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 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 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 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.
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.
Warner Brothers boss David Zaslav set up meetings with Harry Potter creator JK Rowling in an attempt to get her on board with a future that the studio wants to heavily involve Hogwarts
Zaslav – the controversial CEO of Warner Brothers – reportedly told Rowling at one of their meetings that she is a big part of his ambitions for the studio going forward
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.
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.
Rowling is pictured in London in November 2001 with Rupert Grint (L), Daniel Radcliffe (C) and Emma Watson (R) – the stars of the Harry Potter movies. All three have since distanced themselves from Rowling over her stance on transgender issues
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.
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.
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.
The Harry Potter series has spawned seven books and a blockbuster film franchise starring Daniel Radcliffe
Many aware of the talks compared them to the attempt to repair a marriage rather than a simple business relationship, with Zaslav saying Rowling and her creation were as important to the future of Warner Brothers as Steven Spielberg or Clint Eastwood once were
Rowling, 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 and meetings with her can became deeply emotional, with one reportedly ending in a ‘screaming match’
In interviews during the film series’ early days, she’d even publicly told CBS her disdain for action figures, eventually a huge part of the studio’s sales strategy.
At the beginning of the films, Rowling had signed a deal that had give WB much more control but by the 2010s, she’d negotiated a larger cut from merchandise sales to an ‘understanding’ that she and her associates get a say on who manages the franchise for the studio.
In recent years, she had become much more distant from the studio. The few who are close to her show-off by calling her Jo (Rowling’s first name is Joanne).
Rowling’s point person and one of her few remaining connections to Warners was Neil Blair, her primary business partner. He had helped write her first contract with the studio as one of WB’s lawyers.
The original main trio of wizards from the Harry Potter film series have distanced themselves from Rowling
Rowling with the cast of the second ‘Fantastic Beasts’ film. She reportedly refused to appear in photos with the cast at the premiere of the 2022 sequel
Those who were in the meetings said that Rowling would go from ‘approachable and focused’ – those in the meeting say she never even looks down at her phone – to ‘combustible,’ with screaming matches, crying and Rowling threatening to boycott things
Rowling’s views on transgender people left her estranged from some of the cast – with star Daniel Radcliffe publicly attempting to repudiate her – ahead of her decision to not take part in the 2022 reunion
Zaslav rolled out the red carpet and blockbuster costs a TV series can handle in the streaming market for Rowling, with just one season of this new series potentially budgeted at $250million
A new Harry Potter-themed TV series is set for early 2026, according to Zaslav
It’s part of a continuing world of projects involving her wizards, which include theme parks across the world, a stage show on Broadway and the West End, stores in most major cities and video games, with one based on the fictional game of Quidditch in development
Rowling gave the planned series nod of approval when the show was announced in April, saying: ‘Max’s commitment to preserving the integrity of my books is important to me.’
It’s part of a continuing world of projects involving her wizards, which include theme parks across the world, a stage show on Broadway and the West End, stores in most major cities and video games, with one based on the fictional game of Quidditch in development.
Blair said in a statement that they ‘pride ourselves on delivering best-in-class work for fans of the Harry Potter franchise globally.’
‘We hope under the new leadership at Warner Bros. Discovery that this will continue together, with the same care and excellence which the franchise has been synonymous with for over twenty-five years.’
Zaslav said of the meetings: ‘We spent some real time with J.K. and her team.’
He predicted a world where people continued to enjoy the wizarding world of Harry Potter for generations.
‘Both sides are just thrilled to be reigniting this franchise. Our conversations were great, and we couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead. We can’t wait to share a decade of new stories with fans around the world on Max.’