It’s been almost 12 years sinceHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2hit theaters back in 2011. Since then, the cinematic landscape has changed a lot, and J.K. Rowling has even authorized a play to be written about Harry Potter’s life after the seventh book in the series. The play, known asHarry Potter and the Cursed Child,centers around Harry’s relationship with his son, Albus Severus, who finds himself in Slytherin over at Hogwarts.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Childfirst premiered in 2016, but it hasn’t quite gained the reputation of the book series. Some fans are not entirely sold on the story in the sequel, while other controversies have rocked theHarry Potterfranchise, which has expanded considerably to includevideo games likeHogwarts Legacy.Still,Harry Potterremains in the cultural consciousness. With nostalgia always holding sway over audiences, many fans have begun asking: willHarry Potter and the Cursed Childbe a movie?
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What is Harry Potter and the Cursed Child About?
To put it simply:Harry Potter and the Cursed Childis about legacy and parenthood. Thewizarding world is in a brighter time; Hermione Granger, Minister of Magic, has repealed many draconian laws against Muggle-Borns and other magical sentients, Harry is Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Ron is working with George at Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes, the family joke shop. All are happily married, with kids of their own; but the past still looms large over their heads.
The play picks off right after the epilogue: Harry’s younger son, Albus Severus, is headed off to Hogwarts. He makes the acquaintance of Scorpius Malfoy, son of Draco, and gets sorted in Slytherin. While Albusdiscovers a different side of Slytherin, being sorted into the House places a lot of strain on his relationship with his family (despite Harry having told Albus he wouldn’t mind if his son was sorted into Slytherin). Albus is also fairly average in every way, meaning he struggles to live up to his father’s legacy. Over the next four years, he and Scorpius become best friends, but both have issues with their parents. Eventually, this comes to a head when a new type of Time Turner enters the story.
Did J.K. Rowling Write Harry Potter and the Cursed Child?
Rowling, who has been at the center of numerous controversiesrecently, did not writeHarry Potter and the Cursed Child.She was consulted, and is credited with working on the story, but ultimately it was playwright Jack Thorne who wrote the screenplay. Rowling presumably provided story details such as the House Albus ended up being sorted into alongside the careers of the legacy characters. As such, it’s generally considered canon, though this status is heavily disputed among fans that argue anything not explicitly written by Rowling shouldn’t be taken at face value.
Will Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Be A Movie?
Ultimately,Harry Potter and the Cursed Childhas not received any announcement about becoming a feature film. TheHarry Potterfranchise has been stated to be a focus for Warner Bros. moving forward.Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledoreunderperformed at the box office and received tepid critical reviews, meaning that that branch of the franchise is unlikely to move forward. CEO David Zaslav’s comments also indicate that, when he was speaking about theHarry Potterfranchise, he meant the mainline series. So it’s entirely possible thatHarry Potter and the Cursed Childis an adaptation the studio is interested in - thestudio is reportedly hungry for moreHarry Potterfrom Rowling.
On the other hand, Rowling’s various controversies have galvanized the cast and crew from the film franchise. While several actors, such asRalph Fiennes, who plays Voldemort, have stated that they’re totally up for moreHarry Potter,other actors and actresses aren’t too keen on the idea.Emma Watson reportedly stated she would be willing to work withHarry Potterif Rowling wasn’t involved. As Watson’s portrayal of Hermione is considered to be iconic, it’s quite possible that recasting her, should the studio choose to work with Rowling again, would alienate fans.
Then there’sDaniel Radcliffe, who has publicly spoken out against Rowling. Radcliffe is undoubtedly a must-have for any futureHarry Potterfilms - he plays the title character. But reservations about working with Rowling is a serious concern when discussing his return, and that may muddy the water. Radcliffe has also struggled to shed the image of Harry Potter, and has taken numerous serious roles in the years since he left the role - he may not be keen on returning.
The play’s storyline has also been widely criticized by fans. Some find it difficult to see Harry Potter portrayed as a depressed adult with a strained relationship with his son; others find the story’s plot to be inconsistent with the established laws of the series' universe. While it’s not a given that the play’s plot would be what anyHarry Pottersequel might cover, it does complicate things should the studio decide to go in another direction.
