HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Series Will Be “More In-Depth” Than The Films, Says Warner Bros. Boss

It’s going to be ‘a little bit more in-depth than a two-hour film,’ confirmed the company’s television boss Channing Dungey.

James, Dungey, the chairman and the CEO of Warner Bros. Television Group was also in MIPCOM’s C-Suite conversations, a MIPCOM Cannes and Variety event, on Monday afternoon. She manages the largest television studio in the world today that creates content in all genres for all platforms including Shrinking, Abbott Elementary, Ted Lasso – of which Dungey said Sudeikis is ‘really enthusiastic’ about the fourth season (more on that, below), The Sex Lives of College Girls, Harley Quinn and The Bachelor.

But there’s one project no one can stop talking about, which Variety co-editor-in-chief Cynthia Littleton asked on Monday, “I don’t think, legally, I’m allowed to let you off the stage without asking about this,” she said. “Do you know something about the Harry Potter project?”

Dungey replied: “Well it seems there isn’t much to discuss for now.” We have our great team of writers in-house and they are busy as they should be. And auditions have been posted in the U.K. and Ireland so we are progressing in the casting process. It’s going quite well.”

When probed further on the excitement of having an IP like J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books to play with, Dungey said: “It’s such a dream, honestly, and as someone who is a massive fan of books, being able to delve into them a little bit more than you can do in a two-hour film is why we are here on this journey.”

In June the series hired Francesca Gardiner as writer and showrunner and appointed Mark Mylod to direct several episodes. Both are Emmy winners for HBO’s Succession — Gardiner as one of the show’s producers and Mylod as a director and a producer.

When it came to Ted Lasso, on which the viewers, as well as the co-creators, await Sudeikis to give the go signal for another season, Dungey said, “We are in discussions for season four and those are very positive discussions but it is still very much at this stage here.” What I will say is that we had always communicated to Apple that there wasn’t going to be more of it if Jason and the team weren’t excited about it. I can assure you personally that he is in a position where he feels very enthusiastic and very positive about it.”

When speaking to The Hollywood Reporter recently, his co-creators Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein emphasized that the ball is in Sudeikis court, even though Apple TV+ has acquired options for some of the cast. You’ve got your star in Jason Sudeikis, but he is the sound of the program more than anything. He’s the head writer. … It is 100 percent respect when the first time that one learns who is going to be involved, what that person is going to do and what is going to happen, it is because the guy is ready for the publicity. That’s why I am just going to be polite and say thank you I am in for whatever position the captain of the ship wants me to be in for, shot back Lawrence.

When speaking to Dungey at MIPCOM she was also quizzed about the change that Hollywood is now living through and that this isn’t the industry of the broadcasters anymore, but a whole lot more – and that never has learning how to evolve been so important to stay alive. “The business has been in such a period of transition, really, since the start of this decade,” said Dungey. “Because COVID really pushed a lot of things into a different space and forced us to think about producing differently.”

‘There has been word relate to the economic hardships that we have had to deal with’, she happily blurted out. “And then the two strikes, right?” It’s been non-stop. I suppose what we are all struggling for is that the business has transformed.”