TheHarry Potterfranchise and its creator J.K. Rowling have become two of the most divisive topics in the entertainment industry. Rowling’s transphobic comments have alienated fans and turnedHarry Potterinto an IP that turns families against each other. But that hasn’t stopped Warner Bros. from thinking they can make a buck off it.
Warner Bros. Discovery has officially announced its plans to make aHarry Potterreboot television series. Some fans still loveHarry Potterso much that they argue in favor of separating the art from the artist. At the same time, others note that it is impossible to enjoy the franchise without paying J.K. Rowling.
Despite the conundrum,aHarry Potterreboot seriescreates an interesting opportunity for Warner Bros. Discovery. It’s a chance to literally characterize the franchise in a way that could support transgender issues. WBD could cast the newHarry Potterwith transgender actors or actors that create gender-swapped roles for familiar characters.
Producers could easily use the cast inHarry Potterto remind us that Hogwarts is about inclusivity, diversity, and friendship. Maybe Hufflepuff should win the house cup for once. Unfortunately,the HBO CEO has dodged questionsof trans-positivity, and it looks like J.K. Rowling will take a role as a producer on the series. But we can still dream.
J.K. Rowling and the Reboot
TheHarry Potterreboot series could take all the original characters and turn them on their heads, giving fans the same amount of magic and delight they experienced in the original film franchise while still creating an inclusive space for those excluded by J.K. Rowling. A lot offans have already begun recastingthe new series by themselves.
Two popular choices seem to be Tom Felton as Lucius Malfoy andAdam Driver as Severus Snape. And honestly, it would be interesting to see Felton in a role that would make him his own father. And Adam Driver could probably do a pretty good Alan Rickman impression. But the Wizarding World, as Warner Bros. now calls it, can go further.
Related:Harry Potter: 10 Actors That Should Play Voldemort In the Reboot
Since J.K. Rowling’s transphobic tirade in 2019,Harry Potterhas been the most divisive thing on anyone’s screen. Now, with a political tinge to anyHarry Potterrelease, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a new movie or a video game; the IP has successfully alienated the entire LGBTQ+ community, because if it has the name of the boy who lived on it, then J.K. Rowling is getting paid.
Some fans with weaker hearts have tried to separate their political ideals from those of the franchise creator, but this is the kind of fandom that stokes the fire under Warner Bros. to make moreHarry Pottercontent.
Despite this being the case, some fans have taken to their keyboards to cast new actors in the roles of familiar characters, and aiming for a more diverse cast may be the saving grace the reboot is looking for.
A New Cast of Harry Potter
The new cast of Harry Potter will be more diverse. Warner Bros. is already expanding its search beyond the likes ofcharacters we saw in the Harry Potter films. But will they provide more acting opportunities to those in the LGBTQ+ community? Some fans would love to see major characters played by actors that could gender-swap their roles.
Characters like Gilderoy Lockhart, Hermione Granger, the Weasley Twins, and Fleur Delacour all have a gendered twinge to them that could be subverted or even improved by actors of another gender or sexuality. Two characters prime to be played by trans actors would probably be Luna and Tonks.
Both living more on the counter-culture side of things, it wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine either of them as trans women or trans men.
Related:15 Best LGBTQ+ TV Shows Cancelled by Netflix
Though the story probably won’t change, we’ll see the world ofHarry Potterin far greater detail than we did in the past. That means more opportunities for a subtle gay subtext between Harry and Draco, for Luna to be a stranger, and for Warner Bros. to show that they care about the LGBTQ+ community with actors that support the cause.
Again, nothing about the plot needs to change at all. Perhaps that would be the best way to be inclusive to trans folk. To show that trans women are women and trans men are men, their story deserves to be written the same as cisgendered people. And Warner Bros. might repair some of the damage J.K. Rowling has done with her Twitter account.
