A lot of people are excited about the newly-announced Harry Potter show on the new HBO Max, simply called Max now. A lot of people are also unhappy. One of the main reasons for that unhappiness is the fact that series creator J.K. Rowling is going to be an executive producer on it.
Perhaps trying to get ahead of the backlash, Rowling released a statement about the show and how she feels about it.
“Max’s commitment to preserving the integrity of my books is important to me,” she said. Were the movies not faithful? Did they lack integrity? She also said she’s “looking forward to being a part of this new adaptation.”
She went on to praise the medium of television, saying that it allows for “depth and detail” that can only come from TV.
While a lot of people are up in arms, it’s not like she’s appearing in the show. She’s not the showrunner, either. Warner Bros. Discovery is hoping this show will be the cornerstone of its new streaming strategy, one that began when the two behemoths merged a year ago.
Rowling is, of course, a controversial figure, mostly due to transphobic comments, which she seems to double down on from time to time. The controversy threatens to taint what’s supposed to be a family friendly-franchise that everyone can enjoy. Regardless, Warner Bros. Discovery is putting a lot of eggs into the Harry Potter basket.
This commitment of time and money means something really egregious would have to happen with Rowling for them to cancel it. Even then, they could still make the series without her. We’ll keep you posted.