In an age where literary masterpieces like Lord of The Rings, or more recently Neil Gaiman's The Sandman, are being adapted into television series with massive budgets, it's hard to believe Hollywood isn't rushing to make TV shows for any books that don't already have them. This may be why when rumors recently sprung up about a Harry Potter series in development, folks were quick to get excited. Unfortunately, in a recent bit of bad news, reliable sources are denying that's happening.
J.K. Rowlling's reps have officially reached out to outlets, and made it clear that there are no plans for a Harry Potter television series at the moment. The statement (via Hypable) came after other outlets ran with the rumor that WB is in the process of crafting a prequel series set in the world of Harry Potter. The show, which was reported to be in "very early stages" is "purely speculative" according to Rowling's people.
For now, it appears that would squash any speculation that a Harry Potter series is in development. Those fooled needn't be embarrassed, as it isn't hard to imagine a show like this could be in development given the recent surge in high-profile television adaptations of major books, and the increasingly competitive streaming war emerging between major companies.
If a Harry Potter series was an option, it's a safe bet major streaming outlets like Netflix and Hulu would be fumbling over their wallets to throw as much money as possible at it for the rights. Of course, with WarnerMedia planning their own streaming service, it's also entirely possible a Harry Potter series could eventually find its way on there. According to the original rumor, that was supposed to be the home for this series Rowling's reps are denying exists.
To play devil's advocate, however, it is worth noting that the reps only denied that a television adaptation of the Harry Potter stories was in development. That wasn't the actual rumor, which was said to be a prequel series set at Hogwarts with entirely new characters. J.K. Rowling's team may have just released a blanket denial statement without reading too deeply into the rumor, but it is interesting to note the official denial didn't match the rumor.
One has to imagine a Harry Potter series will happen sooner or later. This franchise has had feature films, spin-off films, spin-off books, a theatrical play, and much beloved theme parks. Television is just the next logical step, and a great way to further expand the franchise's universe. In the meantime, fans can debate amongst themselves whether a new tale about Hogwarts is the right move, or if a tale focused on one of the other wizarding schools would be better.
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Is it the right time for a Harry Potter series, or should Hollywood hold off and possibly try to re-adapt the books as shows in the future? All pitches for a Wizarding World series can be written in the comments below, and readers can continue to stick with CinemaBlend for all the latest news in television and movies.
