folks who reached out to her. All three of the original Harry Potter stars have voiced similar opinions, while highlighting how vulnerable the transgender community is as a whole. 

Despite the constant chatter that's occurred in the years since Rowling received backlash, she's continued to share her opinion about the transgender community, specifically trans women who are seeking safe access to female spaces. And her latest book seemingly continues to stick to those guns.

In addition to various Harry Potter figures speaking out to opposite Rowling's controversial views, fans have also been vocal in their response. Some longtime fans who grew up with the Wizarding World have boycotted Harry Potter altogether in protest. 

Of course, the author has also gotten her share of support. Horace Slughorn actor Jim Broadbent voiced his disappointment in the vitriol aimed at Rowling, while Helena Bonham Carter and Ralph Fiennes have voiced similar opinions. 

It's currently unclear when the Wizarding World will return to theaters, as it looks like the Fantastic Beasts franchise might be over. Luckily fans can look forward the HBO's Harry Potter series. In the meantime, check the 2024 movie release dates. 

Few fictional teachers have been as impactful as the complex and enigmatic Professor Severus Snape. Played with a captivating blend of mystery and intensity by the late Alan Rickman, Snape's true allegiance remained one of the saga’s most gripping mysteries. Now, recent revelations from the book series author, J.K. Rowling, shed light on an intriguing behind-the-scenes interaction that helped shape this iconic performance. And, apparently, Rickman was the only actor on set in the know.

In an upcoming interview set to be published on her website, the writer offers fans a peek into the off-camera chats that helped shape one of the film series' most pivotal characters. According to a preview of the interview in today's Times of London (via jkrowling.com), J.K. Rowling recalls a key conversation with the Die Hard star. Alan Rickman apparently reached out to Rowling because he had some keen questions about his on-screen alter ego. She shared:

After having a role under his belt like one of the most iconic cinematic villains of all time, Hans Gruber, the British sstar had his trepidations about playing another villain and almost passed on the Potter franchise. Luckily for the actor -- and fans -- Professor Snape was a far more layered character. Further detailing their conversation, J.K. Rowling explained the dual nature of the Potions Professor’s role to Alan Rickman:

This early insight was pivotal for the actor, allowing him to shape a character who was not just a simple antagonist but a deeply conflicted figure driven by lost love and enduring bitterness. From the first film to the last, the Galaxy Quest actor’s portrayal of Snape consistently hinted at the character's intricate allegiance and tormented past, elements that were pivotal to the saga’s ultimate revelations. Snape’s transformation from Harry’s tormentor to his protector, clandestinely battling against Voldemort and his forces, is one of the series' most captivating narratives.

J.K. Rowling’s interview also touches on the emotional toll of writing the Harry Potter series, particularly the deaths of key characters. She reflects on the necessity and pain of these plot developments, stating:

Alan Rickman, who passed away in 2016, portrayed Snape throughout all eight films of the best-selling book series. His multifaceted portrayal of Severus remains a standout in cinematic history, becoming a fan favorite. The actor was clearly enriched by his early, exclusive insights into Snape’s loyalties and motivations. 

As for J.K. Rowling, she is currently working on finishing two more books in her detective Cormoran Strike series and has plans for six more. Her upcoming interview will touch on writing and will be posted on her website this Monday, May 6. As the world’s bestselling author, with over 600 million books sold, her insights into her writing process and character development are intriguing for fans and enlightening for aspiring writers and creatives.

Of course, the Harry Potter franchise remains her crowning achievement, and the film series it inspired worked especially well due to the efforts of actors like Alan Rickman. If you’d like to revisit Rickman’s iconic work in the movies, all eight of them are now streaming. All you need to enjoy them is a Max subscription, or for the die-hards, with a Peacock subscription, you can enjoy the extended versions of the films. Also, check out our 2024 movie schedule to see what movies are headed to a theater near you.

The Harry Potter franchise has been entertaining it's generations of fans for decades now. While it all began with J.K. Rowling’s books, the property crew thanks to movie franchises, stage plays, and theme parks. A prequel film series was also started over the last few years, titled Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Potter director David Yates recently revealed his reaction to Fantastic Beasts being announced as a five-film franchise. And it’s one that you might not expect.

David Yates directed the final four Harry Potter movies, and was once again behind the camera for the Fantastic Beasts franchise. Three of those films were released, but it’s unclear if the final two Fantastic Beasts movies will ever be produced given the disappointing box office performance of its sequels. Yates recently appeared on the Inside Total Film podcast, where he revealed the shocking way that the five-film plans for Fantastic Beasts ended up coming about. As he put it,

Talk about a surprise. News of the five-film plan for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them broke the internet. And it turns out that not even those involved in the property knew about this prior to J.K. Rowling’s announcement. Although it’s unclear if we’ll ever see the final two Fantastic Beasts chapters ever be produced and released in theaters. Right now that property looks like it’s currently on pause at Warner Bros., especially given the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strikes.

While Rowling promised five movies for the Harry Potter prequel series, that is far from guaranteed. It’s truly wild that not even David Yates and Eddie Redmayne didn’t even know that there were plans for more Fantastic Beasts films, let alone an additional four blockbusters. But since movies like The Secrets of Dumbledore failed to resonate with audiences or make money, it seems more than possible that the spinoff franchise will never get a true conclusion. 

2016’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them performed super well, with Harry Potter fans seemingly thrilled to see the Wizarding World back on the big screen. Unfortunately, the two sequels failed to bring that same joy, and had disappointing box office runs. Add in controversies like Johnny Depp’s firing as Grindelwald, and there’s seemingly a lot going against the magical movies right now.

The Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts franchises are currently streaming with a Max subscription. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Harry Potter is a wildly successful property, which has expanded through books, movies, theme parks, and even Broadway. The eight-film movie franchise remains perhaps the most beloved adaptation of the Wizarding World, with plenty of fans re-watching the magical adventures annually. But creator/writer J.K. Rowling has been in some hot water thanks to her controversial views about trans people, leading some Potter fans to boycott the franchise altogether. And actor Jim Broadbent, who played Horace Slughorn in the movies, recently defended Rowling amidst her ongoing controversies.

Rowling has been in hot water for years now, as she has doubled down on her criticism of trans people, and the way that the LGBTQ+ community and allies have defended that vulnerable community. While actors like Daniel Radcliffe have put their support behind trans folks, some stars from the Harry Potter franchise have also defended the author. The latest of these is Jim Broadbent, who shared his feelings to The Telegraph (via Variety), saying:

There you have it. It looks like the Moulin Rouge actor has taken umbrage with the massive backlash that’s surrounding Rowling over the last few years. And when it comes down to it, he seemingly feels the need to support the Harry Potter author as she continues to take aim at the transgender community on social media. 

Broadbent’s comments stand in juxtaposition to what most of the Harry Potter cast has said about Rowling and her ongoing controversies. In addition to Radcliffe, his co-stars Emma Watson and Rupert Grint have also spoken out in opposition to the sentiments made by the Harry Potter author. And for her part, Rowling continues to double down on these comments in platforms like her podcast.

Of course, Jim Broadbent isn’t the only member of the Harry Potter alum who has taken umbrage with the massive backlash surrounding Rowling. Helena Bonnham Carter and Ralph Fiennes have defended the author, and specifically the way the internet has come down on her over the past few years. 

Despite this ongoing controversy, Warner Bros. has affirmed their continued collaboration with Rowling. Case in point: the newly announced Harry Potter TV show that’s currently in development. J.K. Rowling has final say in any Wizarding-related projects, so she’s an important resource related to that IP.

It’s currently unclear when the Harry Potter show will debut for those with a HBO Max subscription, but the movies are streaming on Peacock. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

While it still feels like only yesterday when we were anticipating the arrival of each new Harry Potter book and movie, we’re now closing in on the countdown for a new adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s beloved Wizarding World series.

To say that the world (that includes both wizards and muggles) is excited for the upcoming book-to-screen adaptation would be a major understatement at this point. The show, which will air on HBO and be available to stream for anyone with an HBO Max subscription, is shaping up to be one of, if not the biggest series in the works. Naturally, we’re keeping tabs on everything that’s going on with the TV show, which is in production now.

What Is The Harry Potter TV Show’s Premiere Date?

As much as we would love to go back to Hogwarts at some point on the 2026 TV schedule, that’s not going to be the case (though it was teased by Warner Bros. Discovery executives at one point). We’ve known that 2027 was the targeted release year for Season 1 of the Harry Potter show, and thanks to an update by Deadline, we now know that it’ll be “early 2027.” This news was shared by Chairman and CEO of HBO and HBO Max content, Casey Bloys, in January 2026. No specific month was given, but at least we know we’re looking at – as of this update – about a year from now.

2027 is a good year to kick off a new adaptation, when taking into account that the very first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, was published in 1997, which will be thirty years ago next year.

The Harry Potter TV Show Cast

In May 2025, Warner Bros. Discovery announced, following a casting call that saw nearly 32,000 young actors, that the three main roles in the upcoming series had been filled. Dominic McLaughlin is set to play Harry Potter, while Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout have been picked to play Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, respectively. The photo above gives us a glimpse of the trio, and if you want a tease of Arabella Stanton’s take on Hermione, you might want to check out Audible’s full-cast recordings of the audiobooks. Stanton voices the role of Hermione in the first three books.

