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The boss of the studio behind the new Harry Potter TV adaptation has explained the “whole reason” for its existence.
Last year, it was announced that JK Rowling’s bestselling wizard-themed books were being made into a new series, having previously been adapted into a hit film franchise between 2001 and 2011.
The move has been criticised by some fans of the books, with many deeming another adaptation “unneccessary”.
Speaking to Variety this week, Channing Dungey, the head of Warner Bros Television Group, explained the reasoning behind adapting the novels for television.
“There’s not a lot to talk about at this moment,” she said. “We’ve got our fantastic writing staff in place and they are doing what they need to do. And casting calls have opened up in the UK and Ireland, so the process is moving along. It’s going quite well.
“It’s an unbelievable dream, honestly, and as somebody who is a huge fan of books, the opportunity to get to explore them in maybe a little bit more in-depth than you can in just a two-hour film, that’s the whole reason we’re on this journey.”
In recent years, discussion around Harry Potter has been dominated by the outspoken anti-transgender views of writer JK Rowling. Many of the castmembers from the original film saga have criticised or distanced themselves from Rowling, including Daniel Radcliffe, who played the eponymous boy wizard.
Last month, a casting call was issued for the new TV series, seeking child actors between the ages of nine and 11 to appear in the show. The notice stipulated that Warner Bros and HBO will be pursuing “inclusive, diverse casting”.
Earlier this year, Radcliffe was asked about the new TV adaptation, and said that the producers were likely attempting a “clean break” from existing adaptations.
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“Like the rest of the world, I’m very excited to watch as an audience member,” Radcliffe told E! News.
Asked about potentially appearing in the series, Radcliffe responded: “I don’t think so. I think they very wisely want a clean break. And I don’t know if it would work to have us do anything in it. I’m very happy to just watch along with everyone else.”
Creators are reportedly looking to release the series across 10 years, with each of Rowling’s seven children’s novels adapted into its own season.
Filming will begin next year, with a release date currently yet to be announced.
