Following an incident involving an external public relations employee and Sky News, Warner Bros. is showing their support for J.K. Rowling.
A Warner Bros. PR representative allegedly prevented Harry Potter star Tom Felton from being questioned about Rowling during a press event for the expansion of the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London — The Making of Harry Potter attraction. The event was held at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London in London.
Warner Bros. Reaffirms Support For J.K. Rowling
After receiving an inquiry about how it was “strange” that J.K. Rowling had taken a “back seat” in the Harry Potter franchise, a third-party PR firm responded via email by stating that “J.K. Rowling is not linked to Warner or Tom Felton, the team decided that it was not important to the plot.” This statement is “completely untrue,” according to Warner Bros., which has a close working relationship with J.K. Rowling and publishes the Harry Potter books.
The statement read, “Warner Bros. has enjoyed a creative, productive, and fulfilling partnership with J.K. Rowling for the past 20 years. She is one of the world’s most accomplished storytellers, and we are proud to be the studio to bring her vision, characters, and stories to life now — and for decades to come.”
“On Monday, a statement was issued by a third-party media agency that appeared contrary to this view. The statement was wholly wrong, and Warner Bros. Studio Tour London regrets it happened as part of a media event that day,” the statement concluded.
Rowling Has Become A Controversial Figure In Recent Years
‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020
Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate https://t.co/cVpZxG7gaA
Rowling’s recent transphobic statements have made her a contentious figure in recent years. Many Harry Potter actors, such as Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, have spoken out against Rowling’s remarks.
The controversy aside, it was later revealed that Rowling was invited to participate but her team decided that previous comments from the author were sufficient. Rowling also did not appear in HBO Max’s Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special, which brought together many of the cast members and others. As a result, the show included footage of Rowling from the year 2019.
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, the latest film in the Harry Potter universe, was released in theaters earlier this year, but it failed to meet expectations in terms of box office receipts. Since its HBO Max premiere in late May, the film has done very well on streaming service, where it debuted at the top of the Nielsen ratings.
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