J.K. Rowling was once a beloved children’s book author, but has recently had a ‘fall from grace’—at least where Twitter is concerned. With Rowling now drawing the internet ire of any project she’s attached in, some were wondering just how involved she was with the upcoming Potter reboot.
In a recent Q&A with reporters (via IGN), HBO head Casey Bloys was asked just how involved Rowling would be in the upcoming Potter reboot, to which he says, “She’s been fairly involved… She was very involved in the process of selecting the writer and director, and I imagine she’ll have opinions on casting. It hasn’t affected the casting or hiring of writers and production staff. So we haven’t felt an impact from that.”
With Rowling now being such a controversial figure, Bloys had previously mentioned about the Potter reboot, “Our priority is what’s on the screen. Obviously, the Harry Potter story is incredibly affirmative and positive and about love and self-acceptance. That’s our priority — what’s on screen.”
Though some fans argue that a Potter reboot simply isn’t necessary, this reboot is said to be a more faithful adaptation of the books, and with the more generous television format, there is now more room for scenes that had to be deleted from the films like Norbert the dragon escaping Hogwarts to the actual match at the Quidditch World Cup.
Of course, there are some concerns with the shift to television—like the quality of the VFX from episode to episode; but I’m honestly more concerned about the kids who will have to commit maybe 10 years of their lives making this show. Even Emma Watson almost quit the franchise around the time of Prisoner of Azkaban.
For now, the series is still in development, and production is expected to start sometime next year.
