Warner Bros. Confirms JK Rowling Is “Not Involved” Amid Rumors of ‘Harry Potter’ Buyout

As we slowly inch closer to the Harry Potter reboot becoming a reality, we’re gradually learning more about what to expect from the new series – plus the full extent of JK Rowling’s role.

The Harry Potter franchise holds a cherished place in pop culture, known for its lasting cultural impact. Yet reactions to its upcoming HBO reboot range from passionate anticipation to full-on fury.

While there are those who think there’s space to expand on the original adaptation—with the structure of one season per book providing more opportunity to dive deeper into the details, characters, and scenes that were cut from the films—others are irritated by the idea of adapting a beloved franchise that ended just over a decade ago and by the fact that the reboot once again puts JK Rowling in the spotlight.

To say that the Harry Potter author has generated controversy lately would be an understatement. Rowling’s views on the transgender community and gender identity have sparked widespread backlash (even with the likes of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, and other Harry Potter stars), with many calling for boycotts of new entries in the franchise ever since.

It was previously rumored that this sentiment – plus its role in preventing said alumni from returning to film a live-action adaptation of the sequel “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” – had led Warner Bros. to consider buying Rowling out of the series.

In an episode of his newsletter, The Insneider, Sneider commented on the announcement of a new Harry Potter audiobook series and suggested that this is Rowling trying to make the most of the series while she can.

“Reading between the lines of this announcement, this feels like Rowling squeezing as much juice as she can from the Harry Potter orange before WBD inevitably buys her out to get rid of her, as the original stars won’t return while she’s still around,” Sneider wrote.

While we’re still not entirely convinced that this could or would happen, a new update from Warner Bros. has shared the extent of Rowling’s role with the franchise right now.

Variety revealed that Rowling is apparently “not involved in managing the franchise,” with Warner Bros. Discovery instead keeping her updated via her literary agent. “If we’re going to ever go beyond a canon conversation, we make sure that we’re all comfortable with what we’re doing,” said Robert Oberschelp, Warner Bros. Discovery’s head of global consumer products.

This follows an update from Warner Bros. confirming that plotlines from “Hogwarts Legacy” – the record-breaking Harry Potter prequel video game that debuted in early 2023 – will be worked into the upcoming reboot, which is expected to hit screens in 2026.

Do you think Warner Bros. should buy JK Rowling out of Harry Potter?