In a recent interview with Variety (opens in new tab), Channing Dungey, President of Warner Bros. TV, confirmed there is a “tremendous amount of ambition” to make a Harry Potter TV show happen. Dungey pointed to the success of recent Harry Potter specials on HBO Max as proof that there is an audience appetite for small-screen Potter content: “The audience is ready, they want to go, so we’re just to figure out what the right next step is.” Last year’s Return to Hogwarts special and quiz show The Tournament of Houses were well received — even if the latter sparkled some raised eyebrows because of its inconsistent questions. But neither of them were able to generate the level of interest that an original TV series surely would, and it’s clear that Warner Bros. isn’t oblivious to the demand for further adventures in the Potter universe. The signs are positive as Dungey told Variety that “we are engaged in a number of different conversations.” Perhaps suggesting that something could be in development already. Although if there is a Potter TV project in the works, it’s at a very early stage as Dungey also noted that nothing is “imminent on the horizon.” So while a Harry Potter TV show does appear somewhat inevitable, don’t expect anything concrete for at least a few years, if not longer.
Plenty more Potter to come
Dungey’s suggestions that there’s a lot of desire for more Harry Potter content line up with similar comments made by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav last month. During an investor call (opens in new tab), Zaslav noted that “we haven’t done a Harry Potter [movie] in 15 years” before asserting that he’d like to see “if we can do something with J.K. on Harry Potter going forward.” It would certainly seem that a biltz of Potter content could be on the horizon with Warner Bros. clearly keen on new movies and TV shows set in the Wizarding World. Although it should be noted, the spin-off Fantastic Beasts franchise came to a grinding halt earlier this year when its third entry, The Secrets of Dumbledore, underperformed at the global box office. Clearly just because something has Potter branding doesn’t mean it’s a guaranteed success. Of course, we can’t overlook the element of controversy that now comes with the franchise. J.K. Rowling, the author of the original books and overseer of all things Potter, has made several remarks about the transgender community that have been perceived as discriminatory. This unsavory element that is now directly tied to Potter could pump the brakes on any further explorations of the universe. Although Rowling and Warner Bros. issued a joint statement (opens in new tab) in December 2021 saying their partnership was “more collaborative than ever.” The wait for a Harry Potter TV show is almost certainly going to be a long one but eager fans will be able to pass the time with the new Hogwarts Legacy video game. Scheduled to release in February next year, it looks like the most exciting thing to come out of the Wizarding World franchise in more than a decade. If it’s a success, Warner Bros. may fast-track a Potter TV show pronto.
