This year marks the 20th anniversary of the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (or Philosopher's Stone as it's known in the UK and in book-form), the first film in the series that introduced anyone who wasn't already familiar with Rowling's incredible book series to the Wizarding World. The franchise would dominate movie theaters for 10 years before its explosive finale with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II in 2011. The final movie also represented the end of the book series, with the epic Deathly Hallows novel having been split it into two films.
But that's not to say there was no more material left. In 2016, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, an A-to-Z listing of all the magical creatures in the Wizarding World, written by Magizoologist Newt Scamander, was adapted into a film of the same name that became a global box office hit, spawning its own sequel in 2018, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. While its reception was far less positive than its predecessor, that didn't stop the third entry from going into development - and Fantastic Beasts 3 is already heading for theaters next year.
In 2016, there was also a West End show, based on an original story by J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was a two-part production that is touted as the eighth story in the Harry Potter series, following on from the Deathly Hallows' epilogue that finds our heroes 19 years older and with children of their own. Even outside theaters, though, the Wizarding World has firmly established itself here in the real world. Much to the glee of No-Maj, Universal Studios saw the arrival of its own Wizarding World in 2010, while Warner Bros. Studios Tour London has attracted Muggles in droves since 2012.
But, to no surprise, rumors of a movie based on the theater production Cursed Child have been circulating since it first took to the stage. While there doesn't appear to be such a project in the works, that doesn't mean that a ninth film in the main Harry Potter series is off the table - after all, we know that Harry Potter didn't die in the main series (with him being the Master of Death and all). So, whether it's based on Cursed Child or not, fans are dying to know: Will there be another Harry Potter movie? Well, let's take a look at all things Wizarding World that we know are on the horizon.
Fantastic Beasts 3
Fantastic Beasts 3 has been at the heart of much controversy since it went into production, largely over the legal battle between Johnny Depp and his ex-partner Amber Heard, which ultimately saw Depp being asked to leave the project. During that time, he was also fired from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, which is now being rebooted as a result.
While Mads Mikkelsen has replaced Depp as dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald – an excellent choice given Mikkelsen's track record in the world of villainy – the controversy hasn't waned. J.K. Rowling was accused of being transphobic, which saw mixed reactions from former Harry Potter actors, with Ralph Fiennes defending her, and other cast members not so much.
Nevertheless, the film finally appears to be moving forward, with COVID-19 delays also out of the way. Set for release on July 15, 2022, the film will be the third entry in the Fantastic Beasts spin-off series, and the eleventh in the overall Harry Potter – or Wizarding World - franchise. So, technically, there is another Harry Potter film coming out, but that's just being pedantic.
Harry Potter HBO Series
Rumors of an HBO Harry Potter TV series have been doing the rounds for quite some time, and while there doesn't appear to be anything concrete, there still remains a high possibility that this could happen, given the unwavering popularity of the franchise, from the ongoing success of the books and films to new films in the form of Fantastic Beasts spin-offs and theme parks and video games and so on.
Of course, none of that is actual evidence. But whether it does or doesn't happen, this has very little to do with Harry Potter in films. Right? Not necessarily. Look at the success of The Mandalorian – not only has it resulted in the greenlighting of several other live-action Star Wars shows, but also upcoming movie projects such as Star Wars:Rogue Squadron.
Should a Harry Potter TV series ever come to light, though, it's not known exactly where along the timeline the show would be set. Those rumors suggest that it will take place during Harry Potter's time at Hogwarts, but this would be tricky to navigate, seeing as the show would have to keep the likes of Harry, Ron, and Hermione off the screen (unless Warner Bros. has a Time-Turner to hand). However, let's not forget that The Mandalorian operates close enough to the original Star Wars trilogy, and so far hasn't failed to bring back some original characters, such as fan-favorites Boba Fett and Luke Skywalker.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
In case you were wondering, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is considered canon by J.K. Rowling – whose word we've no choice but to take as gospel (and rightly so). After all, it is the eighth story in the Harry Potter franchise, set 19 years after the events of Deathly Hallows. Should Warner Bros. indeed decide to make the ninth movie in the Harry Potter series, the Cursed Child would be a logical choice.
With that said, is it not also reasonable to assume that other events and adventures of great interest took place within those 19 years? If making a film set during this time is to be the case, the tricky part, of course, would be recast, with the main actors now in their 30s (we can forgive the 'recasting' of Dumbledore from Michael Gambon to Jude Law, given that The Crimes of Grindelwald is set decades before).
Perhaps, though, Warner Bros. has taken the decision to 'wait' for the actors to reach the age they are in both the Deathly Hallows epilogue and Cursed Child. This would save them having to recast – which no one would want, seeing as the actors are now synonymous with their on-screen counterparts – or the cost of digital or prosthetic aging (in fact, if they do end up making Cursed Child, they should reshoot the awkward Deathly Hallows epilogue while they're at it).
Hogwarts Legacy
The chances are that, if you're reading this, you're a Harry Potter fan – and that you'll already know what Hogwarts Legacy is. So you might be wondering why we've included a video game while discussing whether or not there will be another Harry Potter movie. Well, for starters, nothing should be ruled out. It's unlikely that we'll get a movie based on Hogwarts Legacy, Portkey's upcoming open-world video game set in the Wizarding World during the late 1800s - and there are no such rumors in existence. But never say never.
While we have the Fantastic Beasts franchise, which is already a prequel to the Harry Potter series, we know that the conversion of video games to film – and to TV shows – is at an all-time high. Movies such as Mortal Kombat (2021) and Sonic the Hedgehog, and TV shows like The Witcher,The Last of Us, and Resident Evil are just a few examples – the list goes on. And though there may already be a Harry Potter TV series in development, studios are never ones to take the less-is-more approach. Just look at how busy the likes of Marvel and Star Wars have become in terms of streaming.
So, there may not be a ninth Harry Potter film on the horizon just yet, but we'll bet our bottom galleon on Harry Potter and the Cursed Child undergoing a Hollywood transfiguration. 'Legacy' sequels – which typically involve reuniting cast members for an adventure filled with on-the-nose references to the originals – are a huge trend, with next year's Jurassic World: Dominion being the latest in that line.
Fantastic Beasts 3 will release on July 15 next year, while Hogwarts Legacy is set for release sometime this year. But if you're about as patient as a Dementor with a certain Sirius in its sights, you can always stream all the Harry Potter movies online.