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Credit: Warner Bros.Despite recent controversies, the Harry Potter franchise remains one of the world’s most beloved and enduring entertainment properties. It encompasses not just books and movies but also theme parks, stage plays, and more.
However, the Wizarding World has not been without its challenges in recent years. J.K. Rowling’s polarizing comments on gender politics and the transgender community have sparked significant backlash, casting a shadow over the once universally adored series.
The latest includes Rowling being named in a cyberbullying lawsuit launched by Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who dominated news headlines during the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Italian boxer Angela Carini bowed out of her match against Khelif after 46 seconds–an incident which came under intense scrutiny due to Khelif failing gender eligibility tests in 2023 and being subsequently disqualified from the World Championships that year. X owner Elon Musk is also named in the suit.
Rowling’s near-consistent barb against the transgender community has seen support for her once-untouchable franchise begin to crumble, with many die-hard fans stepping away from their wizard robes and Hogwarts house colors.
Meanwhile, the Fantastic Beasts spin-off franchise has struggled to maintain the same magic as the original eight movies. After a promising start, and with Eddie Redmayne leading proceedings as wizard Newt Scamander, it stumbled with a muddled sequel and faced further difficulties with the high-profile recasting of Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald due to his legal battles with Amber Heard.
This led to Mads Mikkelsen stepping into the role for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)—the movie that would eventually mark the premature end to the five-part series.
Yet, despite these setbacks, the Harry Potter fandom remains, with many choosing “art over the artist,” as evident in the nostalgic celebrations like the King’s Cross Platform nine-and-three-quarters announcement at the start of the school year and the festivities for the franchise’s 20th anniversary in 2022.
Fans were treated to a heartfelt reunion in Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts (2022), where stars like Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), and Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) reflected on the legacy of the series that launched their careers. Noticeably absent was the creator herself, J.K. Rowling.
Those wanting to watch the Harry Potter movies and embrace its legacy as one of the most lucrative and beloved movie series ever made should know that it has now been purged from streaming.
But all hope is not lost.
Harry Potter Movies Gutted From Streaming Service
“All eight original Harry Potter movies have been available to stream on Peacock for a good chunk of 2024, but the films were removed on August 31,” The Direct reports. “The collection of Harry Potter films was made available to stream on Max starting September 1.”
As the outlet recognizes, the Harry Potter series, a major billion-dollar tentpole franchise for Warner Bros. Discovery, isn’t uniquely tied to the studio’s streaming service, Max (formerly HBO Max).
In August 2016, NBCUniversal and WarnerMedia made a historic deal that gave the former—which owns the Peacock streamer—the rights to the eight-film series.
Four years ago, in August 2020, another amendment was made regarding the streaming possibilities of the Harry Potter movies.
[NBCUniversal] said Wednesday that [the movies] will be available in windows, meaning they will come on and off the platform over the next six months and into 2021,” The Hollywood Reporter wrote at the time. “The films were available on HBO Max at the time of its May launch, but the company announced in July that they would leave the service in August.”
With them now having left Peacock once again for Max, it is unclear when Peacock subscribers will get the Wizarding World movies back. One thing is for certain: just like Voldemort came back, so too will the history-making series grace Peacock once again.
The Future of the Wizarding World
In early 2023, after whispers circulated for many years, Warner Bros. Discovery announced that it would be rebooting the live-action Harry Potter movies as a TV series for its new streamer, Max.
“The new adaptation will introduce you to a new cast for a new generation of fandom and will be full of the fantastic detail, much-loved characters, and dramatic locations we have loved for over 25 years,” the Wizarding World site (formerly Pottermore) wrote. “Each season will be authentic to the original books and bring Harry Potter and his incredible adventures to new audiences around the world.”
In February 2024, Deadline announced that the first season of the Harry Potter TV series would air in 2026 and confirmed who would be behind this highly anticipated (yet undeniably risky) new project.
“Succession duo Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod have signed up as its writer and director, respectively,” Deadline wrote earlier this year. “Gardiner will serve as showrunner and executive producer, and Mylod will direct multiple episodes in addition to serving as executive producer.”
The outlet also reported that executives had met and were excited about bringing the Wizarding World to new audiences.
“We’ve not been shy about our excitement around Harry Potter,” Zaslav told Wall Street analysts on the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call. “I was in London a few weeks ago with Casey [Bloys, CEO of HBO] and Channing [Dungey, chairperson of Warner Bros Television] and we spent some real time with JK and her team,” he enthused. “Both sides just thrilled to be reigniting this franchise. Our conversations were great.”
Related: ‘Harry Potter’ Reveals Official New Cast: Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson Gone Forever
The arrival of the show’s first season, which is set to adapt the entirety of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (1997), will come 25 years after the first movie debuted in movie theaters and launched the series into a new stratosphere.
As for other franchise adaptations, Universal Destinations & Experiences will soon welcome a new addition to its theme park version of the Wizarding World–The Ministry of Magic. The new area will debut as part of Universal Orlando Resort’s new park, Epic Universe, opening in 2025.
Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry will be the anchor attraction for the upcoming land. In it, Harry, Ron, and Hermione will take on the franchise’s most-hated character, Dolores Umbridge. The original trio of actors, plus Imelda Staunton as Umbridge, will appear in the attraction.
“Travel by Métro-Floo from Paris to the British Ministry of Magic where Dolores Umbridge is about to stand trial,” Universal Orlando Resort writes. “Board a lift and join Harry, Ron, and Hermione as you journey deep into the Ministry’s many departments.”
Related: New ‘Harry Potter’ Book Confirmed Amid JK Rowling Drama, Release Set for August
And don’t forget the record-breaking “Hogwarts Legacy” video game and the award-winning stage play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which is currently playing on both London’s West End and Broadway.
With J.K. Rowling seemingly taking an axe to her own franchise, the series does, in fact, seem immortal, expanding beyond the clutches of its creator.
What are you looking forward to in the Harry Potter franchise? Do you think J.K. Rowling should be completely disassociated from the Wizarding World? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!