Will the HBO Harry Potter series really be able to run for a decade? Possibilities and difficulties, explored

The HBO Harry Potter show received a major update this week that has fans in a bit of celebratory mood. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav reiterated the decade-long commitment during the most recent earnings call. Rumors are circulating that the studio's plan may extend over the original seven books that were released between 1997 and 2007.

While the plan sounds ambitious on the surface, it must be said that as of now, it sounds too good to be true. However, that does not mean the HBO Harry Potter show will fail to adapt the seven books. It's just that there are two challenges that the HBO series might face to make it to the finish line.

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The Harry Potter show is set to cost over a billion dollars:

It is known that the studio is building a mini town filled with schools and other amenities for all the child actors involved, something that was not done during the production of the previous eight movies. This move was made specifically to reduce the production time. Building the town is why the production budget is reported to be as high as over 1 billion dollars.

That is rumored to be the budget of the first season alone. However, the budget may even increase after the third book. That's because the first three books are all under 500 pages. However, the page count suddenly increases from the fourth book, which goes over 600 pages. Here is the page count of all seven Wizarding World books:

The page count doubles with the fourth book, and the fifth one is the biggest book in the series. But the fourth season might be the most difficult of all the seven seasons because fans will expect the show to stick to the book closely. Thus, fans will want the S.P.E.W. and, more importantly, include everything from the maze that was cut in the 2005 movie.

Including all the monsters in the maze for the third task would cost a lot of money, something that the movie avoided. Furthermore, cinematographer Adriano Goldman teased this while discussing the show:

“This season is monumental. It needs to establish a whole universe: scenarios that should last many years, all being created now. This is the part I consider most rewarding. Collaborating from the origin of the project... this joint elaboration of visual content allows a broader collaboration between talented professionals from various areas.”

Then he also revealed in the same interview with Forbes Brazil that the production team was looking to use practical effects for the magic seen in the Harry Potter show:

"Many of the solutions we seek are carried out on camera, and not with computer graphics."

These quotes have some wondering if HBO can adapt all seven Harry Potter books or not. Then there is also the question of the franchise's brand.

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The involvement of Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling continues to be a contentious issue:

While HBO officially greenlit the series in April 2023, it wasn't until February 2025 that the first actor was even cast officially. Many believe that this delay was because of Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling's involvement. Some believe that actors (even those who probably agreed with her) did not want to address her words during interviews or even lose fans because of association with the franchise.

Actress Michelle Gomez was the most recent cast member is the most recent cast member to address this. The Doctor Who and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina actress in the past has openly supported trans rights, which is why it shocked fans when she was announced to voice Professor Minerva McGonagall in the audio drama version of the Harry Potter books for Audible. Gomez wrote this on her Instagram story on Wednesday:

“To my LGBTQ+ fans, and especially the trans community: I want to speak directly to the concerns that have been raised about my involvement in this project. I hear you, and I understand why this is painful for many. I want to be clear that I stand with trans people, and I support trans rights – fully and without hesitation. When I accepted this role, I did so as someone who has always loved the stories and what they meant to so many – especially those who found comfort and identity in that world. I now understand more clearly how deeply complicated and hurtful this association can feel, and I take that seriously. Being an ally means listening even when it’s uncomfortable and taking accountability where it’s needed. I’m committed to doing both.”

Gomez was not the only one to address this, though. Even Ben Barnes, who is a fan-favorite to play Sirius, Harry's godfather, addressed the possibility of his involvement in the HBO Harry Potter series at last week's Tampa Bay Comic-Con:

“Like, you know, most people in the world found those stories and those movies when they came out, something for a bit, you know, really joyful. And obviously, in the last few years, I found it much more — a more difficult thing to talk about, because there’s obviously, like, a clash between some of the author's views on things and the way I see the world.”

Then, he went on to say:

“So I think that has made it, sadly, sort of tainted this sort of beautiful mythology of how I saw those stories. But it doesn't change the fact that it’s a really — such a cool character, and, you know, to be associated with a character like that from other people who do love it, it's like — it’s like a really beautiful thing, and it makes me happy.”

Therefore, it is clear that even the Harry Potter stories may resonate with people of all ages; Author J.K. Rowling's actions might have eroded the audience's goodwill.

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Do you think that HBO's Harry Potter series will make it to all seven seasons?