A Harry Potter Series is coming to HBO Max! Here are five directions that show could take.
2021 officially marks the twenty year anniversary of the release of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the first film in the eponymous Harry Potter franchise. Since then, the wizarding world of Hogwarts has captured the hearts of children and adults all over the world. Not only spawning ten subsequent features, but also four amusement park attractions and an upcoming triple A video game Hogwarts Legacy coming in 2022. In the spirit of reflecting back on the growth of the franchise, Warner Brothers and HBO Max have announced via The Hollywood Reporter that executives have had a series of meetings with writers with the goal of bringing the blockbuster franchise to television.
This is huge news for any Harry Potter fan. The series has been exclusively confined to film or video game formats, so seeing the franchise expand in such a way is very exciting. Despite the fact that negotiations are in the early stages theories are already swarming across the internet. With the Harry Potter franchise providing such a breadth of opportunities there are a variety of opportunities for storytelling. So while fans wait for more information here are five directions the series could go in.
The Marauders
A longtime favorite of hardcore Harry Potter fans, the Marauders refers to a group of four Gryffindors and classmates: Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black, and James Potter. Anyone familiar with the series would recognize these names, especially that of James who is the deceased father of Harry. In theory, a Marauders series would be a prequel set in the 1970s that would follow the Hogwarts years of Harry’s parents and family friends. This series would give us context to some of the most significant characters in the franchise. Fan favorite characters like Sirius Black and Remus Lupin are prominent figures in the franchise, but Marauders would lift them to main character roles. The question of how Remus became a werewolf or Sirius’s complicated relationship with his family would likely be addressed. Meanwhile, the love story between Lily and James Potter as well as the jealousy from Lily’s best friend Severus Snape would be at the forefront of the show.
Since the Marauders were often getting into mischief there are definitely enough shenanigans to fill a series. After all, fans have created their own stories, headcanons, and theories about what life was like in Hogwarts at the time. Seeing the bond between the Marauders build naturally over the years is something that can only be found on television. It can provide a whole new dimension to Sirius and Remus’s commitment to protecting Harry in the films.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Used to highlight the importance of dialogue and stagecraft, plays are an incredible medium. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child proved that by becoming a blockbuster mega hit, setting the record for highest all-time weekly ticket sales of any play, and winning scores of awards. The Cursed Child follows Harry’s son, Albus Severus Potter, nineteen years after the events of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Albus navigates life in Hogwarts as a Slytherin and strikes up a friendship with his father’s former nemesis’s son Scorpius Malfoy. As Albus deals with the feeling of not measuring up to his legacy the boys are sent on an adventure through time.
Not all of us could experience the Cursed Child for ourselves. Plays are often exclusive to certain major metropolitan cities like London or New York. Another thing is that ticket prices per show can be more than what most can afford. In order to make the Cursed Child experience more universal, it can be brought to television. The four act play is too long to convert to film, so a mini series event concerning each act would be perfect. It also gives fans a chance to see how Hogwarts has changed since Voldemort’s attack. Although the stage is an incredible vehicle to convey many of the emotions in the play, television can provide a new visual dimension to this story.
Hogwarts: The New Class
If sequels and reboots aren’t your thing there is a more radical direction to take the series. Focusing on an entirely new class of Hogwarts students with no connection to Harry and his friends is a perfect way to build upon the world and lore. Unlike the Cursed Child which takes place only nineteen years after the events of the Deathly Hallows, this series could go decades into the future. With no Voldemort around, there is a lot more opportunity to focus on day to day Hogwarts life. Successful ventures like the Wizarding World of Harry Potter show that all aspects of Hogwarts prove a point of interest to people. Also, this is a good chance to introduce an entirely new adversary for our characters to take on.
While Potter’s group of friends was small and often confined to one or two houses a new Hogwarts series could explore all kinds of students. Since we only got to know the home lives of characters like Harry or Ron, it would be beneficial to see all kinds of wizarding family situations. Another thing is houses like Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin could receive more attention with the extra time television episodes give as well as new Hogwarts mysteries. In order for a Hogwarts extended universe to live on without Harry, a new crop of characters could be the solution.
Hogwarts Founders
As opposed to going far into the future like my last suggestion there is an option to go further back into the past. An origin story about our favorite wizarding school has been highly requested for years. Harry Potter lore runs so deep that the creation of Hogwarts is a fascinating story within itself. One that many believe would be perfect for a television series. Hogwarts castle was built by four friends Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Salazar Slytherin, and Rowena Ravenclaw. When the castle was complete they created the four infamous Hogwarts houses that not only took after their names but also their personalities.
If a Hogwarts founder’s show were to happen there are a wealth of character dynamics to pull from. Godric Gryffindor was an accomplished dueller who not only gifted the Sorting Hat to Hogwarts but also was a staunch believer in advocating for muggles. Helga Hufflepuff was a kind hearted chef who never valued one student over another while Rowena Ravenclaw was known as the most brilliant witch of her age. Conflict rises upon the arrival of Salazar Slytherin who felt only those from magical families deserved to come to Hogwarts. This new series could bring the political intrigue from shows like Game of Thrones to the Harry Potter universe.
Reboot
You can now control your TV with an actual Harry Potter wand remote
While the Hogwarts extended universe keeps moving forward there is always a chance that we might revisit Harry sooner than we thought. Although the movies are beloved adaptations of the books there are several scenes, characters, and backstories that were omitted from the films for time. A television adaptation could give us the full version of all eight books. The possibility of Harry Potter’s fight against He Who Must Not Be Named being told again is something that had been spoken about briefly with franchise star Daniel Radcliff. In an interview with IGN Radcliff called a reboot of the franchise inevitable as the years wear on.
“It will be interesting to see how long those films stay… it feels like there’s a sacredness around them at the moment, but that’ll go, the shine will wear off at some point,” he laughed. “It’ll be interesting if they reboot them and just do the films again or do a series; I’m fascinated to watch.”
What do you think of the upcoming series? What would you like to see? Let us know in the comments!
