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Spanning 10 years and eight movies, the Harry Potter film franchise has gone on to become one of Warner Bros.’ most prized possessions. According to Forbes, the movies have tallied a combined $7.7 billion at the worldwide box office, making it the highest-grossing film franchise of all time.
That figure is going to go up, too, with the arrival of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in November (along with the subsequent sequels).
All that said, it’s no surprise to hear, via New York Daily News, that Warner Bros. is trying to secure the movie rights for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which was recently released in bookstores everywhere. And the studio isn’t just content to secure the rights; Warners wants Daniel Radcliffe to return to the titular role.
Currently, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a two-part play based on an original story written by Jack Thorne, J.K. Rowling, and John Tiffany. The script was published this summer in print and digital formats. Below is Cursed Child’s official synopsis:
It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband, and father of three school-age children.
While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present muse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.
Because Cursed Child takes place 19 years after The Deathly Hallows, it’s a bit of a stretch to have 27-year-old Radcliffe in the lead role. Then again, it’s even more of a stretch to have someone else play Harry Potter. I’m sure some makeup will fix Radcliffe right up. That is if he even wants to do the project; Radcliffe has previously said he wants to stay away from the franchise that helped him rise to superstardom.
Radcliffe has moved on from his Harry Potter role with movies such as The Woman in Black, Victor Frankenstein, and Swiss Army Man, among other projects, so it’s not like he’s struggling to find work.
Still, if Warner Bros. wants to make this happen, I wouldn’t be surprised to find out the studio was offering ungodly sums of money to entice Radcliffe back to his wizarding robes.
Update: Warner Bros. has reached out to address the rumor. Here is the studio’s statement:
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a stage play, with no plans for there to be a film.
Source: NyDailyNews