As one of the most successful authors of our time, JK Rowling is a household name. Her Harry Potter series has become a cultural phenomenon, beloved by millions of fans worldwide.
Now a TV series will be based on author JK Rowling’s books and will be produced over the course of a decade, with each series based on one of the seven books.
The Harry Potter books are among the best-selling of all time, having sold more than 600 million copies worldwide.
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The books have previously been turned into numerous films, which starred Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter.
“The series will feature a new cast to lead a new generation of fandom, full of the fantastic detail, much loved characters and dramatic locations that Harry Potter fans have loved for over twenty-five years,” Warner Bros Discovery said in a press release.
Books of Magic
There have been claims that she copied Neil Gaiman Books of Magic series.
He was asked on Tumblr: “Do you ever feel a little peeved off that J.K. Rowling allegedly ripped off your Books of Magic series?”
The author replied: “Never felt peeved or ripped off. As I’ve said over the years, I think Ms Rowling is smart enough that if she had been ripping off Tim Hunter and the Books of Magic, she would have changed a lot more things. He would have looked different, owls would have become eagles etc.
“I got grumpy once, with DC Comics, for keeping a printing of Books of Magic in the warehouse for 6 months on orders from somewhere in the Warner Brothers system, because they had a Harry Potter movie coming out and were terrified of… something, I was never certain what. But I don’t believe JKR had the slightest idea that was happening, and Books of Magic and Tim Hunter always felt like something I made up a long time ago that I passed on to other people.”
Stolen?
Regardless, there has been persistent speculation that Rowling stole the idea for Harry Potter from other works of fiction. Let’s take a closer look at the evidence.
Firstly, there are several notable similarities between Harry Potter and other works of fiction. For example, the idea of a young hero attending a school of magic is present in many stories, such as The Worst Witch series by Jill Murphy and The Magicians by Lev Grossman. Additionally, the concept of a chosen one who must defeat a powerful evil is present in works such as The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien and The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.
Furthermore, there are some striking similarities between specific characters and plot points in Harry Potter and other works of fiction. The character of Harry Potter himself has been compared to the protagonist of the Roald Dahl book, Matilda. Additionally, the storyline of the Triwizard Tournament bears some resemblance to the Hunger Games, which was published years after Harry Potter.
Accusations
It is also worth noting that Rowling has faced accusations of plagiarism in the past. In 2010, she was accused of stealing the idea for a character from the Harry Potter series from a writer named Adrian Jacobs. Jacobs had written a book called The Adventures of Willy the Wizard, which he claimed was the inspiration for Rowling’s fourth Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The case was eventually dismissed, but the accusation has continued to fuel speculation that Rowling may have stolen other elements of the Harry Potter series from other sources.
Despite these similarities and accusations, there is no concrete evidence that Rowling stole the idea for Harry Potter. Rowling herself has always maintained that the idea for the series came to her on a train journey and that she spent years developing the complex world and characters of the Harry Potter series. Additionally, it is worth noting that many works of fiction draw on similar themes and ideas, and it is not uncommon for writers to be influenced by the works of others.
There are certainly similarities between Harry Potter and other works of fiction, there is no evidence to suggest that JK Rowling stole the idea for the series. While the accusations of plagiarism may continue to circulate, it is important to remember that there is no concrete evidence to support them.
Related: Controversy surrounds J.K. Rowling’s involvement in Harry Potter TV series
