The Harry Potter franchise has been entertaining audiences for decades, resulting in entire generations of hardcore fans. While it all started with J.K. Rowling’s novels, the eight-film movie franchise became a sensation that inspired theme parks and is re-watched annually. But making Rowling’s long books fit into movie length was a challenge, and a lot of story was left on the cutting room floor as a result. Fans of Harry Potter rejoice, because a TV show procure just teased a more accurate adaptation of the books. Bloody brilliant!
Back in April it was revealed that a Harry Potter show is being developed, with each season presumed to cover a year in Harry’s life like the books. It’s unclear how many episodes each season will have, but there are way more hours available to bring the books to life on the small screen. Producer David Heyman spoke to our sister site Total Film about highly anticipated upcoming TV series, sharing:
It’s early days. We haven’t even hired a writer to begin writing. It’s a bit early. But hopefully [it will be] something that’s very special, and gives us an opportunity to see the books, and to enjoy a series which explores the books more deeply.
Sign me up. As someone who grew up obsessed with the Harry Potter books (even attending midnight premiere events as a kid), I remember being bummed about so much being left out of the movies. But those behind the camera for Max’s Harry Potter show seem psyched to do a deeper dive on the lore, and faithfully bring the books to life in live-action. And smart money says this will especially please longtime fans of the Wizarding World.
Heyman’s comments are sure to get the attention of Potterheads, specifically those with a strong connection to Rowling’s novels. While the Deathly Hallows was made into two movies, the previous six had to cut a lot of content in order to keep their runtime reasonable. One example where this really hurt the franchise was in Dobby’s death. In the books he’s in every book after The Chamber of Secrets, which makes his sacrifice both logical and emotional. In the movies he’s absent for years until popping up during the battle at Malfoy Manor.
It should be interesting to see how the Harry Potter series ultimately performs once its shot and released. The last two Fantastic Beasts movies failed to perform at the box office, and it’s unclear if the final two movies will ever be made. And some hardcore fans have boycotted the Wizarding World altogether due to J.K. Rowling’s controversial comments about transgender women. So the pressure is on for the show to deliver, and perform well.
The Harry Potter franchise is currently streaming with a Max subscription. As we wait for the TV show, be sure to check out the TV premiere list to plan your next binge watch.