Credit: UniversalWarner Bros. Entertainment is currently caught up in a legal battle over Harry Potter, and it’s demanding harsh consequences for the perpetrator in question.
The film studio – which owns the screen rights to the Wizarding World franchise – has reportedly been in an ongoing debate since 2019 when it first sued Kelvin Ching Kai-lim, the director of an unlicensed Harry Potter cafe named 9 3/4 cafe in Hong Kong.
According to The Standard, a judge sided with Warner Bros. and ordered the cafe to remove all references to the franchise, as well as to share all its audited accounts with the studio.
Despite the cafe’s existence constituting trademark and copyright infringement, it has continued to operate for five years. Warner Bros. discovered this fact in September 2023 when solicitors visited the cafe on behalf of the studio, where they found that all banners, signs, and promotional materials with the words “9 3/4 cafe” remained. Its social media platforms also continued to run as per usual.
The cafe’s name and theming is a direct reference to Platform Nine and Three Quarters, the Kings Cross station from which Harry, Ron, Hermione, and their fellow students ride the Hogwarts Express between London and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the iconic book and film series.
In an effort to reclaim the IP, Warner Bros. has now filed a writ asking for Hong Kong’s High Court to imprison the director of the Mong Kok cafe. The studio has also asked the court to impose a fine on that will cover all legal costs.
There are plenty of Harry Potter-themed bars, restaurants, and cafes across the globe. However, Warner Bros. has a documented history of cracking down on unauthorized use of Harry Potter IP. In 2007, the studio and the franchise’s author, JK Rowling, famously sued a group building a façade for a Hindu festival in Kolkata, India, over claims that they had recreated Hogwarts without its permission.
More recently, it sued Random Tuesday – a non-profit running group based in Connecticut – for its use of Harry Potter references in its “fandom-themed virtual running events,” for which it also sold commemorative merchandise. Its lawsuit also covered the unauthorized use of Gilmore Girls IP, which also falls under Warner Bros.
What’s your favorite Harry Potter location? Let us know in the comments!