J.K. Rowling has at last discussed why she skipped the Harry Potter reunion special. The divisive novelist acknowledged that it was her decision to decline the opportunity to appear on the special during an interview with Graham Norton on Virgin Radio UK. In response to allegations that she was left out of the reunion, Rowling stated, "I was invited to be on that and I decided I didn't want to do it. On January 1st, Rowling appeared in a 30-second rerun of Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, which debuted on HBO Max (in the US) and Amazon Prime Video (in India).
The bestselling novelist, who also penned the scripts for the Fantastic Beasts prequel movies and seven of the best-selling Harry Potter books, was mainly absent from the reunion special. Several respondents identified her by name, although she wasn't represented in any advertising. Critics surmised that it was related to a string of transphobic tweets and statements Rowling had made. Rowling claimed in the interview that her films, as opposed to her writings, were more responsible for the Harry Potter reunion special. She was requested to take part in it but declined.
"No one told you not to do it... I was invited to do it, but I declined," she continued. Beginning with her backing of Maya Forstater, a researcher who asserted that people cannot change their biological sex, Rowling has faced a lot of criticism in recent years. A spate of tweets criticising the idea that a person's assigned sex at birth is not "real" followed this. Naturally, Rowling's statements were overwhelmed with criticism for her moral failing, with many people threatening to boycott the Harry Potter series.
Online campaigns urging Rowling's removal from all planned Harry Potter projects, such as the Hogwarts Legacy video game, book sales, and movies, were launched. A Warner Bros. spokesman stated last month that Rowling's relationship with the series was "creative, fruitful, and gratifying." They told Daily Mail UK, "She is one of the most talented storytellers in the world, and we are proud to be the studio bringing her vision, characters, and tales to life today — and for decades to come.
Despite writing the screenplay and producing the Eddie Redmayne-starring Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Rowling was not involved in any advertising or marketing campaigns. While many believed Warner Bros. was attempting to distance itself from her, new comments make the opposite case.
Several members of the Harry Potter ensemble, including as Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, have publicly criticised Rowling's anti-transgender beliefs. While Watson expressed on Twitter that "Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren't who they say they are," Radcliffe penned an essay criticising the author's viewpoints.
While claiming that she is transphobic, the renowned British author has not yet recanted or apologised for the words. Warner is waiting to see how audiences respond to The Secrets of Dumbledore before deciding whether or not to make a Fantastic Beasts 4 movie. The Harry Potter spin-off movie had a mixed response from both reviewers and fans, earning $405.2 million (about Rs. 3,244 crore) at the international box office.