The rest of the Harry Potter TV show cast is shaping up, including some juicy rumors. Here’s everyone Warner Bros. Discovery has announced so far:

• John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore
• Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall
• Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape
• Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid
• Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell
• Johnny Flynn as Lucious Malfoy
• Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch
• Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy
• Daniel Rigby as Vernon Dursley
• Bel Powley as Petuna Dursley
• Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley
• Alessia Leoni as Parvati Patil
• Leo Earley as Seamus Finnigan
• Bertie Carvel as Cornelius Fudge
• Rory Wilmot as Neville Longbottom
• Amos Kitson as Dudley Dursley
• Louise Brealey as Madam Rolanda Hooch
• Anton Lesser as Garrick Ollivander
• Warwick Davis as Professor Filius Flitwick
• Elijah Oshin as Dean Thomas
• Finn Stephens as Vincent Crabbe
• William Nash as Gregory Goyle
• Sirine Saba as Professor Pomona Sprout
• Richard Durden as Professor Cuthbert Binns
• Brid Brennan as Madam Poppy Pomfrey
• Leigh Gill as Griphook

What Is The Harry Potter TV Show About

When HBO announced the series, they noted that each of the books would be adapted throughout a decade-long series. Exactly how that all breaks down remains to be seen, as the books certainly vary in length.

The story begins with a young boy who learns he’s a wizard when he turns 11, and is invited to study witchcraft at Hogwarts. Over the course of seven books, Harry grows up alongside his best friends, Hermione and Ron, and each year they face bigger and more dangerous challenges, most focused on the rise of a dark wizard named Voldemort.

The story tackles a variety of themes, including growing up, facing grief, choosing between good and evil, and more, and it’s all set in a world where witches and wizards are living in secret among muggles (non-wizards).

The Harry Potter Teaser

When Warner Bros. Discovery announced the Harry Potter TV show back in 2023, the company’s various social channels, like its official Twitter account, released a brief teaser trailer welcoming everyone to Hogwarts:

As you probably noticed by now, the teaser doesn’t offer any major details about the show, its cast, or how it will adapt the beloved fantasy books into a TV show, but the Great Hall’s floating candles and John Williams’ iconic score are more than enough to hold us over for now. With production in full swing, maybe we’ll see some footage sooner rather than later.

Hans Zimmer And Bleeding Fingers Will Compose A New Score For The Series

Speaking of the music, while fans are certainly familiar with John Williams’ score from the earlier movies, the series will feature a score from Hans Zimmer and Bleeding Fingers (a collective of composers, co-founded by Zimmer, along with Russell Emanuel and Steven Kofsky). HBO’s announcement included a quote from Zimmer, along with Kara Talve, and Anže Rozman, which includes this:

As a fan of many of Hans Zimmer’s scores (Interstellar in particular, but there are so many great ones), I’m excited to hear what he and Bleeding Fingers bring to this show. But it’s also encouraging (and makes me a bit curious) to hear they want to honor what has come before. Will we hear notes of “Hedwig’s Theme” worked into the new score in some way? We’ll have to wait and see!

The Harry Potter TV Show Will Be A ‘Faithful’ Adaptation Of J.K. Rowling’s Book Series

Though the Harry Potter movies did a tremendous job of bringing J.K. Rowling’s books to life on the big screen, there was a lot that was left out in the adaptations, most likely due to the length of the later novels. Well, that hopefully won't be a problem with the Harry Potter series as the TV format allows for a “faithful adaptation” of the source material, as Warner Bros. Discovery has announced. Following the big announcement, Rowling, who serves as an executive producer, had this to say about the massive project:

The streamer has also announced that the new show will be “authentic to the original books” and will bring the popular property to new audiences around the world, as Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO, HBO & HBO Max Content, put it:

An episodic approach may be just what the series needs in order to fully flesh out the story and characters J.K. Rowling created in her books. What’s more, I think it’s worth noting that, when the original films were coming out (particularly the earlier ones), the later books hadn’t been released yet. Each new installment in the book series was cloaked in secrecy until release, which I have to imagine made it a challenge when it came to adapting the films. Whereas, the writers of the TV show have a complete story to work with, which will hopefully allow them to develop the characters in a way that’s true to the source material.

Francesca Gardiner Is The Harry Potter Showrunner

In June 2024, THR reported that Succession’s Francesca Gardiner had been announced as the series’ showrunner. But Gardiner won’t be alone with the daunting task of turning seven iconic novels into a TV series, as Mark Mylod will also be working on the creative team and directing multiple episodes, though an exact number has not yet been determined. Mylod, who previously directed an episode of Game of Thrones, more recently helmed a powerful episode of The Last of Us Season 2, which could be a taste of what’s to come for some of the more intense and heartbreaking moments in the Harry Potter franchise.

Production On The Harry Potter TV Series Kicked Off In July 2025

Though there’s still some time before the fall semester kicks off for us in the real world, school is officially in session at Hogwarts, as production is officially underway on the Harry Potter TV series. In July 2025, Warner Bros. announced that cameras were rolling on the series by sharing a pic of Dominic McLaughlin dressed up as “The Boy Who Lived.” We don’t know how long the production will last, but with the show set to debut in 2027, it will probably be a lengthy shoot. Production is taking place at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, UK.

A Second Season Is Already In The Works

While it’s no shocker that a second season of the Harry Potter TV show is happening, it is surprising that work has already gotten underway. In November 2025, HBO Chairman and CEO Casey Bloys (via Deadline) announced that the writers were already crafting the sophomore season throughout the production of the first installment:

With a total of seven novels set to be adapted before this is all over and done with, it doesn’t seem likely that HBO will waste too much time between seasons. If the story of the show is going to be true to the books, the main part will span about seven years, starting with Harry, Ron and Hermione in their first year at Hogwarts, and closing out during what would be their seventh year. We’ve certainly seen shows that feature teenagers who aren’t played by actual teenagers, but it’s likely they’ll want to keep the series moving before the young actors move too far into adulthood.

The Harry Potter Series Will Explore Hogwarts Like Never Before

The Harry Potter movies spent a great deal of time in and around Hogwarts, but there was a lot that was forced to be left off the page due to time constraints. Well, that shouldn’t be a problem for the upcoming series, considering it’s going to have so much time to adapt the books. And that’s something executive producers Mark Mylod and Francesca Gardiner told the Harry Potter official website back in 2024. When speaking with the site, Mylod said:

Gardiner was quick to point out that they will simply have a larger “sandpit” with the series.

But it isn’t just architecture and an expanded castle that the show’s producers are excited to pursue with the new show, as they revealed during the panel that audiences will get to have some with Peeves, one of the most prominent ghosts in the halls of Hogwarts.

How To Watch The Harry Potter Movies

Considering we’re still a couple of years away from the Harry Potter TV show’s debut, there’s plenty of time to go back and watch the original eight movies. If you want to watch all the Harry Potter movies in order (at least those about “The Boy Who Lived”), now’s your golden opportunity, because they’re all streaming on Max at this moment (they are also available for anyone with a Peacock subscription).

But again, there’s still plenty of time, so don’t feel like you have to rush through all seven years of Harry’s education and adventures and battles at Hogwarts!

• Stream The Harry Potter Collection on Max.
• Stream The Harry Potter Collection on Peacock.
• Rent/Buy The Harry Potter Collection on Amazon.
• Buy The Harry Potter 4K UHD Blu-Ray Collection on Amazon.

How To Read The Harry Potter Books In Order

But if you really want to have some fun while you wait for the Harry Potter TV show, now’s a good time to go back and read J.K. Rowling’s beloved novels for the first time in a while or for the first time entirely. Whether you want to revisit these classic stories, find out what all the fuss was about in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, or start making a list of scenes left out of the movies you want to see in the series, these seven incredible novels will do the trick. Here are the Harry Potter book titles in order:

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in the UK)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Paperback collections are available on Amazon (or your local library), as are the hardcover editions and those beautifully crafted illustrated versions that have been coming out over the past decade.

And there are the new full-cast productions of the audiobooks, which have been releasing each month at Audible. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire full-cast audio edition arrives this month (February 2026).

With production in full swing for the first season, and a team of writers knocking out the second, we should be hearing a whole lot more about this enchanting series in the weeks and months (and years) to come.

Get ready, Potterheads, because a new Harry Potter series based on J.K. Rowling’s beloved fantasy novels is reportedly in early development at Warner Bros. Discovery. According to a new report, the company is in talks to create a TV series based on the treasured young adult book series. While you would think this announcement would be whimsical music to longtime Wizarding World fans’ ears, that doesn’t appear to be the case. Fans have a lot of thoughts regarding the newly announced series, and let's just say they are not all in agreement. 

Based on reporting verified by EW, the goal of the proposed TV series would be for each season of the show to focus on one of the seven Potter books (much like the Harry Potter movies did), allowing the creative team to delve into more details from the source material. While the news has excited many fans, others are approaching the announcement with mixed emotions. Some are thrilled to see their favorite wizarding world come to life o the small screen, but it would appear the fanbase has been split into three factions: those excited by the news, those concerned that the series may not live up to the high standards set by the books and the critically acclaimed previous adaptations, and others who wish they were adapting a different Harry Potter story altogether. Let’s take a closer look at what some members of the fanbase are saying about Warner Bros.’s proposed television adaption:

Those Excited About the Prospect of Returning to Hogwarts

Some fans are approaching the news of the proposed HBO Max series with enthusiasm. They are thrilled at the prospect of seeing their favorite wizarding world come to life again on the small screen, some even pointing to "weaknesses" of the film series as a good reason for a reboot.

