Harry Potter’s Return to Hogwarts isn’t nostalgia — it’s corporate rebranding

J.K. Rowling’s continued transphobia is poisoning the Harry Potter brand. Lifelong fans — myself included — are consciously turning away from the franchise because of Rowling’s dedication to spreading transphobia onlineShe is also a strong advocate for women’s rights. This has caused a split in what was once a loyal and passionate fandom.

Warner Bros. Harry Potter can be very profitable. It isn’t just a collection of seven books or eight film adaptations, it’s an entire marketing universe, with theme parks, merchandise, a Broadway play, a spinoff movie series, a series of popular video and board games, a trivia TV show, and much more. And it’s all designed to promote as much nostalgia and extract as much cash as possible from devoted and casual fans alike. Warner Bros. doesn’t own all these spinoffs, but it does profit from anything that uses images or elements from the film, and from anything that boosts the films’ profile. Anything that causes fans to leave is an attack on potential profits. Warner Bros. had to control damage to ensure the Wizarding World’s longevity and financial viability.

This is just a few weeks after the highly successful special The Reunion for Friends, Harry Potter: 20th anniversary of Harry Potter: Hogwarts is BackThe company follows the example of Rowling and brings back actors, directors, but not Rowling to reflect on their times together. This seems like a celebration and exercise in nostalgia. It isn’t. It’s a calculated act of rebranding, designed to separate the Harry Potter movies from Rowling’s influence or involvement — or anything else that might carry negative associations.

Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliff in the Return to Hogwarts special

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One of the most important moments in movie history is represented by Harry Potter’s films. Warner Bros. produced the special. OnlyThe films are what matter, and the fans should not be confused with the other franchises or fandoms. Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe was a common cinematic phenomenon, Harry Potter told a consistent story for 10 years. Its popularity allowed it to continue making billions and maintained momentum that would allow it to close with a bang. It hinged on the performances of three unknown child actors, buoyed by the crème de la crème of the British acting world. While the directors did change, most of the original cast members remained the same for the entire series. It’s an impressive, notable project, one that helped create a model for the franchise boom that followed.

Hogwarts is calling you backThe series’ lead actresses Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe are the most memorable because they reflect upon how global stardom has shaped their lives. Insights like Radcliffe and Watson reminiscing on how they would compliment each other whenever they did any “real acting” is a reminder of just how young and undeveloped as actors these stars were when the film series began. This special shows the crew and cast as an odd family who have bonded over the past decade. These moments are unforgettable Hogwarts is calling you back Justifies it’s own existence.

But the middle of the special highlights that between 2005’s Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire and 2007’s Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Watson considered leaving the film series. This fact has already been picked up by the clickbait tabloids, even though it isn’t new information. Watson revealed that as a teenage girl in the heights of stardom, she felt very alone. Hogwarts is calling you back doesn’t provide any context about why Watson found fame difficult, particularly in contrast to Radcliffe and Grint, who, as actor Tom Felton says, “had each other […] whereas Emma was not only younger, but she was by herself.” The special ignores the predatory nature of the international tabloids, which provided a countdown to Watson’s 16th birthday. It doesn’t mention the stress of worldwide fandom, with all the pressure that entailed, from obsessive fan mail and stalkers. She isn’t even mentioned the fact that she was sexually assaulted by the studio, famously shrinking her breasts in a poster. Order of the Phoenix. Instead, it has Watson crediting the cast’s solidarity and “the fans [who] genuinely wanted us to succeed” as the reason she stayed.

This is the essence of our way: positivity and connection. Hogwarts is calling you back operates. It alludes to the larger machine of Harry Potter, but can’t make it explicit, or explore any negative aspects around it. This special is an advertisement for Harry Potter’s relevance and goodness, after the relative financial disaster of Fantastic Beasts spinoff films and continuing Rowling controversies.

Hogwarts is calling you back It is central to the Harry Potter story. It is about the struggle between evil and good. It provides a special space for misfits so they can feel like they’re part of something bigger. “Everyone felt more like they belonged by witnessing these characters who didn’t belong,” Watson says at one point.

Harry Potter, except for his appearances on the cover of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, was not an outcast. He was the school’s most popular boy. His Quidditch team was his most important role, he dated many girls and was often praised by his fellow classmates. Harry Potter isn’t largely a story about misfits, but it’s been reframed that way because that’s how the fans identify with and relate to the characters. The special exists to validate the fans’ personal investment in the films and the feelings they created. Warner Bros. should frame the movies in an easy-to-understand, all-encompassing force of relatable goodness.

Emma Watson, Matthew Lewis, and Tom Felton stand in artificial falling snow in the Return to Hogwarts special

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That’s why the special does not include Rowling, apart from in clearly labelled archive footage. Rowling is not the icon of progressiveness and charity that her fans used to call her. Hogwarts is calling you back can’t explicitly acknowledge why she isn’t present — that would draw too much attention to the franchise’s flaws and controversies. Instead, she is ignored and swept under the rug. This can be seen by LGBT-friendly people who know her, but it won’t make any difference to anyone else.

This special is part of a brand rebranding attempt to discredit the franchise and any problems it may have. Socially conscious viewers will be able to revel in an uncluttered, problem-free version their nostalgia. Hogwarts is calling you backFans should be allowed to still watch the movies, purchase merchandise and go to the park with no guilt. It’s designed to present Harry Potter as still safe, comforting, and uncomplicated. It’s similar to the Mirror of Erised. Hogwarts is calling you back tries to reflect the fans’ deepest desires. It can be entertaining to look at, but the reflection ends up being flat and undimensional.

However, Hogwarts is calling you back insistence that Rowling is no longer a prominent feature of the Harry Potter brand, she’s inextricably entwined with its legacy. Perhaps it’s not so surprising Warner Bros. considers Rowling’s views worth disavowing, though mildly. It is because of the fans’ outcry that Rowling is seen as too toxic to feature in Hogwarts is calling you back. Harry Potter’s future lies in its followers and the values that they embody. Warner Bros. should continue to be open-minded.

Harry Potter: 20th anniversary of Harry Potter: Hogwarts is BackIt is available on Max.

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