The stars of Harry Potter are returning to Hogwarts — though the book series' creator reportedly won't be joining them.
WarnerMedia on Tuesday announced the Harry Potter cast will reunite for a retrospective special this January. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson will "travel back to Hogwarts for the first time" alongside Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone director Chris Columbus for the original movie's 20th anniversary, an announcement said.
"This retrospective is a tribute to everyone whose lives were touched by this cultural phenomenon — from the talented cast and crew who poured their heart and soul into this extraordinary film franchise to the passionate fans who continue to keep the Wizarding World spirit alive 20 years later," Warner Bros. executive Tom Ascheim said.
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Other Harry Potter stars including Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, and Tom Felton are also set for the special. But The Hollywood Reporter noted author J.K. Rowling was absent from the list of participants, and she reportedly won't make an appearance outside of being featured in archival footage. The Reporter cited sources who said the special will "focus on the creation of the film and the central cast/team."
Rowling has faced backlash over her tweets about transgender people, as when she criticized the phrase "people who menstruate" in 2020 by writing, "I'm sure there used to be a word for those people." She also tweeted, "If sex isn't real, the lived reality of women globally is erased." Her remarks have been criticized by several Harry Potter stars, including Daniel Radcliffe.
"Transgender women are women," Radcliffe said last year. "Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I."
Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts is set to debut on HBO Max on Jan. 1.
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