Skip to main content

New Harry Potter-themed movies and video games are on the way

new harry potter themed movies and video games are on the way hpazkaban
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Today is a good day for Harry Potter fans – not to mention Warner Bros. stock holders. WB Entertainment announced via a press release that a new series based on the Harry Potter universe is on the way. The series, which will start with an original screenplay from J.K. Rowling, will be based on a textbook mentioned in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (aka Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone).

The plan is to create a series of films, video games, and other products based on the adventures of “Newt Scamander,” author of the fictional text book “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” Those adventures will take place close to a century in the past, meaning the series will be entirely sans Harry himself (beyond a possible cameo).

This marks Rowling’s first foray into screenwriting. Initially the idea for the new Potter-free Potter films came from Warner Bros. itself, who were unsurprisingly excited by the potential to keep the franchise alive. The eight Harry Potter films earned over $7.8 billion worldwide, which is roughly the equivalent of the entire GDP of Haiti.

WB had hoped to get Rowling’s approval for the project. Instead they got Rowling herself.

“It all started when Warner Bros. came to me with the suggestion of turning ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ into a film. I thought it was a fun idea, but the idea of seeing Newt Scamander, the supposed author of ‘Fantastic Beasts,’ realized by another writer was difficult,” Rowling said in a statement. “Having lived for so long in my fictional universe, I feel very protective of it and I already knew a lot about Newt. As hard-core Harry Potter fans will know, I liked him so much that I even married his grandson, Rolf, to one of my favorite characters from the Harry Potter series, Luna Lovegood.

“As I considered Warners’ proposal, an idea took shape that I couldn’t dislodge. That is how I ended up pitching my own idea for a film to Warner Bros.”

The film will also be the first real look at the wizardry world beyond the confines of Britain (and the scattering of other locales fleetingly mentioned in the books). The series will begin in New York, 70 years before Harry’s adventures began.

Editors' Recommendations

Ryan Fleming
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ryan Fleming is the Gaming and Cinema Editor for Digital Trends. He joined the DT staff in 2009 after spending time covering…
Is Hogwarts Legacy multiplayer?
Two students lean over a cauldron in Hogwarts Legacy.

What's better than attending classes at Hogwarts, flying around the grounds on a broom, and learning new spells and potions? Doing all that with a friend, of course!

Hogwarts Legacy is giving Harry Potter fans of all ages the chance to explore an open-world version of the fantastical school for the very first time. Students get sorted into one of Hogwarts' famous houses, master every form of magic, and find themselves in the middle of all sorts of wild magical adventures.
Is Hogwarts Legacy multiplayer?

Read more
Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions: release date speculation, trailers, gameplay, and more
A quidditch player with the Golden Snitch.

For as fun as Hogwarts Legacy was, there was one major feature of the wizarding world that was noticeably absent from the game. Despite featuring the ability to fly on broomsticks, and even soar through a Quidditch arena, you couldn't actually play this magical game. That's where Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions, a brand new game, comes in. Very little has been shared about the game since its announcement, however, there are a few details worth going over before mounting up and trying to catch that elusive Golden Snitch! Here's everything we know about Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions.
Release window

There's no release window for Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions, however, it might be somewhat soon since registration is underway for upcoming playtests.

Read more
Hogwarts Legacy Ghosts of Our Love guide: how to find the floating candles
A picnic area in the forest.

Just like in a normal school, there are plenty of extracurricular activities to spend your time doing in Hogwarts Legacy. Being an open-world RPG, these mostly take the form of side quests given to you by other witches and wizards in the school who need your help. A unique one is titled "Ghost of Our Love" which can be a bit different depending on which of the four houses your character belongs to. The end goal will always be the same, but that doesn't make it any easier to complete. If you're struggling to find the floating candles location in Hogwarts Legacy, let us guide your path.
How to start Ghost of Our Love

Starting the "Ghost of Our Love" quest requires you to reach a certain point in the game, but this is different depending on your house. Here's what quest you need to complete before you can start this one for each house, and then the location of where you collect the map after completing said quest.

Read more