It looks like Warner Bros. is finally making moves to further expand the Wizarding World franchise! As reported in Variety, Warner Bros. has placed Tom Ascheim in charge of the extremely lucrative Harry Potter and Wizarding World franchise.
In his new role, Ascheim will report to WarnerMedia chief Ann Sarnoff and will oversee the development of all current and upcoming Wizarding World projects (much like Kevin Feige’s role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe). Primarily, Ascheim will act as the chief representative of WarnerMedia in its relationship with J.K. Rowling and her reps, agent Neil Blair and Blair Partnership Chief Creative Officer James McKnight. The Variety article also states that Ascheim has been tasked with expanding the Wizarding World for the studio’s various outlets, meaning we should expect to see more Harry Potter spin-offs on different platforms. It must be said, however, that the studio didn’t reveal any plans for more Harry Potter movies or spin-offs in the announcement.
“In Harry Potter and the Wizarding World, we have an iconic franchise and characters that have become a beloved part of the lives of millions around the world,” Sarnoff said. “This new management of the franchise highlights its enormous importance to Warner Bros. and the myriad opportunities we see for continuing to engage and delight fans of all ages across the globe. I’m excited for Tom to be leading our efforts and look to him and his team to work across the company to discover innovative and creative ways of keeping the Wizarding World fresh and relevant for years to come.”
“I’ve been an avid Harry Potter fan for years and an admiring observer of how the Wizarding World franchise has been managed,” Ascheim said. “I’m honored to now be leading the very talented individuals and teams who have done such a great job in growing this brand and its meaning and value to fans everywhere. I look forward to going even further in exploring and expanding all of the opportunities we have in this incredible world.”
The Wizarding World is one of the biggest and most lucrative film franchise’s in Hollywood history, so it’s not surprising to see that Warner Bros. is taking the necessary steps to expand the franchise even further. With the recent launch of HBO Max, the studio is undoubtedly looking at its biggest cash-cows and planning how to use them to rival streaming services like Netflix and Disney Plus. While nothing has been confirmed, this shows that Warner Bros. is at least considering their options when it comes to expanding the Wizarding World franchise.
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Source: Variety
