A mere ten years after the final Harry Potter movie cast a spell on the big screen, HBO Max wants to expecto patronum some profits for itself. THR reports that the streaming service is in early development to adapt J.K. Rowling’s seven fantasy novels into a live-action television series, with numerous writers and executives “exploring various ideas that would bring the beloved property to television.†THR stresses that nothing is official and the adaptation hasn’t even reached a development stage. (So we don’t know, say, if it would be a one-book-per-season type of thing; a miniseries; or something else entirely, like Amazon’s Lord of the Rings.) “Sources say broad ideas have been discussed as part of the early-stage exploratory meetings,†the outlet stated, adding that it’s a “top priority†for HBO Max. Should this Harry Potter series come to fruition, it would join current spin-off films Fantastic Beasts within the franchise, which will be returning with 100 percent less Johnny Depp. And yet, our calls for a gritty Hedwig origin story keep going unanswered.
Update, 5:10 p.m: In a statement to Vulture, HBO Max has denied a television adaptation is on the way. “There are no Harry Potter series in development,†it reads, “at the studio or on the streaming platform.†We will continue to advocate for a Hedwig series at the appropriate time.