As we first reported earlier this week, Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone cast and director Chris Columbus reunite for a retrospective special on HBO Max, but it seems like someone quite important will be missing from the event. J.K. Rowling, the author who created Harry Potter and paved the way for one of Hollywood’s most successful franchise’s of all-time, will reportedly not be involved in the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return To Hogwarts event.
The announcement of the Return To Hogwarts reunion made no mention of J.K. Rowling, who played a major role in the series’ journey to the big screen. This comes after Rowling sparked backlash from the trans community for comments she made on Twitter. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Return To Hogwarts special will focus primarily on the main cast/creators of the Harry Potter film series. While J.K. Rowling will reportedly appear in archive footage, she will not make a new appearance for the reunion special.
If true, It’s surprising to see that Warner Bros. would block J.K. Rowling from the reunion, as the studio still works closely with the author/screenwriter on the Fantastic Beasts spin-off franchise. Rowling fully controls the rights to the property, which is one of Warner Bros.’ most valuable pieces of IP.
Announced earlier this week, the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return To Hogwarts special will feature the main trio of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint – as well as Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone director Chris Columbus. They will be joined by other Harry Potter franchise actors including Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Imelda Staunton, Tom Felton, James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Mark Williams, Bonnie Wright, Alfred Enoch, Matthew Lewis, Evanna Lynch and Ian Hart.
Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts will stream Jan. 1 on HBO Max. It’s not yet clear how viewers outside of the United States will watch the special.
What do you think of J.K. Rowling not being included in the Return To Hogwarts special? Let us know in the comments section below!
Source: The Hollywood Reporter