HBO’s chief content officer, Casey Bloys, is going on the defensive, trying to reassure fans that theHarry Potterseries will not be influenced byJ.K. Rowling’s personal views, but is that enough? Since the announcement of aHarry Potterreboot series, reactions have been mixed. Despite many fans wishing for a TV series so they could see the parts of the books that the films cut, the movies are timeless classics that will be difficult to surpass. However, more than anything, author J.K. Rowling has made the upcoming series a minefield of conversation, as she has been openly outspoken against transgender rights issues and has come under fire from many formerHarry Potterstars.
Bloys recently appeared on The Town Podcast and defended Warner Bros. and HBO’s decision to continue working with Rowling on a new adaptation ofHarry Potter, despite the various public headlines she has made for speaking out against trans rights. Via Variety, Bloys tries to distance the upcomingHarry Pottershow from Rowling’s views, saying her own personal viewpoints will not influence the series. He does not, however, choose to specify how much money Rowling will receive. Bloys said:
“The decision to be in business with J.K. Rowling is not new for us. We’ve been in business for 25 years. We already have a show on HBO from her called ‘C.B. Strike’ that we do with the BBC. It’s pretty clear that those are her personal, political views. She’s entitled to them. ‘Harry Potter’ is not secretly being infused with anything. And if you want to debate her, you can go on Twitter.”
J.K. Rowling Still Profits Off ‘Harry Potter’ Regardless of Involvement
Casey Bloys' comments are just one of many comments from creatives involved in theHarry Potterreboot to regain credibility from fans, particularly as the brand has seemingly been tainted due to J.K. Rowling’s comments and worldviews. John Lithgow, who has been cast as the new Dumbledore, certainly didn’t make things better when he claimed thatan open letter sent to him by one of his friends with a transgender childdid not dissuade him from collaborating with Rowling on the upcoming series. Not only that, but Lithgow seemingly defended Rowling, a move that did not go over well with many who expressed disappointment with the actor.
HBO Solemnly Swears That J.K. Rowling’s Involvement in Harry Potter Series ‘Hasn’t Affected’ Staff
HBO CEO Casey Bloys says controversial author J.K. Rowling’s involvement in the upcoming Harry Potter TV series has not had an impact on development.
Meanwhile, the new Snape actor, Paapa Essiedu, was one of 400 industry professionals who signed an open letter calling for action on trans rights following a UK Supreme Court ruling defining a woman based on biological sex. However, even if theHarry Pottercreative team and some of the actors might not share Rowling’s beliefs, their decision to work onHarry Pottermight show a priority of profit over morals. While Rowling does not have complete creative control over theHarry PotterHBO series, she will still profit from it. Worst yet, she has shown she will use the wealth and influence afforded to herto back organizations and bills that attack transgender rights.
RebootingHarry Potteris a bad idea for many reasons, and it can’t help but reek of desperation on Warner Bros.' part to continue a once-profitable franchise and take it back to what worked after the spin-offFantastic Beastsfilm failed. The series is now facing an uphill battle in the press, as manyHarry Potterfans might let the franchise go as the author continues to spread offensive views that contradict the message of tolerance and acceptance in the fantasy book series.
Source:The Town PodcastviaVariety
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