‘Hope this flops too’: People are dragging HBO for defending J.K. Rowling’s ‘Harry Potter’ involvement

J.K. Rowling getting dragged online for her extremely hateful transphobic views is nothing new, and HBO now siding with her in a new debacle has landed them in trouble with Harry Potter fans.

HBO recently released a statement in support of Rowling, highlighting the fact that the UK writer is entitled to her opinions on different subjects. Here’s the statement:

J.K. Rowling has a right to express her personal views. We will remain focused on the development of the new series, which will only benefit from her involvement.

HBO statement on J.K. Rowling

However, fans didn’t take it too kindly, launching scathing attacks on the network for endorsing the poster girl of transphobia. The reactions range from boycotting the new Harry Potter TV show to fans straight up cursing the network and the author, and here are some of them:

HBO/Warner Bros.’s U-turn on the subject is in stark contrast to their views a few years ago, when they rolled out an empathetic message in support of minority groups after J.K. Rowling first went public with her views on the trans community. Since then, a multitude of stars associated with the franchise have distanced themselves from Rowling, including but not limited to Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, and Fantastic Beasts‘ Eddie Redmayne. All four have expressed solidarity with the trans community over time, indirectly condemning Rowling’s hateful outlook.

Currently, the network is working on a TV series based on Rowling’s fantastical world, set to be helmed by showrunner Francesca Gardiner and director Mark Mylod, both of whom are household names now thanks to HBO’s hit drama Succession. Rowling’s involvement was confirmed by HBO chief Casey Bloys, who reassured the press and the fans that Rowling’s transphobic views “haven’t affected the casting or hiring of writers or productions staff.”

Rowling’s transphobia has only worsened over time in the last couple of years, and she came to the limelight earlier this year during the Paris Olympics for accusing Olympic Gold medallist Imane Khelif of being a biological male and participating in a women’s boxing event, which was proven to be untrue. As a result of online bullying that followed, Khelif filed a complaint against Rowling in a Paris court, leading to the latter softening her stance against her. Meanwhile, the Harry Potter reboot series is expected to release on HBO in 2026, with Bloys confirming that it will be a “faithful adaptation” of the source material and won’t disappoint fans.