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Summary
Max’s upcomingHarry PotterTV series is imminent and moving forward despite mixed fan reactions, but the Wizarding World might benefit more from an animated spin-off than another live-action reboot. Large multimedia franchises often scale down to smaller adaptations like animated series, which can offer high returns without the pressure of massive production costs.
Set to premiere in 2026, the Max Original series is already planned for a ten-year run, which has left fans divided, since the originalHarry Potterfilms are still fresh in memory.
A reboot with new faces feels unwarranted to many and risks upsetting longtime Potterheads. Given there are millions of fans who watched the films evenbefore reading the books, an animated approach could better preserve the magic of the franchise.
The Time Is Right for an Animated Harry Potter Spin-Off
J.K. Rowling’s groundbreaking novels about The Boy Who Lived have been adapted into blockbuster films, spin-off prequels, stage productions, and evenvideo games likeHogwarts Legacy. However, it’s surprising that the fantasy adventure has yet to explore animation, even 27 years after the first book’s release. Now is the perfect time for the franchise to embrace this medium, and it doesn’t have to be a complex Pixar-style production. The rise and success of “2.5D” animation, as seen inSpider-Man: Into the Spider-VerseandTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, offers a more fluid artistic approach.
Just like theSpider-Versefilms, an animated Harry Potter spin-off could coexist alongside the live-action films andthe upcoming Max rebootwithout clashing with them. There’s a wealth of original material and characters that could be adapted into smaller stories that fans would love. In fact, when HBO’s reboot was first announced, many fans were clamoring for a fully animated series, ideally in a Studio Ghibli aesthetic often associated with Harry Potter fan art. But withthe network’s recent casting callconfirming the live-action series is moving forward, it’s clear that shifting to animation is no longer an option, and a separate animated spin-off series is all the more essential.
Casting presents the biggest risk, asDaniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint are still etched in people’s minds as Harry, Hermione, and Ron. It’s not just the main trio that would be missed – several veteran actors who played key characters have since passed away. This includes Alan Rickman (Snape), Michael Gambon (Dumbledore), Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid), and therecently deceased Dame Maggie Smith (McGonagall), just to name a few. While recasting these roles isn’t an ethical concern, it’s still a challenge to honor their memory. Any actor stepping into these roles will face intense scrutiny. An animated spin-off series, however, could help ease this transition, since audiences would get accustomed to a voice cast before seeing new faces on screen.
New Stories and Tones for Harry Potter Spin-Offs
These spin-offs don’t need to be dark and serious like the final Harry Potter movies, andfans on Reddit have some ideasthat HBO Max should be taking note of. An animated series could do something offbeat, like an intriguing procedural drama or even a buddy-cop comedy, focusing on the day-to-day lives of Aurors or Ministers of Magic. A great example of this style shift isStar Trek: Lower Decks, which tells a familiar story through minor, unfamiliar characters in the same universe. A similar approach would be retelling the events around Harry’s time at Hogwarts from the perspective ofunknown students, professors, or even Muggles.
A new spin-off could also dive into stories the films barely touched, such as Snape’s friendship with Lily and how it evolved into unrequited love, or hiscomplicated relationship with Dumbledore. There’s also a lot to unpack aboutVoldemort’s rise to powerduring the Second Wizarding War. So, an animated series can effectively showcase his reign of terror before his “death” and the creation of the Horcruxes. Another idea would be to go even further back in time to explore how Hogwarts was built from the ground up by the Four Founders. Show creators could borrow from Marvel’sWhat If?to introduce elements from the upcoming series, and introduce viewers to new concepts or elements, much likePeggy’s Captain Carter animated storylineeven before her live-action cameo inDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
All these ideas could be brought to life through animation without the high production costs required for live-action. The producers should learn from case studies of spin-offs likeStar Wars: The Clone Wars,which kept fans satisfied even when main investments in films kept falling short. But here, the producers seem fully invested in the live-action Harry Potter series, which is being touted as their nextGame of Thrones-level IP. Introducing an animated series before the live-action premiere might cause scheduling conflicts, but it could still be the perfect medium to expand the world of magic.
Harry Potter
When Harry Potter learns that he is a wizard, he enters a world beyond belief. Aside from continuing his studies at Hogwarts with best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, Harry must also face Voldemort and his dark wizarding forces. The Harry Potter franchise is a worldwide phenomenon, spanning seven books, eight movies, three spinoff movies, a stage play, and numerous video games.
