Meetings between Warner Brothers and JK Rowling can be filled with shouting and tears, it is claimed, as bosses at the entertainment giant brand the author their biggest asset.
The Amount of Control She Holds
The British writer, who wrote all seven volumes of the famous wizard series that sold millions and inspired eight blockbuster films, wields an immense amount of control over the series’ future.
She sold the rights to Warner Bros. early in her career – but with clauses that give her considerable clout over how Harry Potter is portrayed on-screen.
What Was Said
What Rowling calls ‘Ministry of Magic’ meetings with execs can became deeply emotional, according to the Wall Street Journal. Some of the twice-yearly conferences have reportedly resulted in tears and a ‘screaming match’, according to the paper.
The Journey Didn’t Spit it All
The Journal did not say who allegedly got upset, or why. Rowling is said to show exceptional concentration and focus during such meetings and does not look near her phone at all during them.
Chronicles of Her Actions/Plans
She also focuses on the smallest details of her empire, once allegedly asking why chocolate sold at the Harry Potter theme park in Orlando was not fair trade.
She is said to have taken a dim view of Harry Potter mobile phone games, fearing youngsters would feel pressured into buying add-ons for them.
Rowling is also said to have threatened to boycott Warner Bros. during tenser encounters with executives, who are currently planning to create a lavish TV series based on the Harry Potter novels.
Nonetheless – the continued popularity of all things Harry Potter mean she’s considered the jewel in Warner’s entertainment crown and is reportedly referred to as an A+ asset.
The only other two stars in the same firmament are said to be Clint Eastwood and Steven Spielberg. But Rowling, 58, is seen as Warner Bros. key hope for future success, due to 93 year-old Eastwood’s age and Spielberg’s recent work with other studios.
Rowling is also said to have considered her legacy with her Warner Bros. contract, with a representative appointed on behalf of her estate likely to exert similar control over the Harry Potter universe when its author dies.
Entertainment analysts credit her continued heavy involvement with the Harry Potter series as the reason for its continued prestige and popularity.
They point to a glut of poorly-received Star Wars spin-offs made after George Lucas sold the series as evidence of what can happen when a creator sells-out and a once beloved franchise is spread too thinly.
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When She Started Writing Harry Potter Series
The self-made author – who Nasdaq reports is worth $1 billion – began writing the Harry Potter series during the early 1990s while she was a single mother living on welfare.
She has been credited with turning a generation of children onto reading, paying the top rate of tax in her native UK and for being exceptionally generous with charitable donations.
As it is
But in recent years Rowling has become a controversial figure over her views on transgender rights. She has said she believes that trans women should not have access to some female-only spaces or be able to compete against biological women in sports.
Rowling has also spoken out in support of others who’ve been canceled for sharing such views and spoken of her own sexual assault as evidence of why female-only spaces are so important.
The controversy saw the stars of her movie franchise – Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint – all distance themselves from her.
Rowling was notably absent from a 2022 Warner Bros. special commemorating the 20th anniversary of the first Harry Potter film’s release.
What Insiders Reveal
That sparked speculation of a rupture with Warner Bros. top brass, but insiders insist nothing could be further from the truth.
CEO David Zaslav flew to Edinburgh in Scotland to meet with Rowling on being appointed to the top job in April 2022.
He and his team hope to turn the Harry Potter books into a lavish TV series that could be the most expensive ever produced and create a whole new generation of viewers for the fantasy series.
Zaslav attempted to bond with Rowling – few in the WB universe had her ear prior to his takeover – by discussing their childhoods and families in London as he attempts to ‘breathe new life’ into her beloved book series, according to WSJ.
On an earnings call held Friday, the executive said Max is aiming to debut the new show in the first quarter of 2026, Variety reported.
It is rumored to have a budget of $250 million, making it the most expensive TV program ever made.
The CEO confirmed on that call that he and a delegation of Warner execs had met with Rowling just weeks earlier.
Rowling is known to be deeply protective of the franchise, notoriously holding biannual ‘Ministry of Magic’ meetings where she talks to executives – who spend weeks preparing ideas – about what the universe can and can’t do for the future.
She was also granted veto over any ‘non-author written sequels’ to the series in film and TV that has likely slowed the upcoming series by several years.