•  “Scoop: Harry Potter is coming to TV.” @Lucas_Shaw
• "Meh. Actually playing Hogwarts Legacy has made me realize how glossed over the movies are. I’ll be glad to have them more fleshed out and actually see some classes and such and develop the relationships better. I basically only liked 3 and 5 and I guess 6 personally." @blurayangel
• “If you’re not excited about or think the new Harry Potter HBO Max series is unnecessary, You clearly never read the books.” @_ciscosanchez
• “In HBO We Trust. If there’s any network that will do it justice, it’s them.” @StanMaxie2
• “OMG, this is EPIC news! A Harry Potter TV series with the involvement of JK Rowling is every fan’s dream come true. Can’t wait to see what magic HBO will create. #HarryPotter #HBO #JKRowling #Excited” @SFLORES51320040

Despite some Potter fans being excited about the news surrounding the forthcoming television project others have concerns about the series. And honestly, they raise some great points.

Those With Some Serious Concerns

Some Twitter users highlighted the poor performance of the Fantastic Beast series of films as a good reason to approach a Potter television adaptation with trepidation. At the same time, others raise valid concerns about the controversy surrounding the series' creator and her stance on transgender issues and how that may impact the project.  Concerned fans have posted:

• “People do not want more Harry Potter! The Fantastic Beast films did badly and got canceled due to poor performance. Hogwarts Legacy was a bad press disaster with terrible reviews. J.K. Rowling ruined her brand forever with her transphobia. No one wants more!” @brosandprose
• “I think rebooting the Harry Potter series would be a bad idea even if it wasn’t a culturally toxic brand at this point, but the arrogance of calling your shot with seven seasons? That’s either gonna awkwardly cut off like the Divergent movies or limp over the finish line like GOT.” @TrevorNWhite
• “Was just thinking how excited I would have been for this 10 years ago and how I want absolutely nothing to do with it now.” @TheStagmania
• “Unless it’s 2070, I don’t want to hear talk about rebooting the Harry Potter movies. Isn’t it bad enough they’re talking about doing the same to LotR??? Can nothing be off limits?? Can Hollywood not focus on things that HAVEN’T already been done???” @AccioxMagic

While the announcement has sent shockwaves through the Harry Potter fandom, with fans taking to social media, many have expressed downright disdain for the idea, while some fans were hoping for another Potter story adaptation entirely. 

Fans Clambering For A Different Harry Potter Adaptation

Several stories outside the initial seven Harry Potter books are ripe for adaptation. Many fans pointed specifically to The Cursed Child, a play by Jack Thorne based on an original story written by J. K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Thorne. Child's story is set 19 years after the events of the final Potter book--Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows--and works as a direct sequel. Though a stage production, The Cursed Child was also published in book form and has been performed on the West End and Broadway for years. It makes sense that many fans would prefer to see this story on screen, before a Harry Potter show.

•  “The book series has completed it’s run in film form, and it was legendary. We don’t need to see a remake in any form. Work on some other timeline, like; Hogwarts Legacy or The Cursed Child, or even the American Wizarding School, Ilvermorny. We don’t need a remake.” @KeyboardJunkie
• “But…they already did that in the films. Please do Cursed Child if you’re going to adapt something.” @ladywalshie
• “Dumb. Just make a prequel about his parents.” @lordcopius
• “So we gotta suffer through a Harry Potter REBOOT cause the original cast didn’t wanna do Cursed Child… I’m sick.” @WandasAttorney

Despite these concerns, many fans still seem excited about the new series. The Harry Potter series is one of the best-selling book series of all time, and it has previously spawned 8 films, the spinoff movie franchise Fantastic Beasts, a critically acclaimed Broadway show, a popular video game, and theme park attractions. It's clear that the wizarding world still holds a special place in the hearts of fans around the world and another adaptation seems inevitable.

In Conclusion

It seems that one of the biggest concerns about the potential Harry Potter television series is the involvement of J.K. Rowling following her infamous comments about transgender women. The architect of the wizarding world has been embroiled in controversy over the past few years, causing many longtime loyal fans and even the stars of the original Harry Potter adaptation to distance themselves from her and speak out against the creator’s views on transgender issues. While Rowling will not serve as showrunner or primary creator of the series, she will assist in ensuring the content is loyal to her books’ vision, possibly leaving many potential viewers conflicted about tuning in. 

No matter your feelings about the news surrounding WB’s plans for a new Harry Potter series, it’s clear the company is moving forward and hoping to be in the wizard business for some time to come. Reportedly the series is set to be one cornerstone of a new streaming strategy that will be announced next week by Warner Bros. Discovery. Only time will tell if the new series will live up to fans’ expectations or prove to confirm others’ concerns about the series. One thing is for sure: longtime Potterheads worldwide will be watching closely, and if there are any more developments about the series, CinemaBlend will be there to update you. 

Until then, fans of Harry Potter might be interested in checking out our ranking of all eight Potter films or our schedule of 2023 new movie releases to plan your next trip to the cinema. 

For the last couple of years, there has been a lot of talk within the Harry Potter fandom about controversial comments the books’ author J.K. Rowling made about transgender women. This has led to people boycotting the franchise, and quite the brouhaha within the community of Harry Potter fans. Many of the cast members from the Harry Potter movies have spoken out against the author, and shown their support for transgender people, including the actor behind the titular character, Daniel Radcliffe. Now, the actor is continuing to show his support for LGBTQ+ youth by participating in a new series for The Trevor Project.  

Radcliffe participated in a new roundtable series for The Trevor Project called Sharing Space. The series is meant to amplify the voices of young LGBTQ+ folks, and the episode the Harry Potter star is featured in commemorated Transgender Day of Visibility. The conversation came out amid controversy surrounding comments J.K. Rowling made about transgender women. The actor has made it clear he does not agree with what the author has said, and he has made an active effort to be an ally and advocate for LGBTQ+ youth. The Swiss Army Man star spoke with the organization about why he was excited to participate in this project, saying: 

Not only did Radcliffe participate in this conversation, he’s also been a longtime supporter of The Trevor Project. The statement about the episode explained that the actor has been working with the organization for over a decade, and he’s worked on PSAs for them, and he won an award in 2011 for his continued support of LGBTQ+ youth. 

Along with partnering with organizations like The Trevor Project, and being an advocate, Radcliffe has made it very clear he does not agree with the comments Rowling made about transgender women. When the Miracle Workers star spoke out against the author part of his statement read:

The actor later explained that he spoke up when he did because he had met so many young queer and trans folks who “had a huge amount of identification with Potter.” He said he knew they were hurt by Rowling’s comments, and he “wanted them to know that not everybody in the franchise felt that way.” Along with Radcliffe other stars from the Harry Potter movies, including Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Harry Melling have all responded to the author’s comments, and made it clear they support the trans community. 

Along with participating in The Trevor Project’s new series, and continuing his work to support and advocate for LGBTQ+ youth, Daniel Radcliffe is also set to star in the new season of Miracle Workers, which is slated on the 2023 TV schedule, and he'll make his return to Broadway in the musical Merrily We Roll Along this fall.

The Harry Potter franchise has been a vital part of pop culture for decades now, starting with J.K. Rowling’s novels and growing into the beloved movies, theme park attractions, video games, and even stage plays. But some fans have been backing away from the Wizarding World, thanks to the ongoing controversy surrounding author J.K. Rowling. And recently Rowling spoke about fearing for her “safety” after her infamous comments about transgender women, but says some Potter fans “were grateful.”

The controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling dates back years, and is focused on a number of tweets she posted which many deemed to be transphobic. The messaging was all more disheartening because so many queer people had identified with the story of Harry Potter, and it themes of other-ness and acceptance. As a result, the leading cast of Harry Potter has come out in support of the trans community, including Daniel Radcliffe. Rowling is participating in a new podcast which is called The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling, where she addressed fearing for her safety in the midst of this backlash. As she put it,

Since J.K. Rowling made her comments about sex and gender, theres’s been pretty consistent backlash online, with some Potter fans abandoning the Wizarding World altogether. But it seems that the online discourse has also made her fear for the safety of herself and her family. It’s likely for this reason that certain Harry Potter stars like Ralph Fiennes and Helena Bonham Carter have taken umbrage with the backlash.

Later in the newest episode of the podcast titled “The Tweets,” J.K. Rowling did admit that she could be wrong in her views about gender and sex. While she’s also doubled down in recent months, she claims to be well researched and informed in her views. In Rowling’s words:

Despite the backlash that’s surrounding J.K. Rowling over recent years, she also claims that some corners of the Harry Potter fandom have actually praised her sentiments. Rowling’s controversial views also came with revelations she made about her own history with sexual assault. As the author/screenwriter put it: 

There are more episodes of the podcast happening, where J.K. Rowling will further be able to share her side of the various controversies that surrounds her. Regardless, Warner Bros. has reaffirmed its commitment to working with Rowling on future Harry Potter projects. And if the video game sales for Hogwarts Legacy are any indication, there still are plenty of fans who haven’t abandoned the Wizarding World. Still, there are others who believe that Rowling is scapegoating the trans community, and targeting a demographic who is notoriously vulnerable.

