Harry Potter fans have already vowed to boycott a new HBO TV series based on the books and cancel their subscriptions, despite a deal not even being reached yet.
J.K Rowling is said to be in the final stages of making an imminent agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery to stream the series on HBO Max.
Plans for each season are reported to focus on one of each of the author's seven books.
But as a deal over the wizarding franchise edges nearer, fans have been left divided as some vow to boycott the re-imagined TV series over Rowling's controversial views on transgender people and gender identity.
The mother-of-three’s backlash started in June 2020, after she slammed the term “people who menstruate” being used in replace of the word 'woman' in a tweet.
Onlookers, including celebrities, criticised her comment as being “anti-trans” and “transphobic”.
The writer addressed the backlash against her in an essay, whilst also drawing on her own experiences of allegedly overcoming domestic abuse and sexual assault.
Rowling, 57, excited fans with news of the new TV series as many are keen to see all the “all the details that were missing” from the films brought to life.
But others, including many members of the LGBTQ+ community, fear the series will be tainted due to the lingering controversy around her views.
Some have even gone as far as choosing to boycott the series, with one taking to Twitter to declare: “I will NEVER support that woman by streaming or supporting any of her... content.”
One said: “I love HBO and I love Harry Potter BUT this is not a merger I am pleased with... let it be.”
“I know my one subscription to HBO Max doesn't matter but the second they start advertising for the new Harry Potter show I'm cancelling immediately,” vowed another.
Others were more excited however, with one writing: “This is incredibly exciting.... I just hope they stick to the books and go into all the detail... seven seasons of Harry Potter with an HBO budget? Sign me up!”
Another tweeted saying they hoped the series would “give a chance for the people who have only seen the movies to really get into how the books told the story.”
The multimillionaire author’s Potter films grossed more than £6billion at the box office between 2001 and 2011 and launched the careers of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint.
