For more than two decades, the Harry Potter universe has stood as the quintessential family-friendly fantasy world. The original book series became a global phenomenon, selling over 500 million copies and captivating a generation of readers. That success translated seamlessly to the big screen, where an eight-film saga grossed billions and became a cultural touchstone for audiences worldwide. Now, HBO is making a massive investment to reignite the magic with a live-action television reboot of Harry Potter that will offer a season-by-season adaptation of the seven-book journey. Despite real-life controversies involving author J.K. Rowling, no other franchise has managed to replicate the unprecedented success of the Wizarding World. However, after years of searching for a worthy successor, Disney believes it has finally found the perfect contender to challenge that legacy.
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The Walt Disney Studios has officially acquired the rights to Katherine Rundell’s award-winning fantasy series, Impossible Creatures, in a massive seven-figure deal. The agreement gives Disney theatrical and ancillary rights to the book franchise, with plans already in motion to adapt the first two novels into feature films. Rundell, the author of the series, will be central to the creative vision, penning the screenplays for the initial films and producing them through her company, Impossible Films. The partnership also includes a first-look development deal for all of Rundell’s current and future literary properties, signaling Disney’s long-term commitment to building a major new cinematic universe based on her work.
Impossible Creatures Is Challenging Harry Potter‘s Throne
Impossible Creatures introduces readers to a hidden world called the Gilmouria Archipelago, a secret cluster of islands where every mythical creature from global folklore and legend continues to exist. The story follows a young boy, Christopher, who discovers the portal to this magical realm and learns his family is part of a long line of guardians sworn to protect it. He soon meets Mal, a girl from the Archipelago with the ability to fly, and together they embark on a quest to uncover why the magic that sustains the islands is fading, causing the creatures to die. Their adventure brings them face-to-face with sphinxes, griffins, krakens, and dragons as they race to save the last magical place in the world.
The series has quickly become a publishing juggernaut since its debut. The first two books have already sold over four million copies across 34 territories. With the release of the second installment, The Poisoned King, Rundell also became the first British children’s author since J.K. Rowling to simultaneously hold the number-one spot on the children’s bestseller charts in both the United Kingdom and the United States. The critical acclaim has been just as significant, with Impossible Creatures winning the prestigious Waterstones Book of the Year award and Rundell earning both “Author of the Year” and “Children’s Book of the Year” at the 2024 British Book Awards.
Initially planned as a trilogy, the immense success of Impossible Creatures prompted a major expansion to a five-book series, with further spinoffs already under discussion. Of course, a big-budget movie funded by Disney will only help the books to sell even more, and the future of the franchise seems to be safe. This combination of explosive sales, critical accolades, and a rapidly expanding world provides Disney with a powerful foundation to build a franchise capable of rivaling the biggest names in fantasy.
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Image courtesy of Focus Features.
