A TV series is to come
This is the universe around “Harry Potter”
The “Harry Potter” universe could soon grow.
© imago/United Archives
Will the “Harry Potter” universe soon be supplemented by a TV series? From games to spin-offs, fans already have a lot to choose from.
Nothing has been confirmed yet, but a TV series based on “Harry Potter” could actually be realized. The streaming service HBO Max is said to be tackling the project. According to the US industry portal “Deadline”, there could be a deal with the author of the books, JK Rowling (57).
Bloomberg reported that the idea behind the TV show is that each season of the planned series will focus on a book from the Harry Potter series. Rowling’s novels form the basis of what is now a vast universe. All this belongs to the “Harry Potter” franchise or the “Wizarding World”:
The novels
The British writer JK Rowling has written seven novels about the famous magician’s student, which were published between 1997 and 2007: “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”, “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”, “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” , “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”, “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”.
The Harry Potter books have been translated into 80 languages and have sold over 500 million copies. Through her, Rowling became one of the richest women in Britain.
The movies
The film series, based on the “Harry Potter” novels, consists of eight parts. The first flick, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, premiered in 2001, followed by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 in 2011, which grossed over 7.7 worldwide billion US dollars (about 7 billion euros), it is one of the most successful film series in cinema history. The three main actors, Daniel Radcliffe (33, Harry Potter), Rupert Grint (34, Ron Weasley) and Emma Watson (32, Hermione Granger), became known worldwide.
The spin off
From 2016, the film series “Fantastic Beasts” was added, starting with the film “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”. The action takes place before the events of the novels. The basis is the book of the same name, which Rowling wrote as one of the companion works to the novel series. 2018 “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” followed, 2022 “Fantastic Beasts: Dumbledore’s Secrets”. It is still uncertain whether the series, which was actually planned for five films, will be continued.
Stars like Eddie Redmayne (41) in the lead role of Newt Scamander, Jude Law (50) as a young Albus Dumbledore, Colin Farrell (46), Johnny Depp (59) or Mads Mikkelsen (57) – as a replacement for Dork in the third film. Rowling contributed the scripts.
The play
Fans can experience a sequel to the “Harry Potter” books on the theater stage. “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” by JK Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany begins 19 years after “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”. The play revolves around Albus Severus Potter, Harry Potter’s son, and his friend Scorpius Malfoy, Draco Malfoy’s son. It can also be seen in Hamburg, among other places.
The games
For many fans of the “Harry Potter” books and films, a small childhood dream may have come true at the beginning of this year with the release of the video game “Hogwarts Legacy”. In an open world, players slip into the role of a wizard student and experience adventures at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. However, the release of the game was accompanied by calls for a boycott. The reason: In recent years, Rowling, who was not involved in the development of the game, has been noticed on Twitter with controversial statements about transsexuality and has been criticized for it. The developers of the game had distanced themselves from the statements.
Video games have also been released to accompany the films in the original series. There are also numerous other games, such as “Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup”. Board and card games are also part of the “Harry Potter” universe.
The amusement parks
Already in 2010, the “Universal Islands of Adventure Park” in Orlando, Florida, opened the area “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter”. Similar attractions were also implemented in the “Universal Studios Hollywood” and the “Universal Studios Japan”.