While the exact amount J.K. Rowling has earned from the Harry Potter universe remains undisclosed, it's widely known to be substantial. Evidently, the author has no intention of parting ways with the series. The anticipation for a new TV series under Max production was already in the air, but the revelation of an undisclosed advantage exclusive to the TV series adds an intriguing layer. Let's delve into the details below.
Harry Potter is a film series adapted from the novels of British author JK Rowling. The series is produced and distributed by Warner Bros Pictures, starting with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) and concluding with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011), consisting of eight fantasy films. The films depict the adventures of Harry Potter, whose parents were brutally murdered by the ruthless wizard Voldemort, and ultimately his battle against Voldemort.
Max has announced the production of a Harry Potter TV series, which is said to have an extraordinary advantage over films in the production process. While Harry Potter films served as a gateway to J.K. Rowling's magical universe for many, the upcoming TV adaptation is expected to have a unique superiority compared to the films.
The original Harry Potter films were released between 2001 and 2011. With seven books in total and most novels having only one film adaptation, the final book was divided into two films. The cast of the Harry Potter films remained largely the same throughout production and grew up on screen with their target audience. This is likely a feature of the films that Max's Harry Potter TV show may want to replicate.
From the first season onwards, it seems to dive deeper into J.K. Rowling's books, adding a touch of 'Oh, really?' by exploring the deeper events. The time gap between the books and the films in the first round made it challenging, but now it promises to make everything more fun by saying, 'Wow, things are getting interesting!'
The actors of the Harry Potter TV series can base their performances on crucial character moments that will happen in later books. This is a luxury that most film casts did not have. However, one actor from the original cast had much more information about the future of his character compared to others. Alan Rickman was the only actor who received all the Harry Potter secrets from J.K. Rowling, covering almost the entire character development story. This allowed him to portray Severus Snape in a much more convincing manner. On the other hand, other cast members always remained a few steps behind in the books compared to the films.
Harry Potter books became wildly popular very quickly. The first novel was published in 1997, and the film adaptation came in 2001. When the first film was released, only the first four books of the series had been published, but Warner Bros. had some foresight for their work. However, when the sequel film Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets came in 2002, Rowling had not yet written the fifth book. In fact, it would take her another year to publish Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in 2003.
The speed of film production made it impossible for Rowling to finish all the Harry Potter books until 2007; by that time, only three films were left to be made. As a result, Warner Bros. only gained full knowledge of the future story in 2009 with The Half-Blood Prince and the Deathly Hallows films in 2010 and 2011. This uneven approach between book and film release dates may not have significantly harmed the adaptation process, but it's possible that if the entire story was available from the beginning, the films could have been even better.
Like Alan Rickman knowing the fate of Severus Snape while filming the Harry Potter films, anyone involved in the TV show will be fully aware of what's coming. This will not only help the cast add nuances to their own performances in the Harry Potter remake but will also benefit other creative roles within the production. For example, the show's writers can add hints and references to events from any point in the timeline of the Harry Potter books. They can also make additions to the story without worrying about canon inconsistencies with what is to come.
Creators in this role often become observers of such a project, so having as much information as possible is always a significant advantage. In short, there is no disadvantage to having all the books at once, and it will help further enhance the already impressive adaptation of the Harry Potter TV show.