Warner Bros ‘in talks’ with JK Rowling about Harry Potter TV series

A Harry Potter TV series is under discussion between Warner Bros and JK Rowling.

The media giant is reportedly pushing to convince the author to produce a new series based directly on her book series for its new streaming service that will combine HBO Max and Discovery+.

Bloomberg first reported that the media giant was “close to a deal” for the series on Monday (3 April). However, The Independent understands that while the proposal is “in talks”, it is not near completion.

Bloomberg cites two sources with knowledge of the deal saying that each season of the series will be based on one of the seven books.

The controversial author will be “involved in the series to ensure it remains loyal to her original material” but will not be involved in the day-to-day running of the show or serve as its creator, the publication’s sources say.

The Independent has contacted Rowling’s representatives for comment.

The news comes days after Rowling’s production company Brontë Film and TV reported a 74 per cent drop in profits.

The company’s subsidiaries include Harry Potter Theatrical Productions, which produces the play Harry Potter and The Cursed Child. Brontë has attributed its plummeting profits to the closure of theatres during the Covid lockdown.

The English author has been the subject of sustained backlash due to her stance on transgender issues, which some critics have characterised as “transphobic”.

You can read The Independent’s timeline of JK Rowling’s comments about women and transgender rights here.

Earlier this year, the highly anticipated game based on the Harry Potter universe Hogwarts Legacy was released after being met by some unsuccessful calls for a boycott.

Warner Bros produced the eight films based on the book series, which generated more than $7.7bn (£6.2 bn) at the worldwide box office.