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Credit: Warner Bros.With a multi-billion dollar film franchise, numerous theme park lands, and a global stage production under its belt, it’s safe to say that Harry Potter is one of the most successful tales of all time – but not everyone was #TeamHarry from the start.
It’s been decades since JK Rowling wrote “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (or “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” if you want to be a British wizarding world purist), but the tales of Harry at Hogwarts are still going strong. With seven books, Rowling fleshed out a fantasy world packed with dragons, Dementors, and daring escapades that lend themselves naturally to a cinematic adaptation.
How ‘Harry Potter’ Became a Global Mega-Franchise
When Lorenzo di Bonaventura – film producer and former president of worldwide production at Warner Bros. – first picked up a Harry Potter book, he instantly saw its potential. That’s why he jumped at the opportunity to purchase the rights ASAP. Bonaventura sat down with Collider to discuss his latest project, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023), and shared his version of events from Harry Potter‘s pre-cinematic success.
“It was a great book,” he explained, “and [when] we read it… It had not been published. I think while we were negotiating, it was released in England, and it started becoming a phenomenon. It was just a great story, and it just felt fresh, and it caught my imagination more than anything else.”
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Bonaventura then met JK Rowling, who mapped out the arc of all seven books. That was all the convincing he needed. “It was just like, ‘Wow, okay, we don’t have to do much,’ you know? Like it’s been figured out. We just have to now figure out how to reduce it to a two-hour kind of experience.”
While Bonaventura may have been incredibly enthusiastic about the franchise’s potential, not everyone was as keen. Bonaventura didn’t name names but explained that some of his then-bosses at Warner Bros. weren’t as optimistic, especially considering the rights cost a reported $2 million.
“Some of my boss’ reaction was, ‘Why are you buying a kid book for a lot of money?’” he said. “And I’m like, ‘It’s not a kid book, it’s an everybody book. It’s got a great imagination.’ That’s what drew me to it.”
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Needless to say, Bonaventura is the one laughing today. Not only is the franchise worth billions upon billions, but it’s also set to inspire yet another adaptation when the reboot lands on HBO in 2026. Despite the ongoing controversy around JK Rowling and her views on the transgender community, it’s safe to say that that value number will only grow – and it turns out we partly have Bonaventura’s confidence in Harry and co. to thank.
Are you excited for the Harry Potter reboot?