Overview

• HBO CEO Casey Bloys reaffirmed that J.K. Rowling’s personal views on transgender rights will not impact the content or casting of the upcoming Harry Potter TV adaptation.
• Rowling, responding to speculation, clarified on social media that she lacks the authority to dismiss cast members and would not exercise such power if she had it.
• Paapa Essiedu, cast as Severus Snape, recently signed an open letter with over 400 entertainment professionals advocating for trans rights after a UK Supreme Court ruling excluded trans women from the legal definition of women.
• HBO emphasized its long-standing partnership with Rowling, citing prior collaborations like the C.B. Strike series, while reiterating the creative independence of the new adaptation.
• The Harry Potter series, set to begin filming in mid-2025 for a 2026 release, will adapt each book into a full-length season under showrunner Francesca Gardiner and director Mark Mylod.