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Warner Bros. Stands By J.K. Rowling After ‘Harry Potter’ Author Receives Threats

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Posted on by Averyl Fong 11 Comments
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Credit: Debra Hurford Brown/Rowling

It seems as if something is always stirring around J.K. Rowling nowadays, especially on the internet.

harry potter playing quidditch
Credit: Warner Bros.

Related: All Eight ‘Harry Potter’ Movies to Be Pulled From Streaming Service

Controversial and seemingly always-online Harry Potter franchise author, J.K. Rowling, has shown support for fellow author Salman Rushdie (The Satanic Verses) in light of the recent attacks on him before a lecture in New York.

In a Twitter post, Rowling quoted The Associated Press (AP) in their tweet on the news, and said:

Horrifying news.

Replying to the same thread, Rowling added:

Feeling very sick right now. Let him be ok.

Following this incident, threats against the rather publicly vocal writer have arisen  — with the author Rowling herself highlighting them — again, on Twitter. Tweeting @TwitterSupport with some screenshots, she said:

.@TwitterSupport any chance of some support?

Again, she continued the thread, thanking supportive messages and mentioning that the “police are involved”, finally following up with another reply quoting Twitter guidelines at the @TwitterSupport account:

To all sending supportive messages: thank you 💕
Police are involved (were already involved on other threats).

(in reply) .@TwitterSupport These are your guidelines, right?

“Violence: You may not threaten violence against an individual or a group of people. We also prohibit the glorification of violence…

“Terrorism/violent extremism: You may not threaten or promote terrorism…”

Now, it seems that Warner Bros. Discovery, owner of the Harry Potter intellectual property have released a statement regarding the matter, showing that they are standing behind J.K. Rowling:

Warner Bros. Discovery strongly condemns the threats made against J.K. Rowling. We stand with her and all the authors, storytellers and creators who bravely express their creativity and opinions. WBD believes in freedom of expression, peaceful discourse and supporting those who offer their views in the public arena. Our thoughts are with Sir Salman Rushdie and his family following the senseless act of violence in New York. The company strongly condemns any form of threat, violence or intimidation when opinions, beliefs and thoughts might differ.

'Harry Potter'
Credit: Warner Bros.

Related: The Next Major Installment In the ‘Harry Potter’ Series Gets 2023 Release Date

This news comes after Warner Bros. Discovery had previously distanced themselves from the controversial author over transgender issues, before the company did a flip-flop and started showing support for her.

This time however, it is exceedingly clear where Warner Bros. Discovery stands on the matter — behind Rowling and other creators who have “bravely express[ed] their creativity and opinions”.

Whether they’ll continue to in light of likely Wizarding World film franchise cancelations however, is yet to be seen.

What do you think about the threats to J.K. Rowling, and Warner Bros. Discovery’s response? Share you thoughts below in the comments!

More on Harry Potter

The Harry Potter franchise spans books, movies, games, and even theme parks. Created by author J.K. Rowling, the explosive success of the novel led the Harry Potter series to get picked up by Warner Bros. Pictures, and the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001) — alternatively Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) in the U.S. — starring newcomers Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) and Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) took the world by storm.

The Harry Potter tale spanning Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010), and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011) follows the eponymous Harry Potter and his exploits in the hidden Wizarding World. Eventually, he unravels the mystery and destiny surrounding the cursed lightning bolt scar on his forehead, given to him by Lord Voldemort (Tom Riddle/Ralph Fiennes).

Harry Potter’s journey largely takes place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, alongside his two fellow Gryffindor best friends, as they tangle with bullies like Slytherin Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) and father Lucius Malfoy (Jason Isaacs), and Voldemort’s cronies, the Death Eaters, such as Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter). Teachers at Hogwarts help them along, like Professor Minerva McGonagall (Dame Maggie Smith), Severus Snape (Alan Rickman), Rubeus Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane), Professor Sprout (Miriam Margolyes), Professor Flitwick (Warwick Davis).

The Wizarding World was expanded in 2016 with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, following Magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) in the 1920s, as he meets up with sisters Queenie Goldstein (Alison Sudol), Porpentina Goldstein/Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston), and Muggle (No-Maj) Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler), as well as Credence Barebone/Aurelius Dumbledore (Ezra Miller) and Percival Graves (Colin Farell). The series expands into Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022), and we get to see Zoë Kravitz (Leta Lestrange), Gellert Grindelwald played by both Johnny Depp and later Mads Mikkelsen, Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law), Theseus Scamander (Callum Turner), Nagini (Claudia Kim), and Minerva McGonagall (Fiona Glascott).

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a themed land within the larger theme park Universal Studios, which houses such epic attractions as Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, housed in Hogwarts castle, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and Flight of the Hippogriff and the Three Broomsticks pub around the Hogsmeade area, while Diagon Alley boasts Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts and the Hogwarts Express train, as well as The Leaky Cauldron, Ollivanders Wand Shop, Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, Borgin and Burkes, Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions, Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment and Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour.

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Averyl Fong

Averyl is a freelance writer and general nerd about entertainment, food, theatre, D&D - and of course, theme parks. Based in Singapore, she could wax poetic about the immersive genius of the Haunted Mansion, or regale you with her undying love for the campy beauty of Sindbad's Storybook Voyage - but she won't, because she has some compassion.

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