Warner Bros. Pictures

• Type: Film Production and Distribution Company
• Headquarters: Burbank, California, USA
• Key Involvement: Production and distribution of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts film series; Management of the Wizarding World brand.

Warner Bros. Pictures is the American film studio that secured the film rights to the first four Harry Potter novels from author J.K. Rowling in 1999 (J.K. Rowling interview). The studio, in partnership with producer David Heyman of Heyday Films, was responsible for bringing the entire seven-book series to the screen over the course of eight films, beginning with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in 2001 and concluding with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 in 2011. The studio's productions are notable for their general faithfulness to the source material, though numerous changes were made for the cinematic medium. They oversaw the casting of the main trio—Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), and Emma Watson (Hermione Granger)—who became global stars through the films. The visual aesthetic, musical scores by composers like John Williams, and overall world-building established by Warner Bros. Pictures have become defining elements of the franchise's public identity (film). Following the conclusion of the original film series, Warner Bros. Pictures has continued to produce content for the Wizarding World, a franchise brand co-managed with J.K. Rowling. This includes:

• The Fantastic Beasts prequel series, starting with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in 2016 (film).
• A television series adaptation of the original seven books, announced in 2023 for the Max streaming service (Warner Bros. announcement).

Beyond the core film productions, Warner Bros. Pictures has been instrumental in expanding the Harry Potter universe into a global multimedia franchise.

• Theme Parks: In partnership with Universal Parks & Resorts, they helped develop The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, immersive themed lands at Universal theme parks around the world.
• Studio Tour: The company operates the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, which preserves and showcases the actual sets, props, and costumes from the film series at Leavesden Studios, where the movies were filmed. A similar tour also opened in Tokyo, Japan (Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo).
• Video Games: Through its video game label, Portkey Games, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment publishes games set in the Wizarding World, most notably the highly successful Hogwarts Legacy (video game).
• Theatrical Productions: While not a direct producer, Warner Bros. is a strategic partner for the stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (The Cursed Child official website).

Through these ventures, Warner Bros. Pictures has solidified the look, feel, and commercial power of the Wizarding World, making it one of the most successful and enduring media franchises in history.