It’s currently unclear when Harry Potter will return to theaters, as the Fantastic Beasts movies look like they’ve come to an early end. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

The Harry Potter franchise has been entertaining audiences for decades, starting with J.K. Rowling’s novels and growing into a behemoth property including movies, video games, theme parks, and stage plays. But there’s also been some controversy surrounding the Wizarding World thanks to the author’s comments/views about the transgender community. A number of figures from the franchise have joined in on the discourse, including Luna Lovegood actress Evanna Lynch. She recently spoke out about the Rowling controversy, saying “there’s a disagreement over who’s the most vulnerable.” Let’s break it all down.

The situations surrounding J.K. Rowling dates back to 2020, where she spoke in response to changing  UK gender recognition laws, and the adoption of gender neutral spaces (including bathrooms). Her comments about sex and gender were seen by many as transphobic, and she’s since doubled down on those opinions in recent years. Actress Evanna Lynch deleted Twitter after getting involved in the discourse, although she’s once again weighed in during a conversation with The Telegraph. She seemingly defended Rowling, saying:

There you have it. It looks like Evanna Lynch has joined the likes of co-stars Helena Bonham Carter and Ralph Fiennes with taking umbrage over how J.K. Rowling has been treated online. As the Luna Lovegood actress pointed out, Rowling’s original comments came along with her accounts of domestic abuse and sexual assault. And it’s seemingly for this reason that the situation comes with so many complicated feelings for Lynch.

Evanna Lynch’s latest comments stand in juxtaposition to the stance taken by most of her Harry Potter peers. Most of the young cast has come out in support of the transgender community, including the trio of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint. Fantastic Beasts star Eddie Redmayne did the same, as he continued to work with J.K. Rowling on that franchise (which looks like it’s over).

As previously mentioned, Evanna Lynch had also weighed in on the controversy years ago via Twitter, before deactivating her account altogether. While saying that the subject of transgender rights is a complicated one that shouldn’t be discussed flippantly, she also defended Rowling’s character. In the same interview with The Telegraph, the 31 year-old actress addressed that original response, saying:

Of course, J.K. Rowling has since doubled down on her comments, and is seemingly unapologetic regarding her views on the trans community, and her legacy with fans. As a result, some lifelong fans have banned the Harry Potter franchise altogether, as it had historically been a safe space for outsiders and those who live in the margins of society. 

Rowling is seemingly not changing her views anytime soon, and she’s expected to defend herself on her new podcast. Warner Bros. has also affirmed its commitment to further collaboration with the author, so there’s going to be new Harry Potter content regardless. 

The Harry Potter movies are currently streaming on Peacock. While there were originally going to be five Fantastic Beats movies, it’s currently unclear if the final two will every be produced. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

The Harry Potter franchise has been entertaining the public for decades, with the Wizarding World amassing entire generations of fans. While this has continued with movies, theme parks, and even stage plays, there’s been some controversy surrounding the property over recent years. This is largely due to author J.K. Rowling, and her views on gender and sex which some have found to be transphobic. And as Rowling’s new podcast premiers, the BBC issued an apology to Rowling over their coverage of the ongoing controversy. Let’s break it all down.

The main issue surrounding J.K. Rowling revolves around her comments about transgender women, which inspired Harry Potter stars to speak out against them, including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint. The acclaimed author has continued to double down on her views, with the discourse online also showing no signs of slowing down. Rowling will seemingly be able to tell her side of the story in the new podcast The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling, which debuted its first two episodes today. Deadline also revealed that the BBC issued an apology to her over a recent segment. In said segment, Good Morning Scotland  journalist Carrie Marshall spoke about the recent release of the video game Harry Potter Legacy, and trans fans and allies who are boycotting. She was quoted saying:

This segment reportedly got a number of audience complaints, leading to a review by the BBC about its contents. This shows how high the tension is related to Rowling’s controversial views, including the many people out there who are defending the Harry Potter writer. 

Eventually a statement was issued by the BBC which seemingly put the fault on the journalist in question. An apology was issued to Rowling and viewers, which reads:

While there's still plenty of discourse surrounding J.K. Rowling, it seems that the 57 year-old writer got a potential victory with this apology from the BBC. She’s also expected to share her point of view about the ongoing controversy while appearing on The Witch Trial of J.K. Rowling. 

The first two episodes of that podcast have aired today, but they don’t necessarily focus on J.K. Rowling’s comments about the transgender community. That’ll likely happen in future episodes, although there was a quote where Rowling addressed the concept of her controversy souring her “legacy. In her words:

Between the podcast and this BBC apology, J.K. Rowling will likely continue to make headlines. And while Wizarding World actors like Eddie Redmayne have come out in support of the trans community, there are also plenty who have supported Rowling herself. That includes the likes of Ralph Fiennes and Helena Bonham Carter, who take umbrage to the online hate aimed at Rowling. 

The fate of Harry Potter in the movies is currently unclear, as it doesn’t look like the final Fantastic Beasts movies are going to be produced. But Warner Bros. has affirmed its commitment to the Wizarding World and J.K. Rowling herself, so there’s no telling what might come next. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

There are popular book franchises, and then there's Harry Potter. The Wizarding World has been entertaining audiences for decades, and is showing no signs of slowing down thanks to movies, video games, stage plays, and theme parks. But some of the folks that grew up on Harry's adventures through Hogwarts have actually boycotted the franchise as a whole, due to J.K. Rowling's controversial comments about transgender women. And the acclaimed author has seemingly double downed on her views, while also addressing fans who have abandoned the franchise. 

The Harry Potter franchise elicits strong feelings from fans, especially those who felt like outsiders as young people, and therefore identified with Harry and his friends at Hogwarts. This is partly why so many have been outraged by J.K. Rowling's comments about gender and sex as they related to the trans community. Her current controversies will be explored in a forthcoming audio documentary by The Free Press, with Rowling herself participating. In the trailer for the doc, she was quoted saying:

There you have it. It looks like J.K. Rowling is resolute on the comments she's made about gender and sex. What's more, she doesn't seem all too concerned about the Harry Potter fans who were disappointed in the way she's used her platform. And regarding her future legacy, only time will tell how things ultimately shake out between Rowling and her fans (past and present).

As previously mentioned, this quote from Rowling comes from a trailer for an audio documentary titled "The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling," which will focus on the ongoing controversy surrounding the titular writer. While there's been plenty of discourse surrounding her views about sex and gender, this will seemingly be focused on her perspective of the events. And smart money says plenty of moments are going to go viral as a result.

The conversation surrounding J.K. Rowling dates back to 2020, where she made some controversial statements about gender, which many found to be transphobic. This led various figures from the Wizarding World to speak out in opposition, including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, and Eddie Redmayne. Although she's also gotten support from certain organizations as well as other cast members like Helena Bonham Carter and Voldemort himself Ralph Fiennes, who take umbrage with the online hate thrown at Rowling.

Regardless, J.K. Rowling continues to have a relationship with Warner Bros., with the studio recently affirming its commitment to further collaboration. While the Fantastic Beats franchise's future remains unclear, the Wizarding World is once again at the top of pop culture thanks to the recently released Hogwarts Legacy game. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

For a few years now, much of the LGBTQ+ community and its allies has looked at Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling differently since she made controversial comments about transgender people. Rowling’s viewpoints have led many people associated with her to speak out against her trans rhetoric, including Daniel Radcliffe’s previous comments and many other Harry Potter cast members, most recently with Dudley actor Harry Melling adding his two cents. However, Succession actor Brian Cox is doubling down on defending the author. 

Cox previously shared in May 2022 that he found the backlash J.K. Rowling received from the public to be “deeply unjust.” The Succession star more recently spoke to why he thinks people are being too hard on the bestselling author again, saying this on BBC: 

While Brian Cox was a guest on the British channel’s new show Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, the news anchor asked the actor what he makes of the way J.K. Rowling “has been treated” as of late. The discussion was being had following Cox’s home country of Scotland passing the Gender Recognition Reform bill, which will allow the transgender community to obtain a gender recognition certificate (GRC) without the need for a medical diagnosis. Additionally, the bill would allow 16 and 17 year olds to apply for GRCs for the first time. Cox said he's "very proud" of Scotland for passing the law but also thinks people like Rowling should be allowed to give their opinions.

Rowling’s early comments on gender and sex began in June 2020, when she took issue with an article referring to “people who menstrate,” which sought to be inclusive to the transgender community not using the word “women" instead. Rowling went on to further explain her viewpoints on the topic in a Twitter thread before writing a lengthy post on her website explaining her viewpoint that brought upon plenty of backlash from the LGBTQ+ community. 

There have been other actors who have come to Rowling’s defense aside from Brian Cox. Ralph Fiennes, who memorably played Voldemort in the Harry Potter movies, called the verbal abuse directed at her in recent years “disgusting” and “appalling.” Helena Bonham Carter, who played Bellatrix Lestrange in the movies, has also spoken out about the subject, saying she believes the whole thing has been taken “to the extreme” and that Rowling should “have her opinions.” 

