HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Series Finds Its Writer and Director in ‘Succession’ Duo
HBO’s “Harry Potter” series has found its principal creative team. Francesca Gardiner, a writer whose credits include “Succession” and “His Dark Materials,” will serve as showrunner and executive producer while Emmy-winning director Mark Mylod will be director and executive producer.
Mylod is currently slated to direct multiple episodes. He is best known for directing episodes of “Game of Thrones” and “Succession” (including the iconic “Connor’s Wedding” episode in the final season) and will be directing episodes of the upcoming second season of HBO’s “The Last of Us.” Mylod is also responsible for directing the Ralph Fiennes horror film “The Menu” and has directed episodes of Showtime’s “Shameless” and “The Affair.”
This news comes on the heels of Warner Bros. Discovery switching the highly-anticipated project from Max to HBO. “Welcome to Derry,” the upcoming horror series set in the universe of Stephen King’s “It,” also made the switch. Additionally, the Green Lantern live-action series “Lanterns” was announced on Tuesday under the HBO banner whereas previous live action DC projects like “Peacemaker” and “The Penguin” will remain Max originals. This branding shift indicates a change in how the company is looking and and treating its most valuable IP.
The “Harry Potter” series has been in development since 2021 and seeks to be a “faithful adaptation” of the best-selling fantasy series written by J.K. Rowling. “The series will feature a new cast to lead a new generation of fandom, full of the fantastic detail and much-loved characters ‘Harry Potter’ fans have loved for over 25 years,” HBO said in a statement to press.
The series is currently eyeing a 2026 release date and aims to adapt one book per season.
It makes sense that Warner Bros. Discovery would be interested in expanding the Wizarding World yet again. The first eight movies that were released from 2001 to 2011 were behemoths for the company, making a total of $7.7 billion at the box office. That is without including the profits made from the three movies in the “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” series, the five major “Harry Potter” theme parks that exist around the world, the London studio tour or the countless profits made from movie merchandise over the decades.
Additional executive producers on the “Harry Potter” show are J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair, and Ruth Kenley-Letts of Brontë Film and TV, and David Heyman of Heyday Films.
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