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Credit: Warner Bros.While Warner Bros. and HBO are busy getting their Harry Potter reboot off the ground, it seems that there’s plenty of magic left in the film series.
Recently, it was announced that a Harry Potter reboot is in development, which will arrive in the form of a television series on HBO that’s said to be a “faithful adaptation” of the seven books, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’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.
Related: A Ninth ‘Harry Potter’ Film Alongside HBO Reboot Could Mean Wizarding World Multiverse
As such, this means that the eight Harry Potter films, and with them the three Fantastic Beasts spin-off films, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016), Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018), and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022), will, for better or for worse, be replaced by a completely new timeline.
This comes as a result of the poor critical and financial performances of the last two spin-off installments. However, to no surprise, news of the reboot has been met with backlash, with many fans threatening to boycott it in the same way they did with open-world game Hogwarts Legacy (2022) due to its connections with JK Rowling, who has become a widely divisive figure in recent years following controversial tweets regarding gender identity.
Related: “They Deserve to Die!” OG ‘Harry Potter’ Cast Reacts to Franchise Being Rebooted
But there are many fans who simply don’t want a Harry Potter reboot — and who could blame them? The franchise has become incredibly iconic since the first film was released way back in 2001, and has permeated all corners of entertainment — cinema, literature, games consoles, and theme parks.
Not only that, but fans are also quite precious of the films themselves. With the exception of the Fantastic Beasts films, all eight Harry Potter films are adored by fans, and we can’t think of any other finale that’s half as satisfying as the explosive Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 (2011).
Related: WB Reveals the Next Major ‘Harry Potter’ Installment, and It’s Not the HBO Reboot
But recent events in the Wizarding World have have proven that the film series still has a ton of staying power, and that, as everyone had already suspected, HBO’s reboot may be doomed to fail from the get-go.
Last week, all eight Harry Potter films were added to Netflix UK and Netflix Ireland, and now, just one week later, and they’re all dominating the charts! By May 23, every single film had found its way into Netflix’s top 10 chart.
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As you can see from the three images below (Netflix United Kingdom, Netflix Ireland, and Netflix Global, respectively), the films have obliterated the top 10 most streamed films on the platform, and their popularity is showing no signs of abating.
Netflix United Kingdom as at May 15 — May 21:
Netflix Ireland as at May 15 — May 21:
Netflix Global as at May 15 — May 21:
Related: Daniel Radcliffe Is Harry Potter No More, as JK Rowling Has Final Say on New Actor
In the US, the films are available to watch on HBO Max, which will soon also be home to the Harry Potter reboot. But has Warner Bros. made a huge error in judgement in greenlighting the reboot of a film franchise that’s still as popular today as it was during its heyday in cinema? Will the Harry Potter reboot even be successful?
It’s not impossible for any beloved franchise to take a huge fall from grace. After all, isn’t the failure of the Fantastic Beasts spin-off series what led to the reboot in the first place? No franchise is immune from failure. Even Star Wars, of all things, has long become an example of this. With that said, we’re sure the reboot will draw in the masses, especially those curious to see their beloved books brought to life in a more “faithful” way.
So, it’s unlikely Warner Bros. will pull the plug on the reboot just because the Harry Potter films are still proving to be just as popular with fans. Or who knows — maybe the studio will consider a ninth film instead, meaning fans won’t need to boycott the reboot after all…
There’s currently no release date for the Harry Potter reboot, but you can check out the first teaser from HBO Max below:
Related: All 5 ‘Harry Potter’ Timelines Explained, Including the Reboot
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001), 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 are now all streaming on Netflix.
Hogwarts Legacy is on sale now. There’s currently no release date for the upcoming game Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions (TBA).
Do you think the Harry Potter reboot is a disaster waiting to happen? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!