Harry Potter and the television series: could a spin-off show be in the works?

HBO Max is said to be in 'very early' talks to produce a live-action series based on the wizarding world

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson in 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'. Courtesy Warner Bros Pictures

It's been 10 years since the release of the final film in the Harry Potter franchise, but fans' appetites for more from the wizarding world has not waned.

Luckily, thanks to spin-offs such as the Fantastic Beasts series and the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child stage show, they've been well served, but rumours of a new television series in the works will be enthusiastically welcomed by Potterheads the world over.

It has been reported that HBO Max is in the very early stages of discussions exploring a live-action Harry Potter TV series. Rumours of such a show have been swirling for some time, but industry publication Variety has reported that talks are now underway to make it happen, according to industry sources.

Sources add that while talent or writers are yet to be attached to the project, conversations with several writers are taking place. However, after the news was shared, HBO Max released a statement that no such series was in the making.

"There are no Harry Potter series in development at the studio or on the streaming platform," it said in the joint statement with Warner Bros.

But Variety adds that industry sources reiterated talks were in the "very early stages".

The Harry Potter book series is one of the most popular of all time, having sold more than 500 million copies worldwide across its seven instalments. Eight films and two theme parks later, and it's no wonder that streaming giants would be interested in exploring a series based on the wizarding world, as the streaming wars rage on.

Disney+ and Pixar have announced a number of TV shows to be developed as spin-offs from the ever-popular Star Wars and Marvel universes, while HBO Max is already developing a number of spin-off series from the DC Comic Book world, including a Suicide Squad show, and another based on the Green Lantern.

However, rumours of a Harry Potter series have not been welcomed by everyone. Soon after it was first revealed, author JK Rowling began to trend on Twitter, as many called for such a series to be boycotted.

It comes off the back of a series of controversial comments made by the writer, which resulted in a number of stars, including Fantastic Beasts actor Eddie Redmayne and Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe, distance themselves from the wizarding world's creator.