HBO is currently hard at work on a TV series based on J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books, and the world is holding its breath. We're talking about one of the most successful stories of the past few decades. The Harry Potter movies are modern classics and the books remain beloved, although Rowling has complicated that in recent years by publicly airing her transphobic views.
Still, the TV show will be a big deal. Showrunner Francesca Gardiner and her team are already looking for people to play the likes of Harry, Ron, Hermione and Dumbledore, and HBO is aiming for a 2027 release date.
That's according to Deadline, which put together a little profile on Gardiner, who's previously worked on shows like Killing Eve, Succession and His Dark Materials. She isn't a household name, but that resume is pretty good; her work on His Dark Materials, another TV show adapted from a series of fantasy novels aimed at younger readers, is a particular feather in her cap, especially since she personally penned some of the best episodes.
Deadline also reveals that the Harry Potter writers room is coming together. Besides Gardiner, it will include Killing Eve writer Laura Neal, Briar Patch creator Andy Greenwald, and Francesca's sister Josephine Gardiner. Josephine has no credit on a major screen project, but did collaborate with Franchise on an original feature film development. That pick kind of looks like Francesa just handing a high-profile job to her sister based on their personal relationship rather than Josephine's qualifications, but in reality...well, actually, that's probably what's happening. That needn't be a problem, though; Josephine Gardiner can be both a good writer and a product of nepotism. We'll have to wait to see more.
Maybe the most interesting part of the Deadline profile is what Killing Eve producer Sally Woodward Gentle had to say about the direction in which Francesca Gardiner intends to take the series: “She feels very strongly that she needs to honor the books. I don’t think she’s going to be a shaker-upper, a provocateur.”
Basically, according to people who have worked with her, Gardiner intends to stay true to the source material rather than do her own thing with it. That's probably the only way to go with books as well-known as the Harry Potter novels. The question now, at least for me, is whether a new TV adaptation will be different enough from the Harry Potter movies to justify its existence, since those were pretty faithful to the books as well. A TV show can definitely include things the movies left out, but will that be enough? We'll find out in 2027.
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