Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.”
Warner Bros.
Attention witches and wizards, a new live-action Harry Potter series could be coming to HBO Max.
Executives of the WarnerMedia-backed streaming service are reportedly in talks to bring the beloved book and film franchise to television, according to a report from The Hollywood Reporter published Monday.
Representatives from HBO Max and WarnerMedia did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
The Harry Potter book series by J.K. Rowling has spawned spinoff books, eight box office features and theme park lands at Universal Studios in Florida and California. It is one of the most valuable pieces of IP that Warner Bros. has in its vault.
However, there are some complications. For one, Rowling still controls the franchise and has a say in everything involving the property. The author has come under scrutiny for comments made about the trans community and has faced backlash from even the most loyal of Harry Potter fans.
Additionally, Warner Bros. signed a deal with NBCUniversal in 2016 that gave domestic TV distribution rights to its competitor, including U.S. broadcast, cable and streaming rights to the entire Wizarding World franchise. The deal doesn’t expire until 2025.
Read the full report from The Hollywood Reporter.
Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC.
