It's important to remember the ongoing controversial statements by the creator of the Harry Potter franchise. CBR supports the hard work of industry professionals on properties fans know and love and the wider world of Harry Potter that fans have adopted as their own. You can find CBR's continuing coverage on Rowling here.
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling mocks fans on social media over preemptive boycotts of the upcoming reboot series.
Rowling posted to Twitter on April 21, saying, "Activists in my mentions are trying to organise yet another boycott of my work," in reference to the negative response to HBO's impending Harry Potter reboot series. Rowling ended her post by saying, "As forewarned is forearmed, I've taken the precaution of laying in a large stock of champagne."
J.K. Rowling's Anti-Trans Stance
Rowling, who is also published under the pen name Robert Galbraith, has long been a divisive figure in the Harry Potter fandom and pop culture as a whole due to her staunchly anti-trans political stance, something which has been defended by actors including Brian Cox and Harry Potter's own Evanna Lynch. In March, Rowling cited concerns for her safety while reinforcing her overtly anti-trans beliefs.
Later that same month, Harry Potter star and Hollywood icon Daniel Radcliffe and The Trevor Project debuted the trailer for their upcoming series, Sharing Spaces, which "features roundtable conversations with LGBTQ youth moderated by adult allies." Radcliffe said of the series, "We listen to so many people talk about trans youth and hear them talked about so often in the news, but very rarely do we actually hear from these youth directly... At the end of the day, if you're going to talk about trans kids, it might be useful to actually listen to trans kids."
HBO's Harry Potter Reboot Draws Criticism
Plans for HBO's Harry Potter reboot were announced in April, with reports noting that the series would cover each of the seven original novels per season. The announcement came only days after a report which cited Brontë Film and TV, the production company behind the majority of the Harry Potter works and adaptations, had suffered a 74% drop in profits since March 2021.
When asked about Rowling's statements and apparent agenda, HBO Chairman and CEO of Content Casey Bloys replied that the moment wasn't the proper forum for what he described as "a very online conversation." Bloys then promised fans, "Our priority is what's on the screen." Bloys added, "Obviously, the 'Harry Potter' story is incredibly affirmative and positive and about love and self-acceptance. That's our priority — what's on screen."
HBO's Harry Potter reboot does not currently have any planned release date.
Source: Twitter