‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Game of Thrones’ franchises to get fresh life on newly minted Max streamer
(From left) Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington are pictured here in Season 8 of 'Game of Thrones.'
By Alli Rosenbloom, CNN
Fantasy freaks and noble nerds unite.
Warner Bros. Discovery announced on Wednesday that the ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘Harry Potter’ franchises will take on new life at the studio’s newly minted streaming service Max.
For those who are eager to soar back into the wizarding world of ‘Harry Potter,’ buckle up because the franchise is coming to Max in the form of a scripted television series. (CNN and Max are both part of the same parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery.)
The series will be a “faithful adaptation” of the beloved “Harry Potter” books by author J.K. Rowling, who will also serve as an executive producer on the project, according to a news release. Rowling’s “Potter” books were published between 1997 and 2007.
The television series will feature a cast of fresh new faces to take on the roles made famous in the “Potter” films by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint.
The series is expected to run for an unprecedented 10 years with the promise that each season “will be authentic to the original books and bring Harry Potter and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world, while the original, classic and beloved films will remain at the core.”
Over in Westeros, Max will launch a second prequel series in the “Game of Thrones” universe, titled “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight” based on author George R.R. Martin‘s 2013 “Dunk and Egg” novellas.
The prequel is set a century before the events of the original “Game of Thrones,” which ran from 2011 to 2019, and will center on the wanderings of “two unlikely heroes,” Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg, according to a news release.
“Set in an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne and the memory of the last dragon has not yet passed from living memory, great destinies, powerful foes, and dangerous exploits all await these improbable and incomparable friends,” the release said.
The announcement for a new “Thrones” prequel comes after “House of the Dragon” debuted in 2022. “Dragon” is also a prequel series, based on the Targaryen civil war and set nearly 200 years prior to “Game of Thrones.” It’s based on Martin’s “Fire & Blood” book from 2018.
Release dates for both new series have not yet been announced.
The-CNN-Wire
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