Since 1997, when Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone came out, the franchise has expanded into eight movies about the titular character, a spinoff prequels trilogy (Fantastic Beasts), a stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and dozens of video games across different platforms. Potterheads even have a dedicated website (former Pottermore) where they can get sorted into Hogwarts houses, find their Patronus, and find all the latest news about the franchise.
News that includes the upcoming reboot TV series on HBO and a new audiobook featuring many famous actors voicing beloved characters. Some famous faces for the upcoming TV series include John Lithgow as Professor Dumbledore, Nick Frost as Hagrid, and Warwick Davis returning as Professor Flitwick. The cast for the audiobook includes Hugh Laurie as Dumbledore, Matthew Macfaden as Voldemort, and Keira Knightley as Professor Umbridge.
For something as popular as the "Harry Potter" franchise, it's impossible to get love only. If you type "why is Harry Potter so..." in the Google search bar, the engine will give you many different suggestions. From why is it so "popular," "famous," and "powerful," to people wondering what makes it so "boring," "special," and "weak" (the last one is probably about the character).
It might be hard to find a person that's unfamiliar with the character or the franchise. With that said, even adults have been mesmerized by the story from the time the very first book came out. But should adults feel ashamed for reading "Potter"? Even one of the actors from the original film series, Miriam Margolyes, said grownup fans should "be over that by now." "I just think that it's for children!" she defended her stance.
However, some Britons might disagree. As a recent YouGov poll revealed, half of the adults in the UK think that "Harry Potter" is equally for children and adults. Still, 42% believe it's inherently childish.
As the editor for USA Today David Oliver writes, the "Harry Potter" series are not just children's books. There's power in revisiting childhood stories, he claims. And as adults, we're capable of seeing more than just a story between good and evil.
"I recognized we're all a product of our upbringing, the friends (and enemies) that surround us and our teachers," Oliver wrote. "While our inherent kindness, ambition, wit and courage can shine, these qualities take nurturing, too. When ambition envelops a person, it can spiral into greed and terror (Voldemort). Kindness can lead to your downfall (Cedric Diggory)."
However, some might say that "Harry Potter" is not for all adults. That's especially true for Gen Z grownups, and it mostly has to do with the author. While Millennials might be more forgiving or willing to separate the art from the artists, many Gen Zers shun J.K. Rowling for her anti-trans views.
When asked about whether they'll watch the new "Harry Potter" series, younger people were more likely to respond in the negative. 54% of 18-24 year-olds said in a recent poll that they won't watch it, while only 48% of 25-49 year-olds said the same. A bigger portion of the younger respondent group also said they dislike J.K. Rowling – a whopping 53%. In contrast, only 26% of 25-49 year-olds admitted to disliking her.
Gemma Stone, a UK transgender writer and co-founder of the Trans Writes news site, told Newsweek that such trends are not surprising. "With a media landscape that works so diligently to keep trans people out while elevating the voices of those who are outright spreading hateful lies about us; I am not surprised or shocked to find that most people haven't worked to distance themselves from Rowling or Harry Potter," she explained.
