Sky files lawsuit against Warner Bros for 'cutting it out' of Harry Potter series

Sky has filed a lawsuit against Warner Bros Discovery for allegedly violating an agreement that gave it the right to co-produce shows including a Harry Potter TV series.

The broadcaster said an agreement had been struck for it to partner Max (formerly HBO Max) on the prequel to JK Rowling’s books as well as other shows.

According to Deadline, the untitled Potter series will be broadcast on Max in 2026 and will see Harry, Ron and Hermione aged nine to 11 - before their time at Hogwarts.

It is the most significant development in the saga beyond the Fantastic Beasts series and would have been a major coup for Sky to be part of.

Sky filed their lawsuit in New York on Friday, according to Financial Times.

This read: “The loss of the opportunity to partner in the funding and production of the wholly unique and irreplaceable Harry Potter series cannot be completely or adequately quantified.”

Sky did, however, put the figure at “hundreds of millions at the very least”.

The cited agreement dates back to 2019 when Warner Bros was owned by AT&T and gave Sky the chance to co-produce content with what was then HBO Max “every year”.

The deal was signed one year after Comcast acquired Sky for £30bn - with a view to creating an entertainment juggernaut that played home to huge series.

HBO is now considering its options for a UK partner for all shows beyond 2026 and a new deal could see House of Dragons, Succession and White Lotus up for grabs.

Warner Bros has said it will fight Sky’s lawsuit.

A spokesman added: “We know HBO branded shows are critical to Sky, as evidenced by their desire for over a year to find a way to renew our agreements, and this lawsuit makes it clear that Sky is deeply concerned about the viability of its business were it to lose our award-winning content

“WBD will vigorously defend itself from this unfounded lawsuit as we move forward undeterred with plans to launch Max, including the new HBO Harry Potter series, in the UK and other European markets in 2026.”