It's been nine years since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was published, and five years since that tale was concluded on the big screen. Many believed that was the end of the Boy Who Lived's tale, but late last month, London's West End began showing previews for the two-part play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Right now, the story can only be experienced via the stage or read as a book later this month, but now has Warner Bros has made a move that suggests they may want to bring this new story to the big screen at some point.
Earlier this year, Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling said that Harry Potter and the Cursed Child would never be made into a movie. However, Brian Conroy, an intellectual property solicitor from Ireland, recently noted on his website that Warner Bros applied for a trademark for the movie rights to the play in the United Kingdom, among other things. There's a lot of legalese involved, but basically, this is odd since Rowling already has filed a lot of her own trademarks for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, thus giving her ownership of it in many areas. Conroy noted that because Warner Bros wouldn't be able to apply for a trademark for something they don't have the rights to, it's presumed the studio has her consent or reached an understanding. While it's possible that they did this simply to cover their legal bases, it will no doubt renew speculation about a possible movie.
It's worth noting that movie adaptations based on Broadway or West End plays usually take a while to come out in theaters, so even if a Harry Potter and the Cursed Child movie is officially announced, it would be many years before it was released. Fortunately, Warner Bros has the Wizarding World covered with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which will follow Newt Scamander in the 1920s. That movie already has two sequels scheduled, leaving them covered on the magic front until 2020.
It's safe to say that fans who can't see the play or aren't content with just reading it would welcome a Harry Potter and the Cursed Child movie. Even though there's a lot of anticipation for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, many have an emotional connection to the main characters from the original books/movies. May would welcome the opportunity to reunite with Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger Draco Malfoy and other familiar faces as adults with their families. The big question is whether the original actors would reprise their roles and be aged using makeup or the same technology from at the end of Deathly Hallows Part II, or would new actors in their 30s-40s play the characters instead? My guess is the latter, if only to reduce expenses.
We'll keep you updated if any other news regarding a Harry Potter and the Cursed Child movie adaptation pops up. For now, the play is scheduled to open to the public at London's Palace Theatre on July 30, and the book version will hit shelves on July 31.
