JK Rowling is milking the Harry Potter franchise down to its last golden galleon
Warner Bros. Discovery is reportedly in talks to produce a new Harry Potter TV show, directly based on the original seven books. The news has left many fans of the series divided, with some excited about the prospect of seeing their favourite stories brought to life once more, while others are skeptical about the need for yet another adaptation.
While many fans still love and appreciate the Wizarding World, they are conflicted about supporting an author with such harmful beliefs.
Besides, the franchise has been milked to the point of oversaturation, leaving many wondering if a new show can truly capture the magic of the original.
The project would include author JK Rowling, who would be involved in the creation of the show, though not as a showrunner. This news has sparked controversy due to Rowling's recent transphobic comments, which have caused many fans and cast members of the Harry Potter movies to distance themselves from her.
Some critics argue that companies should not work with Rowling, given her harmful rhetoric, which is being used to justify intolerant legislation against trans individuals.
Setting aside how absurdly unnecessary a HARRY POTTER reboot is in the first place, I’d just rather we not continue to give billions to a woman who has made it her life mission to invalidate the existence of trans women & endanger our lives with her unrelentingly hateful rhetoric
— Zoë Rose Bryant (@ZoeRoseBryant) April 4, 2023
In a recent interview on the podcast, The Witch Trials of JK Rowling, Rowling compared the villains of Harry Potter, the "Death Eaters", to the modern trans rights movement. She stated that she sees the movement as "powerful, insidious, misogynistic" and not "benign or powerless". This statement has only fuelled the fire of the ongoing debate surrounding Rowling's transphobia.
The controversy surrounding Rowling's transphobia has led to many fans re-examining the series and finding problematic aspects. The treatment of house elves and goblins in the books has been called out as being insensitive and perpetuating harmful stereotypes.
100% this is happening cuz rowling got so mad that radcliffe, watson & grint all said trans rights that she wants to replace them in the popular memory with some terf babies she's got stored in her scottish castle basement https://t.co/G79hZo55tY
— Lesbian Death Bed: The Bed that Eats Pussy (@bitterkarella) April 4, 2023
Moreover, the idea of a TV remake of the original Harry Potter novels as a lengthy show is being criticised for being downright bizarre and baffling for countless reasons. It suggests that Warner Bros Discovery has no idea what to do with these characters and is wearily putting its hands in the air, admitting defeat. It also highlights the lengths to which the Wizarding World franchise has been milked, with the original books already having been adapted into a series of feature-length movies, a spin-off series, and a video game.
Furthermore, some critics argue that there are only seven Harry Potter books to draw from, and mostly everything has already been covered in the original films. Additionally, the opportunity to offer new visual interpretations of this world is limited because of how much marketing is tied into the Harry Potter world. This is a lose-lose scenario narratively and visually, no matter how you slice it.
just dire headlines all around today, but there’s no way this succeeds. what are they gonna do, have a new composer write a new Harry Potter theme? design a new version of Hogwarts? reuse the previous iteration’s iconography as nostalgic callback? I don’t believe it for a second https://t.co/qLGaWt746J
— Houston Coley (@artwithinpod) April 4, 2023
The TV show's inclusion of a trans character and diverse casting could be seen as an attempt to skirt around all of Rowling's rhetoric. However, this new Harry Potter TV show will still line up the pockets of Rowling, who will be getting more cash just to allow a new creative team to regurgitate stories while Warner Bros Discovery cancels a slew of shows headlined and made by women of colour. Projects that would be emphasising the human beings and artists Rowling’s stories erase, would indeed vanish.
The Harry Potter franchise has been milked for all its worth, with spin-offs, sequels, and prequels flooding the market. In a media landscape already oversaturated with reboots and sequels, it remains to be seen whether a Harry Potter show will be successful or just another example of a beloved IP overshadowed by a melodramatic culture war.
percy jackson trending bc harry potter is getting a reboot yea nobody wants to see this shit https://t.co/0gLKsvC32g pic.twitter.com/bUbWHL4Wd7
— 𓆉 (@ANNABlTCHASE) April 4, 2023
The Potterverse has become a cultural phenomenon, and it is understandable that Warner Bros Discovery would want to capitalise on its success. Still, many fans feel that enough is enough and that it is time for the franchise to be put to rest. The recent flop of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore suggests that audiences have moved on, and this latest attempt to turn back the clock may not be the answer.
Rowling and Warner Bros only have to look at Marvel, and they would know why.