Harry Potter has had quite a life beyond the series of books written by author J.K. Rowling. In addition to the eight feature films, there have been audiobooks, countless merchandise and fan art, LEGO sets, mobile games, the Fantastic Beasts movies, theme parks, plays… and now possibly a TV series on HBO Max!
Hollywood Reporter shared the news earlier today that a series for the streaming service is in the early stages of development. Executives have been having meetings with potential writers about what might be explored in a show set in the magical world of Harry Potter.
In fact, the talks for the series are so early that both Warner Bros. and HBO Max are denying that a series is in the works. However, a show based on the popular series would be a good logical step for the franchise. It has long been popular to adapt books into shows, but the concept really gained steam with the explosion of popularity that was Game of Thrones. So much so in that it spurred on Amazon to develop their own series based in the world of J.R.R. Tolkien‘s Lord of the Rings. It also might be a way to right the ship that is the Harry Potter franchise. The Fantastic Beasts films have been plagued with problems after a strong beginning with the first film. The sequel did not receive good reviews and underperformed at the box office, in addition to controversy concerning some of its stars.
As to what a show like this would cover, that is obviously still very much up in the air. I think it is safe to say, though, that it would not cover the events of the Harry Potter books, as that was what we saw in the films. A series on HBO Max could theoretically cover everything from the rise of Voldemort and the rebellion against him with the Potters, Sirius Black, and all, to the years of Harry and friends as adults, and the lives of their children.
