Harry Potter TV series backlash explained. Max, the newly rebranded form of HBO Max, just announced a slew of projects along with its facelift. Most notably, a full reboot of Harry Potter.
Brewing for a while, the announcement and HBO Max changes weren’t too surprising, but that doesn’t mean Harry Potter fans are happy about the upcoming TV series adaptation coming to the streaming service.
Here’s what’s going on with the internet’s response to the choice to re-adapt the books and the Harry Potter TV series backlash explained.
Harry Potter TV series backlash explained
We’re in the era of endless sequels, remakes, and reboots, and the response to the Harry Potter TV series announced for Max is partly due to this lack of creativity.
Harry Potter has the potential for a large, developing world, not unlike Star Wars or the MCU. So, many fans would have preferred to have seen new stories be told in the wizarding world, instead of retreading ground.
When the Harry Potter TV series release date arrives, we’re supposedly set to go much more in-depth when compared to the eight existing movies starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, but they will essentially be the same stories. This news comes just over a decade after the final Harry Potter movie, Deathly Hallows Part 2.
Given this timeframe, it’s understandable some people have shared thoughts on a rehash being pointless. Many feel that this choice is unoriginal and doesn’t have the potential a new take on Hogwarts would have.
Alternative pitches include a new cast of young kids starting their education at the magic school or a continuation of the original Harry Potter cast‘s storylines — although their willingness to be involved would hang on factors aside from mere discourse about Hollywood’s love of existing IP, as evidenced by their statements about JK Rowling.
Speaking of which, JK Rowling herself may be the other reason some fans aren’t particularly excited about the TV series. Rowling has made a number of controversial comments about the trans community which, judging by the reaction on social media, have had an impact on the popularity of the Harry Potter franchise. Rowling’s critics and several LGBTQ+ charities have accused her of transphobia, and several members of the Potter cast have spoken out against the author’s comments.
That’s the Harry Potter backlash explained. In lighter news, you can take a peek at our best TV series, best horror series, and the new movies coming in 2023.
The creator of the Harry Potter series, JK Rowling, has made a number of transphobic remarks on social media in recent years. If you’d like to learn more about transgender equality or lend your support, here are two charities we encourage you to visit: the National Center for Transgender Equality in the US, and Mermaids in the UK.