Few IPs print Galleons like Harry Potter: decades of book sales, eight blockbuster films, and Butterbeer flowing at Universal Studios worldwide. HBO’s upcoming TV series—one novel per season—seemed like easy math. Yet the equation just became complicated.
In the UK, the Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland has cemented legal definitions of “sex” and “woman” as biological, a shocking blow to the trans community. But J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series and EP on the upcoming reboot, cheered from the deck of her yacht, tweeting a cigar-clenched “I love it when a plan comes together.”
But her victory lap hit social media like a rogue Bludger. Pedro Pascal, best known for The Mandalorian and The Last of Us, is one of many celebrities and non-magic folk alike to have fired back at Rowling’s celebration, branding the author a “heinous loser.”
Related: ‘Bridgerton’ Star Says No to ‘Harry Potter’ Amid Controversial J.K. Rowling Views
However, all of this controversy lands while casting news is still warm.
HBO recently announced that John Lithgow will don Albus Dumbledore’s half-moon specs, Paapa Essiedu will portray a younger Severus Snape, and Nick Frost is set lumber as Rubeus Hagrid. Add Janet McTeer, Luke Thallon, and Paul Whitehouse, as Minerva McGonagall, Quirinus Quirrell, and Argus Filch respectively, and production looks solid—on paper at least.
While nobody has bolted yet, if the backlash towards Rowling intensifies, an actor could sidestep the fallout faster than you can say “Diagonally!”
Meanwhile, it’s likely that the new cast members, along with showrunner/EP Francesca Gardiner (HBO’s Succession, His Dark Materials, Killing Eve), director of multiple episodes/EP Mark Mylod (Succession, Game of Thrones, The Last of Us), will face a PR balancing act. But can fans/viewers learn to separate the art from the artist?
Distance the show from Rowling is very unlikely to happen seeing as she’s an executive producer. On the other hand, embracing her probably means inviting more controversy.
Either way, filming is slated to begin this summer. Until then, the Wizarding World sits at a crossroads: a franchise still rich in story potential but tethered to a creator who shows no signs of muting her megaphone. The Harry Potter TV series isn’t canceled, delayed, or even dented—at least not yet. But in an industry where perception guides purse strings, HBO’s biggest enemy may be the next tweet, not the next Dementor.
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What do you think about JK Rowling’s tweet and Pedro Pascal’s response? Let us know in the comments below.
