J.K. Rowling made her feelings known about the new HBO series from her Harry Potter book series, saying she is excited for the new cast and what the series will create. The author who built the wizarding world into a global sensation, stated that she was "thrilled" about the way the project is coming together.
HBO is making a new television series that will retell all seven Harry Potter books across multiple seasons focused on one book per season. The project was announced in 2023 and the work has generated interest not only from it's sheer scale, but also from Rowling's ongoing involvement.
Using social media, Rowling clearly made her point about liking the three young actors that were chosen to anchor the series. Dominic McLaughlin will portray Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton is portraying Hermione Granger; and Alastair Stout will take on the part of Ron Weasley.
"All three are fantastic," Rowling said on X (formerly Twitter), and said she "couldn't be happier" with the casting announcements. The comments from the author seem to show that she has full faith in the new generation of actors taking on roles made famous by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint.
All three are wonderful. I couldn't be happier.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 27, 2025
She hasn't stopped at just praise for the cast. Rowling has also indicated her major support for the creative team for the show. It is rumored that she read the pilot script and has approved the selections of Francesca Gardiner as showrunner and Mark Mylod as director. Both have a rich history of producing television at a high caliber, with recent credits like Succession and Game of Thrones. Rowling said that she is positive the team will remain loyal to the original story being adapted while bringing the story to life in a different format.
While Rowling's engagement has thrilled many longstanding fans, there has also been renewed scrutiny of her past comments about gender and identity, which have garnered significant backlash in recent years. HBO, however, has taken an unusual avenue in addressing this situation.
In a statement, HBO's CEO Casey Bloys said the new series is simply going to tell the story of Harry Potter, and that issues of personal opinions outside of the program will not affect the content of the series. "We are a book adaptation business, and that's what we are doing," Bloys said. He stated that the fact that Rowling is involved as an executive producer is crucial for maintaining fidelity to the source material, but that the creative team will focus on what's on screen, rather than public debate.
Despite the complicated feelings surrounding Rowling, HBO reiterated its confidence in her involvement in the project. The network stated that her knowledge of the source material and creative input are instrumental in creating a new faithful retelling of the books for a new generation.
I read the first two episodes of the forthcoming HBO Harry Potter series and they are SO, SO, SO GOOD!
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 21, 2025
The series has a production start date likely later in 2025, with a premiere in 2026 or thereabouts. There is still much to be announced, but the announcement of the lead cast, and Rowling's highly publicized reaction,introducing fans to their first real images what they can expect from this reboot.
As development continues, audiences will be watching closely to see the way that HBO strikes the balance between being true to the original books while providing a version of the story that feels fresh and speaks to modern audiences.
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