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Max announces 'Harry Potter' series, J.K. Rowling to produce

April 13, 2023

"Harry Potter" is set to be turned into a TV series and broadcast on the Max streaming service. The platform also announced a prequel series for "Game of Thrones."

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A still of Harry Potter looking up at the camera from the film "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets."
A new TV series featuring Harry Potter and his pals has been announcedImage: Film Warner/dpa/picture-alliance

"Harry Potter" is set to hit the small screen, with J.K. Rowling primed for a key role in the production of the television series, Warner Bros. Discovery announced on Wednesday.

Rowling will be the executive producer as part of Discovery's plans for its Max streaming service, which combines HBO Max with unscripted programming. The streaming channel is set to launch in the United States on May 23.

"Max's commitment to preserving the integrity of my books is important to me, and I'm looking forward to being part of this new adaptation which will allow for a degree of depth and detail only afforded by a long form television series," Rowling said in a statement.

'A decadelong series'

Warner Bros. Discovery said the stories from each of the "Harry Potter" books will become "a decadelong series" featuring a new cast, with each season devoted to one of Rowling's books.

No timeline was given for when the show will be filmed or released.

Quidditch is a real sport

"She's an executive producer on the show. Her insights are going to be helpful on that," Max content head and HBO Max CEO Casey Bloys said at a news conference over the role that Rowling will take on.

Over 600 million copies of the seven "Harry Potter" books have sold worldwide. They were subsequently adapted into movies starring Daniel Radcliffe that grossed $7.7 billion (€7 billion) over a 10-year period from 2001 to 2011.

'Game of Thrones' series on the horizon

Meanwhile, Max also announced a new "Game of Thrones" prequel, with the title "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight." Author George R.R. Martin will assume the role of executive producer.

The series will be set 100 years before the events of "Game of Thrones." The story will be concentrated on a "young, naive but courageous knight" and his squire, Max said.

As with "Harry Potter," no release date has been set.

jsi/sh (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)