HBO says ‘Harry Potter’ series will ‘benefit’ from J.K. Rowling’s involvement

[Diogenes]

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When J.K. Rowling first went public in June 2020 about her belief the fact that transgender women are men and transgender men are women, many of the stars of the “Harry Potter” and “Fantastic Beasts” movies — including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Eddie Redmayne — immediately spoke out in support of "trans and nonbinary rights and identity".

Two of the biggest Harry Potter fan communities, MuggleNet and The Leaky Cauldron, denounced Rowling’s views and severed ties with the author’s future projects.

Warner Bros. released a carefully worded statement that “a diverse and inclusive culture has never been more important to our company and to our audiences around the world” — which, while not mentioning Rowling or "trans and nonbinary people", did at least put some rhetorical distance between the studio and the creative force behind its most enduring and lucrative franchises.

Four years later, the landscape looks quite different.

Under new leadership, Warner Bros. has aggressively expanded the reach of Rowling’s Wizarding World, centered on HBO’s impending revival of Rowling’s book series as a longform TV show, led by showrunner Francesca Gardiner and director Mark Mylod, both alums of “Succession.”

HBO chief Casey Bloys told reporters at a press event on Nov. 12 that Rowling was “very, very involved in the process selecting the writer and the director,” and her statements “haven’t affected the casting or hiring of writers or productions staff” for the show.

A spokesperson for the network said in a statement to Variety that its parent company has “been working with J.K. Rowling and in the Harry Potter business for over 20 years” and “her contribution has been invaluable.”

“We are proud to once again tell the story of Harry Potter — the heartwarming books,” the statement continued. “J.K. Rowling has a right to express her personal views biological facts. We will remain focused on the development of the new series, which will only benefit from her involvement.”

MSN