Brian Cox famously plays Logan Roy on Succession, a billionaire founder of a media and entertainment company in the award-winning series. Cox will soon reprise his role in the upcoming Season 4 of Succession, which is set to premiere on HBO this spring. You can watch the Harry Potter movies and catch up with Succession with an HBO Max subscription. As far as more Wizarding World movies, there’s nothing for sure in the works right at the moment, but we’ll keep you updated here on CinemaBlend. 

The Harry Potter franchise has been entertaining folks for decades, with generations brought up on all things Wizarding World. But there has been some discourse in the fandom lately regarding author J.K. Rowling’s views about transgender women. This has led to some major franchise figures speaking out about the situation, including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint. And now Harry Potter’s Dudley actor has responded to Rowling’s controversial comments about the transgender community.

Actor Harry Melling played Dudley Dursley in five of the Harry Potter movies, growing up in front of our eyes in the process. He’s since become a successful adult actor, with roles in projects like The Queen’s Gambit, The Old Guard, and The Tragedy of Macbeth. He was recently interviewed by The Independent, where he weighed in on the continued discussions about J.K. Rowling’s views about trans people. As he put it,

There you have it. While Harry Melling was careful about his words regarding the J.K. Rowling of it all, the Harry Potter icon unequivocally put his support behind the transgender community. And in doing so he follows in the steps of many other stars of the Wizarding World. Unfortunately, the discourse surrounding the franchise’s writer shows no signs of slowing down.

Harry Melling’s comments to The Independent come as he’s promoting his role in Scott Cooper’s The Pale Blue Eye, which is getting its Netflix release this week. Eventually the conversation turned to Harry Potter, which is likely an experience that he likely knows all too well. And as controversy continues to surround J.K. Rowling, Melling has put his support behind the transgender community, which is already one that is already so vulnerable. 

As previously mentioned, the trio of Harry Potter stars all came out in support of trans folks shortly after J.K. Rowling’s comments about gender and sex went viral. Fantastic Beasts actor Eddie Redmayne also made his voice known, despite his continued collaboration with the author on the magical franchise. None of these folks have attacked Rowling specifically or her character, instead focusing on sending love to transgender folks out there.

Of course, Rowling has also had her fair of supporters from the Wizarding World. Both Helena Bonham Carter and Voldermort himself Ralph Fiennes have spoken out against online hate that’s come the author’s way. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. has affirmed their continued relationship with Rowling regarding Harry Potter, so she’s seemingly not going anywhere.

It’s unclear if the final two movies from the Fantastic Beasts franchise will end up being produced at all, given the disappointing performance of the most recent entries. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

The Harry Potter franchise has been entertaining audiences for decades, although it all started with J.K. Rowling’s beloved novels. And while the Wizarding World remains a vital part of pop culture, the author herself has been getting a ton of backlash over her controversial views on gender, sex, and the trans community. While various members of the Harry Potter cast have come out in suport of transgender folks, Helena Bonham Carter recently defended Rowling amid her controversies.

Helena Bonham Carter played the villainous Bellatrix Lestrange to pitch perfection in the final four Harry Potter films in the franchise. In a recent interview with The Times about her career and personal life, she defended both Johnny Depp and Rowling despite their controversies. When speaking about the creative mind behind the Wizarding World, Carter was quoted saying:

Well, there you have it. While both fans and celebrities alike have admonished J.K. Rowling’s comments about the transgender community, Helena Bonham Carter has another view of the situation. Namely because she’s putting great stock in the fact that the 57 year-old writer also came out as a domestic violence survivor, which seemingly informed her views on same-sex spaces. 

Helena Bonham Carter’s comments to The Times are sure to turn a few heads, especially as they stand in stark juxtaposition to statements issued by the likes of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, and Fantastic Beasts star Eddie Redmayne. Those actors have all used their public platform to support the transgender community, which is vulnerable a demographic that faces violent in astonishing numbers. Still, Carter seems to take umbrage with just how much backlash has come J.K. Rowling’s way as a result of this discourse.

One of Helena Bonham Carter’s Harry Potter co-stars also recently came to the defense of J.K. Rowling. Namely Voldemort himself Ralph Fiennes, who similarly took issue with how much vitriol has come her way. Like Carter, he didn’t argue against people who were offended or upset by Rowling’s comments, but thinks that the response online has been toxic. Clearly the discourse surrounding Rowling isn’t going to slow down anytime soon.

Part of why J.K. Rowling’s views about gender have gotten such astrong reaction online is because of how many outsiders have identified with the Harry Potter franchise over the years. This is especially true for LGBTQ+ fans, who have felt betrayed by Rowling’s comments about the transgender community. Some have even gone so far as to leave the Wizarding World behind them entirely– including the books, movies, plays, and theme parks.

It’s currently unclear when Harry Potter will return to theaters, as the final two installments of the Fantastic Beasts franchise haven’t been announced yet. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your trips to the theater in the New Year. 

Although the Wizarding World film franchise has been kept afloat in recent years through the Fantastic Beasts movies, it’s been over a decade since the final installment in the main Harry Potter film series, The Deathly Hallows — Part 2, was released. Aside from a sequel play called The Cursed Child being premiering in 2016, there’s never seemed like a way we could pop in Harry’s direct world again. And yet, Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav has expressed interest in keeping the Harry Potter movies going, provided that the property’s creator, author J.K. Rowling, is on board.

During in an investor’s call on Thursday (via THR), David Zaslav said Warner Bros. is “going to focus on franchises,” noting that “we haven’t had a Superman movie in 13 years. We haven’t done a Harry Potter in 15 years” (it’s actually been nine years since Man of Steel came out and 11 years since the second part of Deathly Hallows). Zaslav then mentioned that both the Harry Potter and DC movies “provided a lot of the profits for Warner Bros.” over the last 25 years, and later said he’d like to see more entries in the former film series. In his words:

So for now, David Zaslav is only interested in revisiting the Harry Potter corner of the Wizarding World if J.K. Rowling is on board, but the fact that he mentioned this at the investor’s meeting suggests this is more than just a whim to him. Although J.K. Rowling didn’t handle writing the big screen adaptations of her books, she did co-write the three Fantastic Beasts movies. Assuming more Harry Potter movies were to end up on the proverbial table, it’s unclear if Zaslav is thinking about her co-writing screenplays again or simply wants her involved in other aspects of the creative process.

Of course, J.K. Rowling is seen in a much different light by the general public now compared to when the original Harry Potter movies were being released. The author has been surrounded by controversy over the last several years over her views on the transgender community, resulting in various people from the Harry Potter movies, including Daniel Radcliffe, speaking out against her rhetoric. On an unrelated note, Rowling also didn’t participate in Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts (released to HBO Max subscribers), with the author turning it down because the special was more about the movies than the books, “quite rightly.”

Despite J.K. Rowling being a controversial figure these days, David Zaslav is evidently keen on looping her into any future Harry Potter film endeavors, though again, such endeavors aren’t a done deal at this moment. Frankly, Warner Bros.’s plans for the Wizarding World are shrouded in uncertainty right now. Although the Fantastic Beasts film series had been envisioned to consist of five movies, there’s been no word on if the studio intends to move forward with them following The Secrets of Dumbledore’s underwhelming critical and commercial performance. There was also once talk about developing a live-action Harry Potter TV series, but it doesn’t sound like that’s in the cards anymore.

Should you wish to rewatch Harry Potter’s cinematic journey, the eight movies are now back on HBO Max alongside the three Fantastic Beasts movies. Should any concrete plans form about revitalizing this corner of the Wizarding World with J.K. Rowling, we’ll let you know.

The Wizarding World is a major part of pop culture, with entire generations growing up on Harry’s adventures through Hogwarts. Author J.K. Rowling created a worldwide sensation with her novels, which were expanded to a movie franchise, theme parks, and even Broadway plays. But Rowling has landed herself in hot water over her views on the transgender community, leading some to boycott the magical franchise altogether. And Harry Potter himself Daniel Radcliffe recently explained why he spoke out against the author’s trans rhetoric.

J.K. Rowling has been at the center of controversy for years now, thanks to comments she’s made about sex and gender, specifically related to transgender women. This prompted various figures from the Wizarding World to speak out, including the golden trio of Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, and Daniel Radcliffe. The latter actor recently spoke to IndieWire about his decision to use his platform in this way, saying:

Well, there you have it. Rather than trying to get in on a trend or make waves, it sounds like Daniel Radcliffe came out against J.K. Rowling’s transgender comments because he’s heard so many queer people connect to Harry Potter’s story throughout the years. And he wanted to make sure they still found a safe space in the beloved franchise. What a class act.

Daniel Radcliffe’s comments will ring true to plenty of LGBTQ+ folks out there who grew up either reading or watching (or both) Harry Potter’s journey to adulthood. The Boy Who Lived has a sense of otherness throughout the entirety of the franchise, which is something that many queer people feel as they’re also growing up and going to school. Daniel Radcliffe is well aware of this connection, and didn’t want J.K. Rowling’s views on gender to sour the Wizarding World for fans.

While some people have been boycotting the Harry Potter franchise, J.K. Rowling remains super connected to the Wizarding World. The studio recently defended its relationship with her, with Rowling also serving as the screenwriter of the Fantastic Beasts films. Although it’s currently unclear if Warner Bros. is moving forward with the final two planned movies.

