J.K. Rowling Abandons ‘Harry Potter,’ Announces New Sci-Fi Series

in Harry Potter

J.K. Rowling superimposed against a futuristic-looking cityscape. Her most famous creation, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), is positioned between them.

Credit: Inside the Magic

J.K. Rowling is moving even further away from Harry Potter and says she will work on a new science fiction project.

Joanne Rowling and Harry Potter characters
Credit: Inside the Magic

J.K. Rowling is, by far, best known for creating the Harry Potter franchise of books, films, theme parks, and so forth, along with her extremely controversial and vocal social media presence.

However, she has produced other books, including the mystery novel The Casual Vacancy (2012),  the children’s books The Ickabog (2020) and The Christmas Pig (2021). More notably, she also writes the the Cormoran Strike series under the pen name Robert Galbraith, which has been adapted into a BBC mystery series.

A promo picture for the BBC series Strike, based on the Cormoran Strike mystery series by J.K. Rowling.
Credit: BBC

Related: ‘Harry Potter’ Series “Canceled” Before Filming Amid J.K. Rowling Lawsuit

It seems that amongst her most recent cultural crisis, triggered by her dogged attacks on not one but two different Olympian athletes, J.K. Rowling has some new non-Wizarding World books in the works. Based on Rowling’s own words, one of them will be her first foray into sci-fi.

British author J.K. Rowling posing confidently, looking directly into the camera with red hair, a white blouse, and a black blazer against a black background. This image represents the Harry Potter author's confidence in an argument against Olympic medalist Imane Khelif, rekindling transphobic allegations against J.K. Rowling
Credit: J.K. Rowling, Lumos

J.K. Rowling recently posted on Twitter/X (in response to a long series of posts about The National, a Scottish newspaper, for some reason): “There are three different books I could do after Strike, all of which I’ve started because I’m a deranged workaholic. The one I’m planning to finish first is futuristic, but not a space odyssey, sorry. Definitely earthbound.”

Related: From Hogwarts to High Society: ‘Harry Potter’ Star Joins ‘Bridgerton’

Given that, for better or worse, J.K. Rowling is one of the most notable living authors working in the fantasy genre, it is notable that she seems to be shifting gears. Granted, Rowling said “futuristic” rather than science fiction and specified that it was not a “space odyssey,” but the genre is pretty flexible.

British author J.K. Rowling posing confidently, looking directly into the camera with red hair, a white blouse, and a black blazer against a black background. This image represents the Harry Potter author's confidence in an argument against Olympic medalist Imane Khelif, rekindling transphobic allegations against J.K. Rowling
Credit: J.K. Rowling, Lumos

In recent years, the Harry Potter franchise (the rights to much of which are owned by Warner Bros. Discovery and NBCUniversal) has been drifting away from strict association with its controversial creator. It may seem now that Rowling is interested in delving into something new herself.

Would you read a new J.K. Rowling sci-fi series?

Be the first to comment!