Despite the fan backlash, WB is pushing forward with their reboot of the Harry Potter series, and they’ve just made one huge step.
As per The Hollywood Reporter, Francesca Gardiner will serve as showrunner for the Harry Potter series. What’s more, the show has also tapped Mark Mylod (Succession) to direct multiple episodes. Gardiner has also worked on series like Game of Thrones, The Last of Us, and His Dark Materials. On the big screen, he’s directed the the Ralph Fiennes movie The Menu.
The series was said to have been in development since 2021, and though it was originally set to release exclusively on Max, the show has been branded as an HBO Original, so that means that it will release on cable as well as stream on Max at the same time.
Here’s what Potter author J.K. Rowling had to say about Gardiner landing the role:
I'm truly thrilled to announce our director and writer, both of whom I interviewed as part of the production team. Both have a genuine passion for #HarryPotter, and having read Francesca's pilot script and heard Mark's vision, I'm certain the TV show will more than live up to… https://t.co/Cp146BXMny
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 26, 2024
Though the Potter film franchise was considered to be a huge success, there have criticisms about the films not being able to contain everything that was in the books. Certain characters had been removed for time, and some plot elements have also been shuffled around.
Personally, I would have preferred if they just kept expanding the world with new material, but it has been 20 years since Sorcerer’s Stone, and maybe a new generation of kids are ready to fall in love with their own version of Harry, Ron, and Hermoine.
No release date has been announced for the Harry Potter reboot, but it’s possible they could be aiming for a 2026 release.
