This week, WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar confirmed that the studio is looking to expand the Harry Potter franchise, which has reignited rumors of what’s next for the Wizarding World. For one, a spinoff movie starring Hermione Granger could be in the works. The intellectually gifted witch has always been a fan favorite, so you can see why WB would want to base their first female-led HP project around her. But there might be one big obstacle to overcome before it gets made.
As fans are no doubt aware, stories of Emma Watson having quit – or at least temporarily retired from – acting have spread like wildfire online recently. So, it’s strange to hear so soon after that a Hermione film is in development. But Giant Freakin Robot, who broke this intriguing news, claims that Warner Bros. has a plan in place in case Watson elects not to return, as the outlet writes that the studio is considering recasting the character if they can’t get her back.
Obviously, given Watson’s popularity, their first choice is to convince her to sign up for the spinoff, but this is apparently proving difficult as she’s pretty ambivalent about reprising her role. GFR claims that WB is hoping that if they throw enough money at the problem they might be able to come to a deal, but if Watson is adamant that she doesn’t want to return to Hogwarts, then they’ll have no choice but to look for a new Hermione.
What this means is that the project could break away from established continuity – or maybe it won’t, seeing as Dumbledore’s been portrayed by three different actors so far and we’re not supposed to notice. It’s possible this spinoff concept could come to nothing, as the studio is no doubt throwing various concepts at the wall and seeing what sticks, but if it does happen, it’ll either be a big treat for fans or something hugely controversial.
Tell us, though, would you accept anyone other than Emma Watson as Hermione in a Harry Potter spinoff film? You know where to leave your thoughts.
