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HBO has issued an official statement on the involvement of Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling in its upcoming TV series adaptation of the iconic fantasy novels. HBO’s Harry Potter series is currently scheduled to release in 2026.
In recent years, J.K. Rowling has become a controversial figure due to her hardline stances on the transgender community. Despite this, however, HBO has confirmed that Rowling has been working with the network on the series and her contribution has been “invaluable.”
Rowling, 59 years old, published the first Harry Potter book — Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone — in June 1997 after she wrote the novel between 1990 and 1995. Since being turned into a multimedia franchise with the release of the first film in 2001, the “Wizarding World” franchise has become the fourth highest-grossing movie franchise of all time ($9.65B) behind only the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man, and Star Wars.
A spokesperson for the network said in a statement to Variety that its parent company has “been working with J.K. Rowling and in the Harry Potter business for over 20 years” and “her contribution has been invaluable.”
“We are proud to once again tell the story of Harry Potter — the heartwarming books that speak to power of friendship, resolve and acceptance. J.K. Rowling has a right to express her personal views. We will remain focused on the development of the new series, which will only benefit from her involvement.”
HBO is getting their ducks in a row to begin production on the Harry Potter series in 2025, as reports from earlier this month that the network had identified Academy Award-winning actor Mark Rylance as its top choice to play Professor Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts and the most powerful wizard in the story other than the villainous Lord Voldemort.
Rylance, a 64-year-old Englishman, is best known for his work on the stage and in films such as The Other Boleyn Girl, Bridge of Spies (for which he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor), The BFG, Ready Player One, Dunkirk, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Bones and All, and more.