HBO & Max Boss Casey Bloys Deflects Questions About J.K. Rowling Trans Controversy’s Impact On ‘Harry Potter’ Series

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Despite author J.K. Rowling coming under fire during the pandemic over her comments on transgender issues, Warner Bros has boldly stood by the Harry Potter and Wizarding World architect, in particular this morning, when it was made official that Warner Bros Discovery has greenlit a Harry Potter Max streaming series.

Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, was asked by a member of the media whether it would be a challenge for Max to attract talent to the series given her controversial comments.

Bloys bluntly responded, “I don’t have a comment on that today”.

“No, I don’t think this is the forum [to discuss that],” he said. “That’s a very online conversation, obviously very nuanced and complicated and not something we’re going to get into.”

“Our priority is what’s on the screen,” Bloys added. “Obviously, the Harry Potter story is incredibly affirmative and positive and about love and self-acceptance. That’s our priority — what’s on screen.”

As for how close the author will be to the series, Bloys said, “[Rowling] will be involved. She’s an executive producer on the show. Her insights are going to be helpful on that.”

Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav had met with Rowling several times in the UK and has been a champion for a Harry Potter series. He’s even spoken up in support of her in the wake of the ongoing controversy.

Asked about Warner Bros’ parameters with the Harry Potter verse, and Rowling’s oversee, Zaslav responded, “We’re free to do anytning we want in some areas; in some areas we need to do it with J.K., in other areas we have full ability to go forward. This is just a full deploymnt on the Max platform of Harry Potter, and we still have the chance to develop her other properties.”

Author Rowling, Neil Blair, and Ruth Kenley-Letts are exec producing with David Heyman is currently in talks to do the same. Brontë Film and TV is producing with Warner Bros. Television.

Bloys said that a search for a showrunner on Harry Potter, is now beginning.

“We have been trying to be very close to the vest,” said Bloys. “We haven’t gone out to agencies. We have our own internal process where we’ve been thinking about people but we have not wanted to go out into the world. Now that the news is out there, we will start working with the Blair Partnership and we’ll start going out to the business.”

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