Warner Bros. has unveiled plans to create a cohesive narrative universe by connecting the highly anticipated sequel to Hogwarts Legacy with the upcoming HBO Harry Potter TV series! Read on to learn more about their statements.
Hogwarts Legacy Sequel to Share “Bic Picture Storytelling Elements” with Harry Potter TV Series
J.K. Rowling Will Not be Directly Involved in Managing the Franchise
Warner Bros. Interactive recently confirmed that a sequel to Hogwarts Legacy is not only in development but will include direct ties to the upcoming Harry Potter TV series on HBO, set to debut in 2026. The game’s immense popularity—selling over 30 million copies since its 2023 release—has made it one of the top-performing games of recent years.
"We have known for some time that fans are looking for more things in this world, and so we’re spending a lot of time thinking about that," president of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment David Haddad told Variety. He emphasized that a key part of the project is a collaborative effort with Warner Bros. Television to create a unified narrative connection between the game and the TV series. This means that although the game’s timeline is set in the 1800s—significantly earlier than the series’ era—it will share thematic and "big-picture storytelling elements" with the new show.
While details about the upcoming HBO Max series are still scarce, Chairman and CEO of HBO & Max Content, Casey Bloys, has confirmed that the new series "will dive deep into each of the iconic books that fans have continued to enjoy for all of these years." These stories have already been explored in both film and literature—and countless fan fictions.
A key challenge will be maintaining the game’s identity while integrating it with the widely anticipated series in an organic way and avoiding any forced or awkward connections. Given the difference in setting, it’s unclear exactly how the two narratives will bridge the historical gap, but fans of the series are excited to see new lore or secrets about Hogwarts and its famed alumni that could emerge from this collaboration.
Haddad is sure of one thing, however: The success of Hogwarts Legacy definitely fueled a renewed interest in the franchise across all mediums. "The rest of the company was very curious about what we helped to unlock with ‘Hogwarts Legacy’ last year," he said.
It’s important to note that J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series of books, will not be directly involved in managing the franchise, according to Variety. While Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) keeps her updated through her literary agent, the studio’s head of global consumer products, Robert Oberschelp, has stated "If we’re going to ever go beyond a canon conversation, we make sure that we’re all comfortable with what we’re doing."
Rowling’s exclusionary comments continue to cast a shadow over the series, so much so that many decided to boycott Hogwarts Legacy in 2023 in protest of her transphobic remarks on social media. The boycott was a statement to not support J.K. Rowling—vote with your wallet, in a sense. The boycott ultimately failed, however, as Hogwarts Legacy still became one of the best-selling video games of all time, surpassing even renowned titles like GTA San Andreas and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.
Regardless, it is confirmed that Rowling will have little to no involvement in the franchise, and fans can take solace in the fact that none of her exclusionary comments will be incorporated into the game or the upcoming HBO series.
Hogwarts Legacy 2 Release Date Expected Near Harry Potter HBO Series Debut
Warner Bros. is reportedly aiming to release the HBO series in 2026 or 2027, so a Hogwarts Legacy sequel likely won’t materialize before then. Warner Bros. Discovery CFO Gunnar Widenfels even stated back in September that "Obviously a successor to Hogwarts Legacy is one of the biggest priorities in a couple of years down the road."
A sequel to one of the biggest games of 2023 will likely need time to be developed. We at Game8 predict that fans might not see the sequel anytime soon, with a release date of 2027 to 2028 the most likely scenario.
For more on our predictions as to when Hogwarts Legacy 2 will be released, check out our article below!
Source:
Warner Bros. Discovery | Max Orders First Ever “Harry Potter” Television Series
Forbes | The ‘Hogwarts Legacy’ J.K. Rowling Boycotts Were A Mistake
