Posted in: Max, Opinion, streaming, TV, TV | Tagged: harry potter, hbo max, j k rowling, jk rowling, max, opinion, warner bros discovery

Harry Potter & The Worst Reason to NOT Make This Max Series

Since Warner Bros. Discovery announced a "Harry Potter" series, there have been strong arguments against it - and one that definitely wasn't.

We're guessing that if you're reading this, then you already heard the news from earlier this week that Warner Bros. Discovery is moving forward on a 10-year planned "Harry Potter" series adaptation for its new streaming service Max that's being touted as being faithful to J.K. Rowling's novels. Needless to say, this got a lot of folks talking on social media – with most of that talk built around why this project should even exist in the first place. And over the past few days, we've noticed that there have been three main arguments being thrown at WBD over the move – aside from the obvious, "it's all just a money grab" (but then again, can't that be said for every IP revisit out there – even the ones that turn out to be great?). With it being the end of the week and the rumblings have quieted down for now (mainly because there weren't a lot of details other than Rowling's an executive producer), we wanted to cut open our brains and throw our thoughts out on the table on those three points – and had one of them might be the worst argument to make (aside from agreeing with the nonsense that Rowling's been posting, obviously).

"But We Already Have The Movies!!": But the films leave soooooooo much out that was in the novels. How do I know this? Because as someone who knows the films, I have never watched with someone who knows the books where they don't tell me all of the things that should've been in the film but weren't. For example, a number of book fans out there aren't thrilled with the way Ron Weasley was written (nothing against you, Ruper Grint) for the films. With a streaming plan that looks to run one season per book, there is going to be a ton more opportunity to portray more of the "Harry Potter" universe. But just to be clear? HAVING A STREAMING SERIES DOES NOT DEVALUE THE FILMS YOU LOVE IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, SO PLEASE TAKE THE ARGUMENT OFF THE TABLE – PLEASE & THANK YOU!

J.K. Rowling: There is no right answer here because you can't tell people how to feel – and Rowling has caused a ton of hurt not just within the trans community but across the Potterverse. So anyone looking to divest from Rowling and anything she's attached to has more than earned that right after the online positions & actions that she's taken. For others, it's about not wanting so many who helped bring "Harry Potter" to life to lose out on their legacy & livelihood because of the personal failings of the franchise's creator. While two distinctly different situations in their respective specifics, dealing with something you love even when you hate the person who created it is something that a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan can respect.

The Worst Argument AGAINST the Series: Then there are those arguing that the series shouldn't happen because WBD and the producers will be feeding three young actors to the lions' den that is social media. Essentially, stop the series to spare these children from the horrors of social media trolling. And to that, I ask… you can't be f***ing serious? And that's not to mean that we don't care about the young actors' well-being – far f***ing from it. But we can't let ourselves get to the point that appeasing the narrow-minded, gatekeeping trolls out there on social media is a way for us to go. Of course, the trolls will come out of their basements & attics to go on the attack once casting is announced. And that's where "Harry Potter" fans, media sites like Bleeding Cool, Warner Bros. Discovery & Max executives, and the cast & creative team behind the series need to hit back at them hard. We need to collectively have the backs of the young cast – especially when we know this far in advance that it's going to happen. And, yes… that means Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson & Grint may need to step up & get vocal on their behalf. They don't have to like the idea of the series to want to make sure that they don't go through what the original trio did over the years. This needs to be one of those lines-in-the-sand moments – because otherwise, we're just rolling over and saying that the assholes win. And that's just not something we can but into…

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