Salva Mubarak Senior Features Writer

ICYMI, HBO has officially announced that a brand new Harry Potter television show is in the making and, to no one’s surprise, fans of the series have a lot to say about that.

The internationally beloved book series by controversial author JK Rowling was adapted into a hugely successful eight-film series that concluded in 2011.

The decision to turn the book series into a TV show with multiple seasons after decades of the original release date is welcomed by some but criticised by many.

The makers have announced that each book in the series would be used for a season of the show, giving them a chance to give the story the length required to fully capture all the details that fans loved and missed in the movies.

The official statement on the show reads, “The stories from each of Rowling’s Harry Potter books will become a decade-long series produced with the same epic craft, love and care this global franchise is known for. The series will feature a new cast to lead a new generation of fandom, full of fantastic detail, much-loved characters and dramatic locations that Harry Potter fans have loved for over 25 years. Each season will be authentic to the original books and bring Harry Potter and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world, while the original, classic and beloved films will remain at the core of the franchise and available to watch globally.”

Why do people have a problem with the Harry Potter reboot?

One of the biggest reasons why people are not happy with the announcement is because of it being an obvious cash grab. The Harry Potter spin-offs, including the Fantastic Beasts franchise, have received a lukewarm response and it makes sense to pivot back to what the fans originally loved about the series to make more money.

The other big factor is that many fans have felt distanced from the series after author Rowling’s continued assault on trans rights and the vitriol she spews on the regular on Twitter under the guise of free speech. The fact that Rowling is heavily involved in the development of the TV show, as a creative consultant and an executive producer, is problematic for many fans.

There’s also the fact that we already have a well-made series of movies covering the same subject, albeit with a few beloved canon details missing, and it would be hard to drum up excitement for a CGI-heavy series that could take years between two seasons.

So far, there hasn’t been any confirmation on the release date of the series, but knowing the meticulous behind-the-scenes work that goes into an HBO series, especially adaptations of successful book series, it’s going to be a few years before we see the first season of the Harry Potter TV show.

What do you think of the news? Are you excited to see the TV show?