Daniel Radcliffe’s new movie Weird: The Al Yankovic Story will arrive on the Roku channel November 4th (check out the reviews here). In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

The Wizarding World has been entertaining audiences for decades, with J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels growing into multiple film franchises, theme parks, and even stage plays. But the acclaimed author has been in hot water for the last few years over her comments about transgender women. While plenty of actors from the movies have come out against these ideas, Voldemort actor Ralph Fiennes recently defended Rowling in the midst of her controversies.

While the Harry Potter franchise continues to be part of the pop culture landscape, some fans are attempting to separate the Wizarding World from its creator. J.K. Rowling’s comments about the transgender community has resulted in massive outcry. Some even boycotted the behemoth property altogether, as Warner Bros. put its support behind her. Actor Ralph Fiennes recently offered his perspective on the controversy to the New York Times, where he was quoted saying:

He Who Must Not Be Named has spoken. And it seems like Ralph Fiennes has taken umbrage with J.K. Rowling receiving so much hate online over her views about transgender women. And given the sensitive nature of the discourse, smart money says that plenty of Harry Potter fans are going to have a reaction to what the Voldemort actor had to say about the ongoing situation.

Ralph Fiennes’ comments to the New York Times about J.K. Rowling stand in juxtaposition with what most of the Wizarding World actors have said about the matter. When the story first broke the internet, the trio of Harry Potters stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint all issued statements in support of the trans community. Fantastic Beasts’ Eddie Redmayne did the same thing, which turned heads since Rowling is writing that spinoff series. As Draco Malfoy actor Tom Felton recently clarified, she only came to the set a handful of times for the eight-film Harry Potter franchise.

The controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling dates back to 2019 and 2020, and revolve around her controversial views on transgender women, and sex vs gender. Her statements resulted in a massive backlash, with organizations like GLAAD calling them “cruel” and “inaccurate.” And activists condemning her comments on trans women, who are already a vulnerable group. But the author has only doubled down, while also receiving massive online hate including death threats. And it seems like that extreme reaction is that Ralph Fiennes is taking the most umbrage with. 

Ralph Fiennes’ new movie The Menu will hit theaters on November 18th. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

The Wizarding World has been entertaining the public for decades, starting with J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels and growing into theme parks, stage plays, and (of course) two different movie franchises. This year saw the release of The Secrets of Dumbledore, which was meant to be the third in a five-part series. But is Fantastic Beasts 4 actually happening? Franchise lead Eddie Redmayne shares his thoughts.

Eddie Redmayne debuted as Newt Scamander in the first Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movie, which was released back in 2016. He reprised that role in its two sequels, which have unfortunately had a decline in critical and box office success. There’s been no official confirmation of the fourth movie, leading fans to worry if the last two installments in J.K. Rowling’s spinoff series will ever see the light of day. Redmayne was recently asked by IndieWire if he’s hear anything about Fantastic Beasts 4, responding with:

Well, there you have it. It sounds like while Eddie Redmayne hasn’t heard any updates about Fantastic Beasts 4, he’s not convinced that the planned five-movie story will actually be completed. We’ll just have to wait to see if Warner Bros. gives word either way, and if we’ll get to follow the ongoing magical conflict with Grindelwald (who was played by both Johnny Depp and Mads Mikkelsen). 

Eddie Redmayne’s comments about the Fantastic Beasts franchise come as he’s promoting his new movie The Good Nurse, where he plays serial killer Charles Cullen. Eventually the conversation turned to the Wizarding World, and his tenure playing Newt Scamander. Unfortunately he’s got no clue if the fourth movie will actually be greenlit by Warner Bros. Fingers (and wands) crossed.

Back in April of 2022, it was reported that the fate of the fourth and fifth Fantastic Beasts movies would be dependent on the performance of David Yates’ threequel The Secrets of Dumbledore. Unfortunately that project was the lowest-grossing film in the Wizarding World so far, and received mixed reviews. So the question is: was the $405 million box office haul big enough to convince the studio to finish the prequel’s story?

Narratively, there are still a ton of questions surrounding the Fantastic Beasts movies that could seemingly go unanswered if the final movies aren’t produced. For instance, Nagini was noticeably missing from The Secrets of Dumbledore after debuting in the second movie. Tina was also noticeably missing from the threequel's action. Fans are also eager to learn more about Dumbledore and Grindelwald’s relationship, and see their conflict take center stage now that their blood pact is broken. 

Eddie Redmayne can be seen in The Good Nurse October 26th on Netflix. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

After becoming one of the most prominent and monetarily successful authors of the 21st century, J.K. Rowling has also become a Twitter personality, but not one without controversy. She’s made headlines for defending her position as a radical feminist and for taking stances that internet factions have felt have been anti-transgender (Rowling has denied these claims). This has meant a lot of people involved in the Harry Potter universe have been asked to respond about the author and her opinions, including the likes of Eddie Redmayne and now Tom Felton, who is in the midst of interviews in promotion of his new book. 

The Draco Malfoy actor has been busy promoting Beyond the Wand, a story which gets into a lot of behind-the-scenes information from the set of the eight released Harry Potter films (Fantastic Beasts is a separate franchise), including set stories about Alan Rickman and information about his special relationship with Emma Watson. As part of this promotion, The Independent asked Tom Felton to share how he has felt about J.K. Rowling's online positions. According to Felton, he has not been all that up on it. 

It’s true that Felton is a big-time dog guy; his social media feeds are dominated by his adorable dog Willow and he often shares fan art of the pup on “#WillowartWednesdays.” Once, his beloved pup was even sorted into a Harry Potter house. So the pup really is a focal point for him.

Yet, The Independent mentioned in the article that Rowling is only mentioned a few times throughout the book, calling it a "conspicuous absence." However, Felton also said that was by design, clarifying how much the author was actually on set during filming. 

At the end of the day, though, the former Harry Potter star did not seem particularly interested in getting deeply involved in the online discourse, though he did note that he feels it is OK to have differing points of view. 

Other Harry Potter franchise actors have expressed similar statements, including Felton’s Malfoy father figure, Jason Isaacs. The latter previously said his opinions might differ from the author’s but that people are “complicated” and he wasn’t interested in stabbing J.K. Rowling “in back.” Rupert Grint and others have toed a similar line, with the Ron Weasley actor calling the discourse a “tricky one.” Ralph Fiennes has been a little more defensive of the author, noting there are many who might not agree with her, but that he doesn’t understand the “vitriol” directed at the Harry Potter creator. 

Other stars in the franchise like Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson have more directly stated their support of transgender women without addressing Rowling's comments specifically. 

J.K. Rowling herself went viral this weekend again online when she was asked by a fan how she “sleep[s] at night” after having turned off a slew of fans based on her online discourse about radical feminism. She answered on Twitter, “I read my most recent royalty cheques and find the pain goes away pretty quickly.” 

Beyond The Wand: The Magic And Mayhem Of Growing Up A Wizard can be found on shelves everywhere, now. 

There are popular brands, and then there’s Harry Potter. The Wizarding World burst on the scene when J.K. Rowling’s novels became a sensation, with the franchise eventually growing to movies, theme parks, even stage plays. The cast and crew of the Harry Potter movie franchise recently filmed a sweet reunion event for HBO Max, but one person was noticeably missing: the author herself. Now Rowling has explained exactly why she didn’t participate in Return to Hogwarts.

Potterheads got a treat on New Year’s Day of this year, as that’s when HBO Max premiered the reunion event Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts. The generations of fans were delighted to see the cast back together, but it definitely turned a few heads that J.K. Rowling wasn’t featured, aside from old archive footage. While some thought this might be due to the controversies surrounding Rowling, she recently appeared on The Graham Norton Radio Show (via YouTube), and explained why she actually didn’t appear for the streaming special. As she put it,

Well, there you have it. While some assumed that J.K. Rowling might have been purposefully excluded from Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, that seemingly wasn’t the case. Instead, the author maintains she was invited, but decided to bow out of the opportunity. And we know exactly why she made this decision.

J.K. Rowling’s comments to Graham Norton actually make a great deal of sense given her ongoing involvement with Warner Bros. and the franchise through projects like the Fantastic Beasts franchise and the Cursed Child plays. As such, she was invited to participate in the Harry Potter reunion special, but decided against it. Namely because it was about the experience filming the eight movies, which Rowling wasn’t necessarily present for.

As previously mentioned, J.K. Rowling has been the subject of a number of controversies over recent years, largely related to her views on the transgender community. Plenty of icons from the Harry Potter franchise came out against her views, including the trio of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint. So when she wasn’t involved in Return to Hogwarts, some folks online debated whether or not she was even invited. But now we know the truth about how it all went down.

J.K. Rowling has continued writing the Fantastic Beasts movies in the midst of these controversies, most recently the threequel The Secrets of Dumbledore. It’s currently unclear if Warner Bros. is moving forward with the final two installments of the planned franchise. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Author and Wizarding World creator J.K. Rowling has become a bit of a controversial figure in the past couple of years. In his own way, author Salman Rushdie fits that same label, albeit for very different reasons and with a different sect of people. After the stabbing attack that severely injured Rushdie, the co-writer of the 2022 movie release Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore expressed sympathy towards her fellow wordsmith while decrying his attacker. Apparently that action was enough to land J.K. Rowling a death threat of her own. 

