It's time to get back on our broomsticks or find our way back to Platform 9 3/4 because the Harry Potter series is officially in the works at Max. In the upcoming series, we will be whisked back into the Wizarding World as we follow Harry, Ron, Hermione and co. back to Hogwarts in a "faithful" adaptation of the beloved book series.
As HBO Max announced its rebranding to Max, it was also officially confirmed that a "faithful adaptation" of the books written by J.K. Rowling would be developed into a scripted series. This ongoing show will take place over the course of a decade and will feature an entirely new cast.
The announcement also made it very clear that this series will be "authentic to the original books," and Rowling, who is also an executive producer on the show, said:
Max’s commitment to preserving the integrity of my books is important to me, and I'm looking forward to being part of this new adaptation which will allow for a degree of depth and detail only afforded by a long form television series.
Following the official announcement at Max’s big event, the streamer took to Twitter to bring home the point that this series will be an authentic adaptation of the books. The video with the news also included the iconic Harry Potter theme and Hogwarts castle, making this announcement feel very, very real.
By turning the books into a TV series there will be more time to explore plotlines from the novels that were minor details in or completely left out of the movies, like The Marauders, Hermione’s Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare (S.P.E.W.), and Ginny and Harry’s relationship.
While the show promises to tell the stories from the books, and will have the same “epic craft and care this global franchise is known for,” one thing that won’t be the same is the cast. A new crew of 11-year-olds will be getting their letters to the magical school, and I’d assume a whole new ensemble of professors, family members and supporting characters will also be added. Personally, I’d love to see some of the original Harry Potter cast in the series by way of cameos or smaller roles, however, it makes complete sense that there will be an entirely new ensemble, and likely no crossover from the films.
Over the course of the season, the stories from the seven books will unfold, and the series will be created over the course of ten years. This follows suit with how the Harry Potter movies were released, with Sorcerer’s Stone coming out in 2001 and Deathly Hallows Part 2 being released in 2011. While this is essentially a remake of the books, again, the announcement notated that the “beloved films will remain at the core of the franchise and available to watch globally.”
Since people found out about this new Harry Potter series opinions on it have been split. Some can’t wait to take a deeper dive into this beloved fantasy world. However, others think it should be left alone for multiple reasons, including the controversial comments J.K. Rowling made about trans women, and the fact that there are other Potter properties that have not received a screen adaptation. Overall, there are a lot of questions about why this series is happening now, and what it will look like in comparison to the movies that didn’t come out that long ago.
When the series comes out, it will be available through the Max streaming service. For now, you can watch all eight Harry Potter movies with an HBO Max subscription, and be sure to re-read the books so you are ready for this in-depth TV adaptation whenever it comes out.
