With the writer becoming increasingly controversial due to her anti-trans statements on social media, Warner Bros has clarified what J K Rowling’s involvement in the Harry Potter franchise will be.
Fans have been growing increasingly upset by her comments, with some feeling unable to enjoy the books and films they once did as a result of their association with her.
Even some of the actors from the films have called her out for her beliefs, reassuring fans that they don’t agree with her and how they hope they can still find some joy in the Wizarding World like they used to.
Now Warner Bros has stepped in to explain how involved the creator is in their planned Harry Potter series and upcoming sequel to the popular Hogwarts Legacy game.
When speaking to Variety, the company shared that J K Rowling is not involved in the management of the Harry Potter franchise at the moment, but in-house execs do keep her updated through her literary agent.
Warner Bros. Discovery’s Robert Oberschelp added: ‘If we’re going to ever go beyond a canon conversation, we make sure that we’re all comfortable with what we’re doing.’
With regards to the upcoming series adaptation, Rowling will have an executive producer credit alongside the likes of Francesca Gardiner, Neil Blair, Mark Mylod, David Heyman and Ruth Kenley-Letts. The series is being written by Gardiner, with Mylod directing multiple episodes.
When speaking to The Hollywood Reporter recently, Warner Bros TV Group’s Channing Dungey said: ‘There’s not a lot to talk about at this moment.
‘We’ve got our fantastic writing staff in place and they are doing what they need to do. And casting calls have opened up in the UK and Ireland, so the process is moving along. It’s going quite well.
‘It’s an unbelievable dream, honestly, and as somebody who is a huge fan of books, the opportunity to get to explore them in maybe a little bit more in-depth than you can in just a two-hour film, that’s the whole reason we’re on this journey.’