It all took place on Twitter, as Rowling shared the threat posted under that message of concern. While also tagging the site’s support account to flag the action, the Harry Potter author also called upon Twitter's support account to take action against this alleged threat. Here’s J.K. Rowling’s message, complete with screen caps: 

In the past, J.K. Rowling has seen backlash for both character choices in her Harry Potter books, as well as her stance on transgender people, which has seen responses from Daniel Radcliffe and other Potter cast members. While being hot button issues, it doesn’t seem like Rowling was issued death threats for those actions. Instead, it seems as though this social media statement was motivated solely by her support of Salman Rushdie. No one can concretely say that though, as the simply made threat didn’t elaborate on a motive. 

The attack on Salman Rushdie, which occurred Friday, August 12, left the author with several severe stab wounds. As shared by CNN, the motivations behind the stabbing are still unclear, but Rushdie is recovering well, after having been removed from a ventilator. It’s all very mysterious, though it’s a good thing that no actual deaths have occurred in either end of this upsetting story. Still, one could assume that J.K. Rowling's security presence will be beefed up for some time in the near future. 

Be it a controversy through unpopular statements or how an author/creator handles certain subject matters, death threats sadly aren’t a new phenomenon. Just recently Under the Banner of Heaven creator Dustin Lance Black was prepared for such threats, as the series pertaining to murder connected with Mormon extremists pushed back on the faith’s status quo. Even with those expectations set, it certainly doesn’t make it any easier when a threat is actually made. 

We’ll see how things pan out, as J.K. Rowling claims the police are investigating this threat. As such, it’ll take some time before we potentially learn anything further about this unfortunate incident. On the more business oriented side of things, Rowling recent meeting with Warner Bros. Discovery president David Zaslav might lead to more Harry Potter projects at the newly shaken-up WBD. Should there be any significant updates on any of these fronts, CinemaBlend will report them as they break.

The Harry Potter franchise has entertained audiences for decades, and is showing no signs of slowing down. But there is some controversy surrounding the Wizarding World, specifically about author J.K. Rowling and her comments about transgender individuals. And Warner Bros. recently issued a statement supporting Rowling following various controversies. 

J.K. Rowling has continued working with Warner Bros. through the Fantastic Beasts franchise, as well as various other projects. But during a recent press event featuring Draco Malfoy actor Tom Felton, a PR representative claimed that Rowling wasn’t connected to the actor or studio. And as a result, Warner Bros. issued an official statement to Variety supporting the author, which reads:

Well, there you have it. Despite any chatter to the controversy, it sounds like the collaboration shared between Warner Bros. and J.K. Rowling isn’t going anywhere. What’s more, the studio says that they’ll continue working together for decades to come. And as such, the conversation about Rowling’s views about transgender folks will also continue being a hot topic fo conversation. 

When Tom Felton was appearing at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, he was asked by a journalist about how it feels that J.K. Rowling has been noticeably absent from press events. This includes the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, which only features Rowling through archive footage; she wasn’t present during the actual reunion. When a journalist pressed Felton about this, a press rep shut down the question and claimed:

This is the statement that set the internet ablaze, with the generations of Harry Potter fans wondering if the studio was actually distancing itself from J.K. Rowling. This would have been particularly shocking considering the disappointing performance of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. It’s currently unclear if Warner Bros. is still moving forward with the final two installments of that spinoff series.

As a result of J.K. Rowling’s comments about transgender individuals, a number of actors from the Harry Potter franchise have issued statements in support of the trans community. This includes Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, and Eddie Redmayne. Although the latter continues to work with her on the Fantastic Beasts franchise. For now, check out the 2022 movies release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

It’s hard to believe that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter has existed in Orlando, Florida for over a decade now. Some of the OG people who were around when the theming was coming together still work in the parks today, and one of them, Chef Steven Jayson, recently opened up about what the pitch was like when butterbeer was being created for the first time, and how J.K. Rowling responded the first time she tried butterbeer.  

The first time the Harry Potter creator tried butterbeer she was actually in Scotland. A slew of people involved with creating the magic for Universal Orlanda flew overseas, including merchandise people and The President of Creative, Mark Woodbury, all to present various aspects of the parks to the author. When it came to food and beverage, though, of course the big iconic moment was when Rowling got to taste butterbeer for the very first time. Per Chef Jayson: 

I find it really interesting that the popular author spent so many books writing about that particular concoction but had never extrapolated it out further than saying she though it'd be “a little bit like less sickly butterscotch.” But it’s nice to hear that after the effort that went in to creating the iconic product, she had a positive reaction. She’s not the only Harry Potter personality to seemingly enjoy the drink, either, as Tom Felton has admitted to sinking “a few” butterbeers in his day.

Steven Jayson went on to tell us that Rowling was also “extremely pleased” with one other iconic beverage they’d concocted: The Three Broomsticks' Pumpkin Juice. The team had given her “two variations,” one of which Rowling picked and is still what is served at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. As for all of the other butterbeer additions to the parks, Chef Steven Jayson also spoke to us about how those were made over time, also stating they specifically try to only have “stuff [Rowling] wrote about” really available in the parks to keep up the immersive experience. (Note: You can get butterbeer in a few other places, including the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour in London and the special butterbeer experience in New York.)

So essentially the team found a way to satisfy butterbeer fans who might have all sorts of cravings. Given the occasional ups and downs of the weather in Florida, these additional products may have strayed from the butterbeer in the books somewhat, but I’m certainly not complaining. I know a lot of people love, love hot butterbeer when it’s offered and I will literally never turn down butterbeer ice cream from Florian Fortescue’s. Really, the products have been a win-win, both to create atmosphere in the Universal Orlando parks and also to satisfy our taste buds. And, of course, to take foamy mustache selfies too. 

After the middling box office performance of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, the future of the franchise is unclear. While Fantastic Beasts 4 isn’t a sure thing, Warner Bros. certainly doesn't seem to have given up on new Wizarding World of Harry Potter projects, and reportedly they are set meet with J.K Rowlding in the near future. HBO Max subscribers, you’re going to want to hear this.  

The main mover and shaker that’s supposedly going all in on Rowling’s creations, per the Wall Street Journal, is newly-installed Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav. If you've heard the name before, it may be because he's the man who recently cancelled DC’s Wonder Twins movie. Next up, he’s reportedly set to meet with the Harry Potter creator in order to discuss what could and should be done with the franchise in the future. Unsurprisingly, the main platform that seems to be in play for a new plan is the studio’s streaming service, HBO Max.

On the more optimistic side of things, David Zaslav could shore up longer storytelling in the Wizarding World for HBO Max. Independent of whatever plans may still be on the books for Fantastic Beasts’s presumed theatrical future, there’s always room for more unscripted programming like the tribute-filled reunion special Return to Hogwarts. Also, if the ambitions are high enough, Zaslav could inquire about whether or not an original series covering a previously unseen era of Potter history is feasible. There are loads of directions this could go in. 

On the other hand, this feels like somewhat of a downgrade for both the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts franchises. Maintained as theatrical experiences, a new focus on the streaming arena looks like a potential shift in strategy for Warner Bros. There isn’t an explicit implication this is the case at this point, but in light of recent theatrical events, some may see this as writing on the wall. 

Then, there’s the final scenario that Harry Potter fans have been pondering in the back of their minds since starting this story: a full-on adaptation of The Cursed Child. It’s something that would make for a fantastic HBO Max series, complete with lore expansion from J.K. Rowling an any other hired writers. Though with most of the original Harry Potter cast not interested in participating, that could easily backfire if not carefully handled. 

Despite whatever lulls the Fantastic Beasts saga has hit in theatrical markets, it’s not as easy of a cancellation call to make as something like the nascent Wonder Twins project. Whatever share of the market J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World still takes up is still substantial enough to warrant an in-person sit down with David Zaslav. It’s early days for this potential move forward, but HBO Max does lend itself to so many possibilities should the streamer get back into business with Rowling.

As it stands, the only Harry Potter content you can see on HBO Max is through the movies and specials that currently exist. Meanwhile, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is currently in theaters, with a streaming debut not too far off if the Warner Bros.’ streaming release window for The Batman is any indication. We'll keep ya posted. 

Fantastic Beasts 3 otherwise known as The Secrets of Dumbledore is set to hit the 2022 movie release schedule this month. The movie’s making, however, has been mired in setbacks and controversy including COVID delays, Johnny Depp’s exit as Grindelwald and Mads Mikkelsen’s addition as the same character, and backlash toward J.K. Rowling online about her reported transgender insensitivity. Now that press is moving forward for the new Beasts movie, Mikkelsen was asked to share his thoughts on the matter. 

The newcomer in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, recently open up about the upcoming movie, which means he was asked about a variety of topics, both on topic to and tangentially related to the Wizarding World. One of those topics was the ongoing discourse and backlash from some fans online over previous  J.K. Rowling tweets about the transgender community. Mads’ input? He’d rather not open his mouth without feeling like he has all the facts, telling GQ:

Mads Mikkelsen is not the first person related to Fantastic Beasts who has shared thoughts following a series of tweets J.K. Rowling posted back in 2020. Eddie Redmayne commented about respect for transgender people” noting it “remains a cultural imperative.” Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe also said in a longer statement of support for the LGBTQIA+ community that “transgender women are women.” Emma Watson also spoke out about the transgender community, believing those within “deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned.” As celebrities spoke out, there was additional backlash online. 

