In an entertainment landscape that boasts many successful franchises, the Harry Potter franchise can proudly lay claim to being among the most successful in history. Creator, JK Rowling, has created a wave of controversy, but the franchise has pressed on and has continued to succeed.
Through the years, the franchise has expanded, and the upcoming Fantastic Beasts movie will feature a war for the ages. Fans truly cannot get enough of the franchise, and they want nothing more than to see it continue to expand.
Well, fans should be getting excited, because the studio behind the films wants to do a live-action TV series, and we have some key details below.
'Harry Potter' Is A Beloved Franchise
During the 1990s, the world was officially introduced to a boy named Harry Potter and his magical journey, and from that point on, nothing would be the same again. The story about the Boy Who Lived changed the world of pop culture, and over time, the story has only grown in popularity.
The books were a whirlwind of success, meaning that a big screen adaptation was right around the corner. Warner Bros. wisely chose to make one movie per book instead of cramming too much into a single picture. Yes, the final book was divided into two movies, but this was also a great move by the studio.
The films were a monumental success, the books continue to sell like gangbusters, and the franchise now includes merchandise, theme park rides, and just about anything else that can feature a logo.
Thankfully, the franchise has continued to grow and expand as time has gone on.
'Harry Potter' Has Grown With The 'Fantastic Beasts' Movies
One of the amazing things about the Harry Potter franchise is that there are so many wild and wonderful things that have been touched on, but have yet to be expanded. Thankfully, the folks behind the Wizarding World have realized that fans would love to explore the rich lore that the franchise has to offer.
In 2016, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was released into theaters to much success. The story itself, as well as its author, Newt Scamander, had been referenced in the Harry Potter franchise, but this film actually gave us a taste of the expanded lore that fans had been calling for.
Starring Eddie Redmayne, the first film's ability to gross over $800 million, gave way to a sequel, which also proved to be a financial success. Later this year, a third film will hit theaters, turning this extension of the franchise into a proper trilogy.
Watching the franchise grow has been a dream come true for fans, and just last year, reports began to surface of a new wrinkle being added to the franchise in the future.
The 'Harry Potter' TV Series Is Currently In The Works But Years Away
In January 2021, it was reported that a live-action Harry Potter TV series was in development.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, sources say "that executives at the WarnerMedia-backed streamer have engaged in multiple conversations with potential writers exploring various ideas that would bring the beloved property to television. Sources say broad ideas have been discussed as part of the early-stage exploratory meetings."
This came as major news to fans of the franchise, as things have been kept in the pages and on the big screen up to this point. A TV show could legitimately take things in any direction and be set in any period, meaning that more aspects of the Wizarding World itself could be unlocked.
Numerous franchises have taken to the small screen to expand their respective universes, and the Wizarding World could be a perfect fit on HBO Max, which is looking to grow and compete with other streaming services.
As The Hollywood Reporter notes, "HBO Max launched last year and is the home all of the company’s most valuable intellectual property. The platform is the streaming home of DC Comics films, with multiple TV spinoffs and originals already in the works. The streamer is also the home of mega-hit Friends (with a reunion planned to film in March for the service), Game of Thrones and all of HBO’s originals, including Sex and the City."
Adding a Harry Potter series to this stacked deck of offerings would be huge, and you had better believe that fans would tune in quickly.
It might not happen for a couple of years, but a Harry Potter series could be a colossal hit for the folks at Warner Bros. and HBO.
