Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. is the American film production and distribution company responsible for bringing the Harry Potter series to the screen. The company acquired the film rights to the novels in 1999 and subsequently produced all eight film adaptations, beginning with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film) in 2001 and concluding with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (film) in 2011. Warner Bros.'s involvement was crucial in transforming the book series into a global multimedia franchise, and they continue to expand the cinematic universe through the Fantastic Beasts series and other Wizarding World properties.

• Acquisition of Rights: In 1999, producer David Heyman discovered the manuscript for the first Harry Potter book and successfully pitched it to Warner Bros.. The studio purchased the film rights for the first four novels directly from J.K. Rowling for a reported sum of £1 million (J.K. Rowling interview).
• The Film Series (2001-2011): Warner Bros. oversaw the entire production of the eight-film series. They worked with four different directors—Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuarón, Mike Newell, and David Yates—which resulted in a notable evolution of cinematic tone, from the more whimsical style of the early films to the darker, more mature atmosphere of the later installments. Throughout the production, David Heyman remained as a producer, and Steve Kloves served as the primary scriptwriter for all but the fifth film.
• The Wizarding World Expansion: Following the conclusion of the original film series, Warner Bros. continued its partnership with J.K. Rowling.
  1. In 2012, they opened the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter at the Leavesden film studios, offering the public a permanent exhibition of the sets, props, and costumes from the films.
  2. Starting in 2016, the company produced the Fantastic Beasts prequel film series, which expanded the lore of the Wizarding World.
  3. Under its Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment division, the company established the Portkey Games label to publish video games set in the Wizarding World, such as Hogwarts Legacy (video game).
  4. Warner Bros. is also producing an upcoming television series adaptation of the books for the Max streaming service (Warner Bros. official announcement).

As the studio behind the films, Warner Bros. was responsible for the massive technical and creative undertaking of visualizing the magical world.

• Special Effects: The company and its contracted effects houses were instrumental in developing the on-screen look of magic, including spell effects, Quidditch matches, and the appearance of magical creatures such as Dobby the house-elf, Buckbeak the Hippogriff, and the Hungarian Horntail dragon.
• Casting: The studio supported J.K. Rowling's request for an all-British and Irish cast. Their casting department, in a decade-long process, assembled one of the most acclaimed ensembles in modern film, featuring newcomers like Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson alongside a host of British acting legends, including Richard Harris, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, and Maggie Smith.
• Adaptation: The studio managed the challenge of adapting increasingly long and complex novels into feature-length films. This involved making key decisions about which subplots and characters to omit or condense, a process that was often done in consultation with J.K. Rowling.

• Film Rights: Warner Bros. holds the exclusive and long-term film rights to the seven Harry Potter novels.
• Wizarding World Trademark: The company co-manages the overarching Wizarding World brand and its associated intellectual property in partnership with J.K. Rowling.
• Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden: The studio owns the former airfield-turned-film-studio in England where all ten Wizarding World films to date were produced. It is now a permanent asset and public attraction.
• Physical Assets: The company is the owner of the vast archive of props, costumes, and sets created for the films, many of which are displayed at the Studio Tour.

• J.K. Rowling: The author maintained a close, collaborative relationship with Warner Bros., holding a significant degree of creative approval over the scripts, casting, and overall direction of the films. She later became a producer on the final two Harry Potter films and a scriptwriter and producer for the Fantastic Beasts series.
• David Heyman: Warner Bros.'s key partner on the franchise, Heyman served as the constant producing force who guided the series from its inception to the present day.

The name “Warner Bros.” is an abbreviation of Warner Brothers. The company was founded in 1923 by four brothers of Polish-Jewish origin who had emigrated to the United States: Harry, Albert, Sam, and Jack Warner.

• As a real-world company, all information regarding Warner Bros.'s involvement in the franchise is “behind the scenes” and external to the canon of the books.
• Before Warner Bros. secured the rights and hired Chris Columbus, director Steven Spielberg was briefly in talks to direct the first film but left the project due to creative differences (media reports).
• The partnership between Warner Bros. and J.K. Rowling has been one of the most commercially successful author-studio collaborations in history, generating billions of dollars in revenue across films, merchandise, and theme park attractions.