Warner Bros announced on April 12 that “Harry Potter” is moving to television through streaming platform HBO Max, in collaboration with author J.K. Rowling. The show would be a decade long with one season per book from the hit series.

The decision to produce the new series is facing backlash in the media for multiple reasons. Firstly, J.K. Rowling has not been popular on social media since 2020 when she posted the first of many transphobic tweets. Also, the fact that years after releasing the Harry Potter book series Rowling announced changes in details that altered fans’ views of the adored series. For example, Rowling’s latest changes include: Albus Dumbledore being gay and in a relationship with Grindelwald, Dumbledore having a third brother, the backstory of Miverva McGonagall, the Cursed Child series and more. While I don’t think that any of these announcements altered the books I had already read, they did send more online hate toward Rowling.

Some people think that Rowling needs to leave the series alone, a less is more attitude. After eight films, a spinoff film series, theme parks, toys, games and a Broadway show for the beloved Harry Potter series, there are only so many more ways to tell the story Rowling created.

On the other hand, there are Harry Potter fanatics who can’t get enough of the series. As a Harry Potter fan, I get it. However, there is a big hesitation from fans who love the series but are over the changes and controversy from the author. A lot of people, on Twitter especially, are already “boycotting” the series and refuse to watch the series as it will directly benefit executive producer Rowling.

HBO Max is also facing backlash from collaborating with Rowling at all. The production announcement is leading people to associate their company with Rowling’s anti-trans beliefs.

Rowling continues to post tweets negatively directed at the transgender community. She even responded to people boycotting the Harry Potter series.

Rowling wrote, “Dreadful news, which I feel duty bound to share. Activists in my mentions are trying to organise yet another boycott of my work, this time of the Harry Potter TV show. As forewarned is forearmed, I’ve taken the precaution of laying in a large stock of champagne.”

The Harry Potter world remains magical and significant, making it seem unlikely that the television adaptation will lack in views. As someone who prefers the book version to film adaptations, I think the Harry Potter movie series was extremely well done. The television show will tell the exact same story as the books and movies. While I wasn’t necessarily craving more from the series, the story will always stay blissfully nostalgic. The unfortunate con to loving Harry Potter is the problematic author.

While the original story of Harry Potter is wonderful and clearly well-received, the story has been told. One way that HBO Max could have appealed to the “Potterheads” but also possibly avoid the controversial collaboration with Rowling, would be to continue the Harry Potter universe, but without Harry Potter.

I think that a Hogwarts-based television series would go over well. The cast will already be completely different from the original, and it’s hard to picture a Harry Potter other than Daniel Radcliffe. I would be interested in a television series in the magical castle, with the same basic Harry Potter characteristics, without the possibility of damaging a story that has been told well.

Audrey Trevarthan is an opinion writer. Contact her at [email protected].