An HBO executive addresses J.K. Rowling's involvement in the version of Harry Potter in the form of a television series. The show will feature an entirely new cast, including John Lithgow as Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Snape, Nick Frost as Hagrid, Janet McTeer as Professor McGonagall, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch.
In an interview with Puck's Matt Belloni, HBO's Casey Bloys speaks on Rowling's involvement in the Harry Potter TV series. He noted that Rowling's association with the company "is not new," noting they have "been in business for 25 years." He stated that "it's pretty clear that those are her personal, political views" and assured audiences that "Harry Potter is not secretly being infused with anything." Check out the full quote from Bloys below:
“The decision to be in business with J.K. Rowling is not new for us. We've been in business for 25 years. We already have a show on HBO from her called C.B. Strike that we do with the BBC. It's pretty clear that those are her personal, political views. She's entitled to them. Harry Potter is not secretly being infused with anything. And if you want to debate her, you can go on Twitter.”
What This Means For The Harry Potter TV Show
Rowling Has Been Controversial For Years Now
Though the Harry Potter books and movies have long been beloved, the series' legacy has been marred by Rowling's personal beliefs. The backlash against the author began in 2018 when those who followed her on social media noted that she liked a tweet that referred to transgender women as "men in dresses." Though she declared it an accident at the time, Rowling has since gone on to be far more overt in her opposition towards transgender people, even defending her stance as Harry Potter actors spoke out against her.
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This enraged several Harry Potter fans, some of whom self-identified within the LGBTQ+ community. Bloys' quote references the widespread concern that Rowling's controversial political views would have an influence on the TV series. While the HBO executive does ensure that the show will not be "secretly infused" with any anti-trans or other viewpoints, he does not outline exactly how the series will avoid such influence.
Our Take On J.K. Rowling's Relationship With The Harry Potter Series
Rowling's Influence Could Happen In Various Ways
Perhaps one of the biggest ways that Rowling could influence the Harry Potter TV show negatively is in the casting. In addition to her outspoken political opinions about transgender people, the author gained notoriety for retconning elements of her original novels, including retroactively saying that Hermione could have been Black in the books, or saying that Dumbledore was gay. How the Harry Potter show will cast and portray characters remains to be seen, but there is still room for the show to be influenced heavily by Rowling, even if subconsciously.
Source: Puck
Harry Potter
- Showrunner
- Francisca Gardiner
- Directors
- Mark Mylod
Cast
Dominic McLaughlinHarry Potter-
Arabella StantonHermione Granger
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Alastair StoutRon Weasley
Albus Dumbledore
