Harry Potter: Warner Bros. Discovery CEO Wants to Work with J.K. Rowling on More Movies

The reign of Warner Bros. Discovery has been filled with some interesting moments, as the newly-combined media conglomerate shifts its strategy for movies, television, and beyond. So far, that tenure has involved everything from cancelling already-finished movies to shelving cult-classic shows, as well as enlisting new and familiar creatives to put their stamp on certain franchises. During Warner Bros. Discovery’s Q3 earnings call, CEO David Zaslav expressed a desire to prioritize several movie franchises — including Harry Potter, which he hopes to work on with the franchise’s original author, J.K. Rowling, saying “If we can do something with JK on Harry Potter going forward,” Zaslav said in part.

This comes after Rowling has become a divisive figure in recent years due to various controversial comments, including many transphobic sentiments. Rowling’s public behavior has led to many fans and many of the Harry Potter films’ cast members denouncing her altogether, including the titular star, Daniel Radcliffe, who penned an op-ed with the LGBTQ+ organization The Trevor Project speaking out against her comments.

Have there been Harry Potter sequels or spinoffs?

So far, the biggest addition to the Harry Potter mythos has been a trilogy of Fantastic Beasts fans — which have floundered at the box office and drawn additional controversy due to the offscreen behavior of stars Johnny Depp and Ezra Miller. While the larger franchise has had some other tie-in elements, including a few pieces of non-scripted programming and an upcoming video game, the overall Potter brand has ebbed and flowed, with reports indicating that it could be “reset” altogether under Zaslav’s reign.

Still, there’s definitely an interest for what the larger Potter world could have to offer, as evident by the massive online popularity of the fanfic All the Young Dudes, a fanfic that imagines the origin story of Harry’s parents and mentors.

“We would love to develop more original Harry Potter series, and we regularly talk to JK Rowling and her team,” former Warners CEO Ann Sarnoff said late last year. “It’s got to be right though. Whatever we do has to be true to the canon, and true to the ethos of the Wizarding World, and who Harry is.”

What do you think of the latest update surrounding Warner Bros.’ plans for the Harry Potter franchise? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!