Hey everyone,
Welcome to another installment of Harry Potter Theory.
Today we’re going to be addressing all of the rumours surrounding prospective Harry
Potter TV Shows and future Harry Potter films.
I’ve been seeing a lot of commotion online and in my own comment section lately discussing
the future of the Harry Potter franchise and what may be next.
Most likely, these conversations have been re-ignited by the success of the newly released
Harry Potter game Hogwarts Legacy.
Fans are now wanting additional Harry Potter content more than ever, which puts franchise
owner Warner Bros in a good position.
Harry Potter is arguably in the best state that we’ve seen since the original films
came out- with previous Harry Potter game and film releases (Fantastic Beasts) succumbing
to the incorrigible scrutiny of devote Harry Potter fans across the globe.
Finally things seem good.
Nature is healing.
And with this recent success, I’ve been bombarded with article after article online
boasting about the next big film and/or tv show that’s going to fit in to the franchise.
But, is this genuine news?
Or is this just the same old title being recycled for the nth time?
Is there actually something on the horizon?
Let’s take a look.
The first title we’re going to look at is…
‘Hogwarts Legacy Show in the Works’ - well, that and 50 other variations of this same
title.
This headline has been making its way all around the internet in the last couple of
weeks and what I want to uncover is whether or not this headline is legitimate.
What does it mean?
Well, this headline suggests that there’s going to be a potential TV series based around
Hogwarts Legacy, which takes place in the 1800s and features a plethora of new characters.
The show would allow Warner Bros to explore a previously uncharted era of the magical
world.
This show would also operate with the added benefit that it’s not too closely tied to
existing characters and storylines in the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beast film franchises.
This will allow them to tell their own story and deep dive in to the wizarding world’s
rich history.
But is it actually going to happen?
Well, the truth is that it’s not confirmed.
It’s a wonderful idea, and it’s an easy headline to run, but in actuality I expect
that these ‘proven’ sources listed inside of these same articles are simply illegitimate.
Warner Bros have yet to make ANY announcements on this topic whatsoever, and given that the
game is still rolling out on various consoles, I don’t expect that we’ll receive an update
on this any time soon.
With that said, however, I do expect the immense success of the game to spark SOMETHING- just
not immediately.
I suppose this is a possibility, but as far as the rumours are concerned: this is not
something that’s currently in motion.
For the time being, when it comes to a Hogwarts Legacy TV series, well, I wouldn’t hold
your breath.
Which brings us to our next hot ticket item: the alleged Cursed ch*ld MOVIE with reprisals
from some of the original Harry Potter actors.
I’ve seen this headline everywhere.
“Warner Bros are currently looking at how to bring The Cursed ch*ld to the big screen,”
a source reported to The Sun.
“At the moment it is in very formative stages and they are discussing the next steps to
move it forward.”
The Cursed ch*ld play was written collaboratively by J.K.
Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany.
It premiered in London in 2016 and went on to become a huge success (mainly among non
Potterheads I suspect), winning all sorts of awards.
But as far as story goes, the Cursed ch*ld is one of the LEAST respected pieces of content
tied to the Harry Potter franchise- with some fans outright denying its existence.
The Cursed ch*ld takes place 19 years after the events of the Deathly Hallows and follows
Harry Potter's son, Albus Severus Potter, as he navigates through Hogwarts and deals
with the legacy of his father's past.
But bearing in mind all of the canon blunders and the fact that it wasn’t written exclusively
by Rowling, it’s certainly hard to accept.
So, what’s the likelihood that this play will be adapted in to film?
From where I’m sitting, it all seems rather unlikely.
This is just another one of those headlines that’s been recycled over and over again
to the point that it no longer bears any meaning.
In my view, the Cursed ch*ld is potentially Warner Bro’s least valuable piece of IP
inside of the Wizarding World, so to adapt this play in to a film rather than focus their
efforts elsewhere would be ludicrous.
The next component to this story is that all 3 main actors from the original films - Daniel
Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint - would all come back and work on this project together.
“The dream would be to have major stars returning, including Daniel Radcliffe, but
that is still incredibly far off,” a source told The Sun.
“Everyone who works within the Harry world wants Daniel to be back, but first they have
to iron out the plan for how many films it will be, a reworked script and budgets.”
But I think it’s just that- a ‘dream’.
To me the inclusion of this information just makes the possibility of this film even more
unlikely.
In the 20th anniversary special Harry Potter: Return to Hogwarts, some of the actors discussed
returning to the franchise ‘20 years from now’ but that was more in response to the
idea of another REUNION.
So, are there ANY confirmed pieces of information pointing to this film being made?
Absolutely not.
And do I want this one to happen?
Not really.
So, where does that leave us?
Is ANYTHING going to happen?
It seems like over the last couple of years we’ve been teased incessantly by Warner
Bros execs and media outlets alike about the possibility for a Harry Potter reboot- whether
in the form of a TV show or movie.
In a statement a few months back CEO David Zaslav emphasized the importance and significance
of the Harry Potter IP belonging to them:
“We’re going to focus on franchises," he said.
"What are the movies that have brands that are understood and loved everywhere in the
world?”
“We haven’t done a Harry Potter in 15 years.”
And it wasn’t long before Zaslav’s statement that WarnerMedia’s former CEO Jason Kilar
ALSO discussed Harry Potter’s potential, as well as his intentions for creating a Harry
Potter TV show.
"There's this little thing called Harry Potter, which is one of the most beloved franchises.
And we're incredibly thankful to be able to partner with J.K.
Rowling and so I would argue there's a lot of fun and potential there as well" Kilar
said.
But these statements, while exciting, are also always famously vague- carefully avoiding
the specifics of WHAT may happen and WHEN.
Why not a Marauders show?
Why not a show on the Founders of Hogwarts?
Why not a show on Voldemort’s origins?
As of right now, there are certainly lots of rumors circulating about potential Harry
Potter TV shows and movies, but what’s important to remember is that NOTHING has been confirmed.
Certainly don’t believe the first headline you see, and if it seems too good to be true,
it probably is.
However, given the recent success of the franchise (largely due to Hogwarts Legacy) - it’s
likely that the surge in popularity and profitability will push franchise owners to produce more
Harry Potter content in the near future.
Perhaps the Hogwarts Legacy SHOW is the next most likely option.
I’ll also say this: Hogwarts Legacy has seriously broken the Harry Potter lull for
me, so although I’d LIKE a tv show or film to follow the game up, I’m fine to wait
for a little while.
And that’s it for this video!
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What movie / tv show would YOU want to see?
Did you fall victim to these rumours?
Leave a comment down below
Until next time
Remember
It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live