New 'Harry Potter' TV series officially confirmed to be in the works

Hold onto your wizard hats, Harry Potter fans, because a magical announcement has just been made! 

The beloved series is set to be adapted into a TV show, based on all seven of J.K. Rowling's books, which were published between 1997 and 2007. 

The exciting news was confirmed by Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav while unveiling Max, a rebranded version of streaming service HBO Max.

Fans can expect a "decade-long series produced with the same epic craft, love, and care this global franchise is known for," according to a statement from Max. 

The series will feature a new cast to lead a new generation of fandom, full of the fantastic detail, much-loved characters, and dramatic locations that Harry Potter fans have loved for over 25 years. 

Each season will be authentic to the original books, bringing Harry Potter and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world. 

Rowling has been revealed as an executive producer of the series, and David Heyman, who executive-produced all eight of the Harry Potter films, is also in talks to return. The author's involvement may come as a surprise to some, given her absence from the televised Harry Potter 20th anniversary reunion in 2022 amid backlash over her remarks on transgender issues. 

However, HBO's parent company, Warner Bros, has maintained its relationship with Rowling, signing numerous deals including the Harry Potter spin-off franchise, Fantastic Beasts.

Rowling said in a statement on Wednesday that "Max's commitment to preserving the integrity of my books is important to me, and I'm looking forward to being part of this new adaptation which will allow for a degree of depth and detail only afforded by a long form television series."

And it seems at least one of the franchise's original film stars is on board with the idea. Rupert Grint, best known as Ron Weasley, said just a couple of months ago that he'd "love" to see Harry Potter brought back to life as "a TV show." "I think it would really work," he told GQ magazine UK in January.

But that's not all - Warner Bros. Studios is also currently developing the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child stage show into a new franchise. The play, which premiered in 2016 in London's West End and has also been in Melbourne since 2019, is based on an original story written by J.K. Rowling and takes place almost two decades after the events of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, focusing on Harry's son Albus Severus Potter, who is starting his first year at Hogwarts.

There's still a lot to be revealed about both projects, including casting details, but for now, let's raise our wands to this exciting news and get ready for more magical adventures in the wizarding world!