The television network HBO, has recently announced its decision to release a new Harry Potter series, leaving fans with conflicting opinions on the matter. 

This new series would include one season for every book in JK Rowlings’ beloved book series. The show would run for ten consecutive years, with the first season being released in 2025 or 2026.

One of the major issues some fans have following the official announcement is the recasting of the characters that many fans grew up watching.

“I believe that this new cast won’t be a good change,” Rachel Spence, a freshman at Linganore High School (LHS), said. “You can’t replace the original.

Some believe the new cast may be a positive shift for the Harry Potter universe. 

“I think if they make the characters more accurate to the books, I would support the casting change,” Helen Rankin, a senior at LHS, said. 

 Since it has been nearly 15 years since the last of the original Harry Potter movies, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2,” was released, it would be unrealistic to expect the original cast to star in the series. 

There are, however, rumors that Tom Felton who played Draco Malfoy in the movies may be recast as Lucius Malfoy. 

Another issue that some fans are having with the show is the level of involvement that Rowling will have with the production of the series. Rowling will be working as an executive producer on the series in order to share her insights on the project. 

Many are infuriated by Rowling’s comments on the social networking site Twitter. She has previously made multiple tweets that speak against the validity of the transgender community, driving many to be upset that she is one of the major profiters of this project. 

Due to the fact that her comments have become increasingly upsetting to many, fans have started to question whether or not her role in this show will affect their decision to watch the series. 

Some fans still have hope for the television show, however frustrated they may be about its creation. There is hope that the television series will cover parts of the Wizarding World that the original eight movies left out. 

Linganore social studies teacher Aaron Burch has been a fan of Harry Potter for over 21 years and has shared his thoughts on the new series. 

“Well, I would hope to see more of the story between [Dumbledore] and Grindelwald,” Burch said. 

Many characters were left out of the original films due to budgeting issues and time constraints. 

“They definitely missed out big time on Peeves,” Spence said. Peeves was a poltergeist, constantly wreaking havoc around Hogwarts in the books who was non-existent in the movies. 

Fans were also hoping that the new television series would reveal more about the Marauders, a topic never fully explored in the movies. For example, the movies never revealed the identities of the Marauders.

The Marauders were a group of wizards including Remus Lupin, Harry’s teacher; James Potter, Harry’s dad; Sirius Black, Harry’s godfather; and Peter Pettigrew. They nicknamed themselves “Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs,” and they were the creators of the Marauders Map. 

If HBO had wanted to release another television series about the Wizarding World, then it should have explored other areas previously unseen. Many fans have even requested a television show about the Marauders, due to how little knowledge has been provided and how much fan fiction has been written about the group. This could be a reasonable alternative to a remake of the original book series.

“Unless you were going to do a prequel, the story is already told,” Burch said. “I just don’t get it [the need for the series].” 

Harry Potter himself is not at the center of the Wizarding World. Many issues and battles have occurred before and after his time. This is one area Burch believes a new series could examine. 

“I would like a prequel,” Burch said. Rather than recreate the original series, Burch wants HBO to delve into Harry Potter’s dad’s generation. 

The movies have been criticized for replacing informational scenes necessary to understand the story in favor of action scenes, which serve to make the movies more captivating to audiences.

“The movies are more based on the action and the big points …[than] the books [which] have a lot of interaction between people that is missed in the movies,” Rankin said. 

The intention of this series is to enthrall a new generation with the world of Harry Potter, but there is debate over whether or not Harry Potter should be modernized. Is it necessary?

“I absolutely believe Harry Potter should be modernized,” Rankin said. “I think bringing a classic that has brought so much joy to people into the newest generation is important because it’s something that a lot of people who aren’t necessarily popular kids can understand and … feel connected to.”

Additionally, some fans are looking forward to the magic new technology can create on screen that was not possible during the creation of the original movies. 

Others, however, did not have as positive of an outlook on the idea of a new series.

“Just change for the sake of change?” Burch said.  “No, I don’t think that is necessary other than, maybe, special effects,” 

It seems the amount of negativity towards the announcement of the new Harry Potter television series appears to outweigh the positivity in this case.

The only reasons that Harry Potter fans can see for redoing the series almost 10 years after the release of the films is to add more detail to the stories than was possible in the original films or for Rowling and others to profit further from the franchise.