A live-action TV series set in JK Rowling’s Wizarding World has been in talks for some time now and it was recently revealed that newly renamed steam streaming service Max (a result of the merger of Warner Bros and Discovery) will will indeed once again bring to Hogwarts. Perhaps not in the most inspired way. The streamer has embarked on a ten-year project to adapt JK Rowling’s seven Harry Potter books over seven seasons as faithful adaptations, with Rowling serving as the series’ executive producer. But an adaptation of the books seems like such a safe and frankly uninspired choice. Let’s go.
I don’t want to sound like a total detractor with this article. But I find my excitement, as a big fan of the world, on the “meh” side with this reveal. Despite the omission a lot of book content, all eight Harry Potter films are adored. There is no doubt about it. Sets, on-point actors, music and charm, many have a special place for these films in their lives. Thus, an adaptation of the books will undoubtedly bring comparisons, which risks being brutal for young actors who will undoubtedly be placed alongside Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Roberts and Rupert Grint, who interpreted Harry, Hermione and Ron. respectively. This kind of pressure in this ever-online world of toxic fandom only invites stress for these potential new talents.
There’s also how the decision to adapt the books comes from a marketing standpoint. Warner Bros and the Wizarding World have suffered defeat with their fantastic beasts movies. Each made less money at the box office, despite being an original story set in this world. I’ve talked about this at length, but the main problem with this franchise is that it’s had an identity crisis. Was it a series for children or a series for adults? He tried to do both and it caused so many problems with the tone and the script. I think it’s safe to assume that executives are now afraid to do something new, to release anything with an unknown title to the casual audience. fantastic beasts failed not because of its ideas, but because it didn’t know what ideas to commit to (that and many casting controversies over the years may have hurt box office results). So where does Warner Discovery go now with its most lucrative intellectual property? Well, “Harry Potter”, of course. Resell the brand. People know the name, and anyone who’s read the books knows there’s tons of content missing, especially in the latest books. So it’s a safe move for the general public and for those deep within the fandom who are clamoring to see every detail brought to life.
And from the looks of the reveal teaser, they will also retain the musical theme and aesthetic that was established in the films thanks to the iconic castle being the first marketing element. That in itself brings a lot of problems. Hogwarts is already easily identifiable in the pop culture sphere and is a key Universal theme park attraction, so from a branding perspective I can see why the castle won’t change (although it will). act from the wrong castle, ugh that viaduct irritates me like you wouldn’t believe Mini rant, but the castle is completely CGI ever since Deathly Hallows Part II instead of being a set/movie/miniature/CGI hybrid and the model shown in the Max teaser is the same relics model, which is also the same model used in fantastic beasts (chronologically before the Harry Potter franchise, so this is a deliberate aesthetic choice rather than “the castle evolves cause magic”. Hogwarts Legacy, it should be noted, does not use this model. Go wild. But thanks to the reuse of the castle’s iconic design, the show might also struggle to find its own identity if it’s just a matter of repurposing the visual style of the films.
But taking risks is part of being an artist. The Harry Potter movies, as mentioned, are beloved. There was a 20th anniversary special that aired in 2022, highlighting the enduring power of these films. Sure, a new generation can grow up with this new show, but if the bigger angle is to adapt the books page by page, why not just read the books then? (shocking, I know). Instead, as I’ve mentioned before, I think Max should have considered leveraging the lore and fleshed-out stories that we’ve only heard about in passing. Instead, do seven seasons about James Potter’s upbringing, school formation, or even a Tom Riddle series. Damn, even an adaptation of cursed child maybe not a bad idea if the original cast could return.
It’s also worth pointing out that JK Rowling will serve as the show’s executive producer. Beyond the fact that this seems like a bad marketing angle and the politics involved in this decision, we have to look again at the cast, bearing in mind that they are children. Sebastian Croft, one of the voice actors of the main character of Hogwarts Legacy, faced heavy criticism for joining the game, to the point where he had to release a statement saying he had been cast in the role three years before the controversy and reaffirmed his support for the trans community. Rowling was not involved in the game’s development and marketing moved away from her, but she earned income from game sales. Croft had the benefit of joining the game Before to Rowling’s tweets that made her a controversial figure, as he mentioned, but those kids are going to sign a project with that knowledge already readily available and there’s a good chance that those kids and their families will be targeted for join a production with Rowling serving as executive producer.
Of course, my gut reaction of disappointment doesn’t carry much weight in the grand scheme of things. There will be a whole new generation growing up with this cast as their versions of characters from the books and the studio’s promise of a more faithful adaptation means we’ll get a ton of new content not seen in the movies. All is not catastrophic. Just from a creative point of view, it seems easy. And to quote Dumbledore, sometimes you have to choose between what’s right and what’s easy. I can’t say for sure if a reboot was the right choice, but it was definitely the easy choice.
Add comment