Why is HBO so keen on supporting the ‘Harry Potter’ series while it continues to slash its catalogue?

The past year has proven that no TV show–or movie–is safe from HBO. For example, despite continuously beating out even legacy HBO programs and receiving critical acclaim, queer pirate comedy Our Flag Means Death was axed in January despite preproduction seemingly already underway. It would, unfortunately, not be the first show in HBO’s catalogue to meet this fate.

The question posed throughout this year has remained: Why? There are still no true concrete answers, but Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav’s words of praise for Donald Trump seemingly point into a direction many of us have feared. The shows that were canceled, including Julia, and Rap Sh!t, were all created before the 2022 merger. The landscape was very different then, with HBO Max leaning into more diverse programming. Apparently, that is not the goal anymore.

The announcement of a Harry Potter series has puzzled fans from the beginning. Author J.K. Rowling’s comments aside, many–myself included–were unsure why they would even want to touch the beloved film series. Sure, there was much left out from the books, but they are beloved classics for a reason. We don’t want to see new people in the place of the actors we grew up with, even if it means we’ll get fuller adaptions. I always wanted to see the sphinx in Goblet of Fire, but not badly enough for this.

By now, we are all aware of Rowling’s continued anti-trans comments and her condemnation from original Harry Potter actors such as Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson. It has seemingly hindered production of the series, but despite obstacles, the series is still full steam ahead.

A spokesperson for Warner Bros. Discovery recently issued a statement defending Rowling:

“We are proud to once again tell the story of Harry Potter — the heartwarming books that speak to power of friendship, resolve and acceptance. 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.”

It’s a little rich, honestly, considering that HBO Chief Casey Bloys asked “gay Twitter” to support The Gilded Age (another soft-canceled show, with a truncated final season).

Creators should be involved, but not if they’re like this

So despite the controversy, and the continued attacks online from Rowling herself, they continue to support and push the show. Why? The easy answer is money. Since the merger, the decision has been made to expand the Potter franchise. It will reach a new generation who did not get to experience it like we did. And in a different world, that would be perfect! But in a world where the creator is deeply mired in hateful rhetoric, it makes it difficult to want to enjoy their work.

Many canceled shows, like Our Flag, were expensive and niche. It would not be too far off from the truth if it was canceled to give more money to Harry Potter. Which, fine. That is how the industry goes. But for them to continue to double down on support for such a controversial figure, for a TV show no one really wanted, is that is really irksome.

If they would like more money, perhaps Zaslav should stop paying himself tens of millions of additional dollars every year. Maybe he should put away the yacht and focus on the company he is supposedly “helping” from hemorrhaging money. Many people, myself included, are skittish about starting new shows with so many of them getting canceled before they can reach a season 3.

I understand that streaming has reached a point where changes need to be made before it fails completely. Axed shows like Our Flag did implement cost-cutting measures like filming in New Zealand. But not every good show is going to slide into the awards conversation (even though both Taika Waititi and Rhys Darby were considered potentials for their performances in season 2). Good shows should not be penalized for not broaching mainstream.

The state of the industry is very different post-COVID and post-strikes. Right now, Hollywood is, more or less, creatively bankrupt and unwilling to take risks on new, original ideas. They want preexisting IPs that are guaranteed to make money. And, in my opinion, maybe they should have been more careful with their money to begin with.