Good news Potterheads! A new live-action TV series of “Harry Potter” is now in early development. The executives at WarnerMedia have made multiple conversations with possible writers taking on various approaches that would bring such a beloved property or franchise to the small screen. A lot of ideas have also been put into discussion.
Even if it’s news that executives at HBO Max and Warner Bros. are involved with meetings to search for a writer and pitch for a TV series version of “Harry Potter”, not a single writer or talent are attached as of now. This is because conversations are currently in very early stages without any deals being made. HBO Max and Warner Bros. said in a statement that “There are no ‘Harry Potter’ series in development at the studio or on the streaming platform“.
Making an expansion to the world of “Harry Potter” remains an important asset for HBO Max and Warner Bros. moving forward. Last we heard, author J.K. Rowling received quite the backlash from the LGBTQ community after exclaiming that transgender people should be defined based on their biological sex.
With that all out of the way, here’s what fans of the books and movies can expect or foresee from this new TV format of the well-loved franchise and also possible storylines the show could explore.
Issues of Representation in the Franchise
Ever since “Star Wars” made its first spin-off live-action TV series, “The Mandalorian”, more future spin-offs are set in motion to explore more on the universe of “Star Wars”. Maybe “Harry Potter” could also use this format to make exploration on the magical world revolving around the series. Some stuff like exploring the backstories of certain characters like Dumbledore, Sirius Black, Professor Snape, Lord Voldemort, and many more. The TV series could also explore so much more of the natural fantasy surroundings of the world, or even how Hogwarts came to be. More importantly, it could also solve some issues as well as some controversy Rowling was known to stir up in the past.
Since the controversy was brought up, the TV series could probably dwell into the idea of representation, something Rowling has been shoving into her stories without any clarification or context as to how she came about them. For instance, you have Dumbledore, who was apparently gay but with no reference to that at all in books, which is very insulting to those who are LGBTQ+ individuals. Maybe this could be an opportunity to discover Dumbledore’s past and eventually discover his sexuality since this is what Rowling established for his character months after the final book in the series was published. Make it make sense Rowling.
There could also be an explanation of some of the representations regarding other races which Rowling also had the lazy idea of just including them without mentioning them in her stories. You have a Jewish student who was in Ravenclaw. Furthermore, in the “Harry Potter” universe, there is apparently a school for sorcery and magic situated in Japan with a name that makes absolutely no sense in Japanese, so maybe Rowling or the writers of the series could also explore these in the TV series. “Harry Potter” also included two Indian characters, Parvati and Padma, which can probably broaden some other cultures into the mix. If Rowling wanted to add half-baked representation in her already completed work and be outspoken about them, she should really redeem herself by actually representing them correctly.
1. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Remember in 2016 when there was a play called “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”? this is actually a short story written by Rowling herself where it takes place after the final book. It involves Harry’s son Albus Severus, who is a Slytherin being constantly bullied, and now befriends Draco Malfoy’s son. Worth mentioning that Malfoy is Potter’s main nemesis in the franchise. However, this short tale was met with some criticism, especially how it portrayed a typical toxic friendship between the two boys. Queerbaiting was also the main issue as well. The TV series could use this opportunity to explore these issues and improve on them.
Not only that, but a TV series revolving around this short story can expand more on its own without relying on source material. A bit risky to expand without some reference, but it can help still keep the series grow more widespread and create more lore for diehard “Harry Potter” fans. Just like “Star Wars”, more and more content can keep the franchise alive for a long time.
2. The Marauders
One storyline some fans might want to see is a story about the Marauders, which is a group consisting of people such as Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, and James Potter, all of who are members of Gryffindor. The Marauders were only briefly seen before Harry Potter was born through flashbacks. This could be a good chance to cover some ground for their story. Focusing on this group can answer some questions like how and why they formed their group in the first place, their whole relationship in Hogwarts, how they created the Marauders map, and how their engagement with the First Wizarding War went.
This also could be a great setup as to how James and his wife Lily, started raising Harry when he was a child, until their tragic end. It could also serve to help show Professor Snape’s past conflict and why he became the way he was (even though that was all witnessed through the montage of flashbacks in the last movie).
3. Lord Voldemort’s tragic past
The infamous villain Lord Voldemort has a tragic backstory that hasn’t been fully explored. Voldemort’s real name was Tom Marvolo Riddle. He was a half-blood wizard born to a rich Muggle, Tom Riddle, and a witch, Merope Gaunt. Riddle was unfortunately abandoned by his mother and was raised at Wool’s Orphanage. Bearing similarities to Harry, he became a wizard when he was 11 years old upon Dumbledore’s visit to his orphanage. His affinity with dark arts alarmed Dumbledore.
There is quite a lot to unpack when it comes to his backstory. This is why a TV series is a great way to dive deeper into his early days as to how he became one of the darkest villains known to men. Could there be some redeemable qualities to Voldemort? He may be an unapologetic villain but there may have been some sentimental reasoning laying within.
With the “Harry Potter” property containing so much lore, the possibilities are just endless.
Sources: Screen Rant, The Guardian.