What Did J.K. Rowling Say Leading To Harry Potter And Fantastic Beasts Fan Backlash? 

The author of such works as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (or Sorcerer’s Stone here on this side of the pond) initially responded to a headline that had the words “People who menstruate” in it to insinuate that a short time ago that headline probably would have read “women.” She then responded to her initial comment, saying on Twitter:

In a separate tweet, the book and screenplay author also said: 

There are a full series of tweets on this topic that Rowling got into in June of 2020 and that can still be found on her social media account. J.K. Rowling then followed these comments up in a separate post about her “reasons for speaking out on sex and gender issues,” which again caused backlash online, with some follow-up tweets criticizing the author racking up thousands of likes. In the time since, Fantastic Beasts has moved on and readied for its big premiere this month, but the controversy has lingered.

Back To Mads Mikkelsen's Casting In Fantastic Beasts 3

In the case of Mads Mikkelsen, it’s worth noting he only came into the Fantastic Beasts franchise long after these events happened. Mikkelsen was signed on by Warner Bros. after the franchise actor lost his famous libel case in the U.K. and Johnny Depp ultimately stepped down from the role of Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. It was months after Rowling’s online opinions were voiced that Mads joined the Fantastic Beasts cast on set for the first time. He’s already having to respond a lot about taking over for Johnny Depp, and it seems like this other point is not something he’s particularly keen to dive into.

Though he did note he, in particular, tries to avoid social media given he “suck[s] at it,”  he also doesn’t want to be a part of polarizing debates, noting:  

What he is keen to talk about is the role of Grindelwald, which he may have inherited, but many believe was a great tradeoff, as reviews about Mads Mikkelsen's performance have been compared to Johnny Depp's, and positively reviewed. Mikkelsen admits that even with two more movies in the Fantastic Beasts franchise planned, he's unsure what the future holds, though he feels they will "need Grindelwald back." This may be good news, as early reviews for The Secrets of Dumbledore have been more positive overall than The Crimes of Grindelwald. 

After delays, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore hits theaters in the U.S. on April 15. 

After several years and multiple delays, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is finally coming to theaters in the spring of 2022, and will offer fans of J.K. Rowling’s sprawling Harry Potter franchise a glimpse at one of the darkest periods in the history of the Wizarding World. The third installment in the Fantastic Beasts series (though certainly not the last) will surely answer some of those burning questions we have all been asking since we last saw Newt Scamander and Albus Dumbledore in the extremely busy The Crimes of Grindelwald back in 2018.

But as we anxiously await the next chapter in the saga, now seems like a perfect time to take a look at what we know about Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore so far, including its release date, cast, and other vital information that everyone should know going in…

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore Release Date Is Set For April 15, 2022

Fans of the franchise have been waiting with bated breath for information on the theatrical release of Fantastic Beasts 3, but we’re happy to say there isn’t much time before the next chapter arrives. In September 2021 Warner Bros. finally revealed the title as Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore along with a release date of April 15, 2022. However, this wasn’t the first time a date had been thrown around over the years.

In April 2019, Warner Bros. issued an official release date of November 12, 2021. Fantastic Beasts 3 was initially expected to release on November 20, 2020, then the studio gave Dune that release date (which was also delayed several times). Production on Fantastic Beasts 3 was initially delayed from starting to film July 2019, to starting instead in late fall 2019. Filming was delayed yet again to start in the spring of 2020 to match the new November 2021 release date. Then the COVID-19 pandemic happened and you pretty much know the story from there.

The Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore Cast Is Led By Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law And Mads Mikkelsen

When Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is released upon the world, it will see most of the cast members from the first two movies in the series return to play their iconic characters with some new faces as well. Taking on the role of self-proclaimed magizoologist Newt Scamander is Eddie Redmayne. Also returning are Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore, Ezra Miller as Credence Barbone/Aurelius Dumbledore, Dan Fogler as Jacob Kowalski, Katherine Waterston as Tin Goldstein, Alison Sudol as Queenie Goldstein, and Callum Turner as Theseus Scamander.

One of the biggest stories surrounding the Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore has been the hiring of Mads Mikkelsen to portray Gellert Grindelwald from Johnny Depp, who stepped away from the franchise shortly after production began.

Other members of the cast include Richard Coyle, Maria Fernanda Cândido, Oliver Masucci, William Nadylam, Jessica Williams, Poppy Corby-Tuech and several others.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore Follows Albus Dumbledore As He Attempts To Stop Gellert Grindelwald’s Plan To Take Control Of The Wizarding World

Following the shocking events of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, the Wizarding World was left in a precarious situation, and by the way Warner Bros.’ official synopsis of the third movie sounds, it doesn’t look like things are going to get better before they get worse. In fact, it looks like things are going to get much worse for everyone involved.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is set to follow Professor Albus Dumbledore as he attempts to stop Gellert Grindelwald from taking control of the Wizarding World and shaping it to meet his desires. And since it was revealed in the final moments of The Crimes of Grindelwald that the two have a blood-pact that prevents them from dueling, Dumbledore enlists Newt Scamander and a small yet fearless team to stop the dark wizard’s plan before it comes to fruition.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore Is Directed By David Yates

David Yates will be continuing with the franchise, potentially to the end. He started in J.K. Rowling's magical world by directing  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and continued with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and both Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows movies. He returned to direct the first two Potter prequel movies in the Fantastic Beasts series, and he has officially signed on to helm the third installment. In 2018, longtime producer David Heyman told CinemaBlend he'd like to see David Yates continue to direct all five films. But it sounded like it was partly up to Yates himself, and also dependent on how things played out. 

The Secrets Of Dumbledore Is Not The Final Movie Of The Fantastic Beasts Saga

J.K. Rowling surprised fans when she revealed that she was actually planning to write five movies for the Fantastic Beasts series. Producer David Heyman later explained that she began by expecting three films but then, as she dug deeper and started writing the first script, she realized there was a lot more story to tell and didn't think she could fit it all into three movies.

The five-film Fantastic Beasts series is expected to span from 1926 to 1945, with the final movie including the big duel between Grindelwald and Dumbledore. The second movie was set in 1927 but, as shown above, Rowling hinted at the third movie being set at least in part in the 1930s. There has been no confirmation about the third movie's timeline. Will it lead up to the start of World War II, or would that real-world war be left to play out opposite the magical one in the fourth and fifth movies? Time will tell. (Get it? Time? #classic)

But even though there are two more movies on the way, very little is known about them at this time besides the fact that it looks like the fourth installment won’t be coming for quite some time.

The Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore Trailer Shows The Wizarding World On The Brink Of War

In December 2021, Warner Bros. finally released the long-awaited trailer for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore and it did not disappoint. In addition to featuring some amazing references to the Harry Potter movies, the exciting display of wizarding wonder shows off what’s to be a deadly march to all-out war between the two factions led by Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald. But even though Grindelwald’s forces of evil look as deadly as ever before, Newt Scamander and his team (consisting of a magizoologist, a wizard from an old family, a schoolteacher, and a Muggle) look up to the task. 

What Will Fantastic Beasts 3 Be Rated?

The MPAA won't reveal Fantastic Beasts 3's official rating until closer to the release date. But it's almost certainly going to be PG-13. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was rated PG-13 for "some fantasy action violence." Crimes of Grindelwald was rated PG-13 for "some sequences of fantasy action." Expect something similar for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.

Expect to hear more about Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore as we get closer to the film’s April 15, 2022 release. But while you wait, check out our ranking of the Harry Potter movies and don’t forget to take a glance at our 2022 movie release schedule.

The legacy of the Harry Potter franchise has become a difficult one in recent years as the franchise that many grew up with, has picked up some baggage along the way. While Harry Potter as a franchise is no less loved, J.K. Rowling, the author of the books, has been the center of controversy due to her stance on trans rights. And while Jason Isaacs admits that he has very different views on that topic, he also says he’s not willing to cut ties with Rowling entirely. 

In an interview with The Telegraph (via People) the man who played Lucius Malfoy throughout the Harry Potter series of movies said that, while he disagreed with J.K. Rowling on the subject of trans rights specifically, the woman herself is more than just this one opinion on this single issue. The fact that she’s a complicated person is part of what makes her interesting, Issacs explains… 

Jason Isaacs’ comments echo those of others in the franchise. Rupert Grint has also spoken out against J.K. Rowling’s trans views while being unwilling to cut ties with her entirely. Emma Watson has also spoken out in favor of trans rights, without mentioning the author by name. 

The thing that makes J.K. Rowling “complex” in the eyes of Jason Isaacs is that, while he may think she’s on the wrong side of this particular issue, he implies such without directly saying so, he believes the woman does good work elsewhere in her life that is worthy of note. While he makes it clear that this is not an excuse for her opinions, he doesn’t think it should be overlooked either. Isaacs continues…

Like everybody who loves Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling is an important person in the life of Jason Isaacs. He’ll be connected to the franchise, and thus to her, for the rest of his career. And he knows of the good that she’s done. He’s just trying to square that with this other side of her, like everybody else.