HBO’s CEO Casey Bloys has said JK Rowling’s contentious views on trans rights will not impact the channel’s television adaptation of the Harry Potter series of books.
A TV adaptation of the boy wizard’s story was announced back in 2023 and is slated for release in 2026, with each of JK Rowling’s seven books getting its own full-length season. Rowling will serve as an executive producer on the series.
The adaptation is reportedly due to run on TV for over a decade and will feature an entirely new cast, including John Lithgow as Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as McGonagall and Paapa Essiedu as Snape.
Many have been critical of the idea of a brand-new adaptation of the Harry Potter series given the fact the final film in the original series of movies – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II – came out relatively recently, in 2011, as well as the fact author JK Rowling holds many controversial views on the transgender community.
These views have included, but not been limited to, calling trans women “crossdressing straight men”, making fun of inclusive language and campaigning against Olympic boxer Imane Khelif. In recent months she also donated £70,000 to gender critical group For Women Scotland in advance of its legal case against the Scottish government, which saw the UK Supreme Court rule that the legal definition of a woman does not include trans women for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010.
Speaking on a recent episode of The Town with Matt Belloni, Bloys said Rowling’s trans views had not affected the upcoming content of the show.
“The decision to be in business with JK Rowling is not new for us,” he said.
“If you want to debate her, you can go on Twitter”
“We’ve been in business for 25 years. We already have a show on HBO from her called C.B. Strike that we do with the BBC.”
“It’s pretty clear that those are her personal, political views,” Bloys said of her gender-critical views. “She’s entitled to them. Harry Potter is not secretly being infused with anything. If you want to debate her, you can go on Twitter.”
The CEO went on to claim Rowling’s opinions are “very nuanced and complicated”, adding: “Our priority is what’s on the screen. Obviously, the Harry Potter story is incredibly affirmative and positive and about love and self-acceptance. That’s our priority — what’s on screen.”
Previously, HBO said Rowling has a right to express her opinions and it had not impacted the show or its casting choices.
An HBO spokesperson told Variety in November 2024 that the company was “proud” to be producing the adaptation, adding that Rowling had a right to express her views and that it hadn’t “affected the casting or hiring of writers or production staff.”
They went on say: “We remain focused on the development of the new series, which will only benefit from her involvement.”
Following the Supreme Court’s ruling in April, Essiedu – who is set to play Severus Snape in the TV series – was among more than 400 TV and film professionals who signed an open letter pledging solidarity with the trans community.
The letter was also signed by Fantastic Beasts star Eddie Redmayne, The Last of Us favourite Bella Ramsey and Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan, as well as a number of writers, producers and directors.
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