Hogwarts has a new headmaster as Warner Bros. appoints executive Tom Ascheim as the new head of all things Harry Potter.
There’s a new guy in charge of the Harry Potter franchise. Per Variety, Warner Bros. has promoted executive Tom Ascheim to oversee the whole of the Wizarding World, from movies to merch to theme parks to stage plays to video games and beyond (kinda surprised no one’s making a Harry Potter TV show yet, but maybe soon).
“I’ve been an avid Harry Potter fan for years and an admiring observer of how the Wizarding World franchise has been managed,” Ascheim said in a statement. “I’m honored to now be leading the very talented individuals and teams who have done such a great job in growing this brand and its meaning and value to fans everywhere. I look forward to going even further in exploring and expanding all of the opportunities we have in this incredible world.”
Of course, the Harry Potter franchise has been incredible valuable to Warner Bros. The original eight movies have generated $7.7 billion at the worldwide box office, the stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child won several Tony Awards and was raking in cash before the pandemic put a stop to live theater, and the Wizarding World theme parks in Orlando, FL and Osaka, Japan are huge draws. There’s a lot to work with.
That said, the franchise has run into some issues lately. The new series of movies, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, started strong, but the second movie — The Crimes of Grindelwald — made less at the box office than any other Harry Potter movie, on top of getting blasted critically. There was also the matter of Johnny Depp exiting the title role after he lost his libel suit against British The Sun, which had labeled him a “wife beater.” He’s being replaced by Mads Mikkelsen, which is admittedly a pretty good choice, so maybe the movies can bounce back.
Also a pain: Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling becoming a lightning rod for controversy last year when she outed herself as the world’s most successful transphobe, devoting a lot of time to explaining why she didn’t believe trans people are valid in their identities and peddling in regressive stereotypes about trans people using gender identity as a front to commit violence. Ascheim is now in charge of the studio’s relationship with Rowling, and he’s in a tricky spot: do you embrace the relationship and anger everyone offended by Rowling’s bigotry, or do you reject her and anger her supporters? Whatever choice he makes, there will be anger.
WarnerMedia chief Ann Sarnoff has his back, though. “In Harry Potter and the Wizarding World, we have an iconic franchise and characters that have become a beloved part of the lives of millions around the world,” she said. “This new management of the franchise highlights its enormous importance to Warner Bros. and the myriad opportunities we see for continuing to engage and delight fans of all ages across the globe. I’m excited for Tom to be leading our efforts and look to him and his team to work across the company to discover innovative and creative ways of keeping the Wizarding World fresh and relevant for years to come.”
Accio brand growth.
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