Few would deny the influence of theHarry Potterfilms. The adaptations have become almost synonymous withWarner Brothersafter taking so longHowever, it can be easy to forget just how intense the competition for rights to the Wizarding World was for those involved. One unusual candidate was Nintendo,who nearly owned the rights to all forms of adaptationand would have most likely prevented the films from getting made. The attempt was no small effort, either, and the company not only had a unique pitch but also presented concept art, which led to fierce debate among the developers. Ultimately,J. K. Rowlingherself turned down the idea in favor of a company with the proper resources to bring her vision to life, and perhaps it was for the best. Over the twenty-five years since the first book was released, Nintendo has only grown, while Harry Potter has becomeone of the most successfulfilm franchises of all time.
Nintendo Wanted Exclusive Rights to Harry Potter
When theHarry Potterbookswere released in the late 1990s, they quickly became an international sensation, and it’s no surprise to learn that many film studios wanted to get in on the action. Asreported byUnseen64, at the time, the rights were completely up for grabs - not just a film or TV license. The rights in the deal would be exclusive,meaning that the winner would own any and all adaptations going forward,even as more books were published. Needless to say, the bidding war grew intense, and it went to some strange places.
One unlikely candidate to purchase the franchise was Nintendo, whosemajor success in the 90sand family-friendly audience made it highly appealing as a potential buyer. This was by no means a discussion made in passing,as the company canceled development on several other gamesto focus on the new project. Two games were planned, including one based on Quidditch and an adventure game with a first-person perspective. Notably, Nintendo would not have offered a film adaptation, meaningthe brand we know todaywould likely have been much smaller.
Within the company itself, much drama quickly emerged over the design of the games themselves, particularly that of the characters. Since this would have been thefirst major visual depictionand they would be presented to Rowling in a pitch meeting,it’s no wonder game developers felt themselves under fierce pressureto deliver on an idea. Some of the developers wanted to use the book cover design of the main characters as a template, citing the importance to the author that her creation remained British. Many higher-ups, though, went for a style more in line with traditional anime or manga, though neither form of concept art has been released to the public.
J. K. Rowling Killed the Deal With Nintendo
No matter how unique the presentation was, the bid by Nintendo would only go throughif it gained the permission of Rowling, the one audience who mattered. By all accounts,she viewed the presentationand enjoyed it, but the author ultimately decided to pursue a different path, as we know. Exactly why she made this decision is not entirely clear since most of what we have has been rumors. However, the previously mentioned report byUnseen64lists two reasons that can explain why she likely passed on the offer.
The biggest reason appears to be more logistical in nature. While Nintendo may be the biggest video company in Japan and even the world,other bidders had more resources to spareand proved to be much more ambitious. This thinking is not without precedent, as a similar sense of scale appears to have been behind Rowling’s decision to decline an offer from Disneyto build Harry Potter Worldin Orlando, instead turning to Universal Studios. Although multipleHarry Pottergameshave since been adapted for Nintendo gaming systems, the company is not what one could call an avid investor in other merchandise, like film or television.
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Another reason that might be easy to overlook is the nature of the series as being inherently British.Rowling remained adamant that any adaptation preserves its cultural roots,which put Nintendo at a major disadvantage. The reflections of this mentality can still be noticed within the films, which had avery strict “British only” rulethat prevented even esteemed American actors likeRobin Williamsfrom getting involved despite heavy campaigning. Games by Nintendo might sell all over the world, but the company remains Japanese at its core, including its main audience, and we’ve already seen how this could create conflict.
Harry Potter Has Thrived Under Warner Brothers
In terms of viability, it’s hard to argue that Rowling made the wrong choice. Instead of Nintendo, Warner Brothers got theHarry Potterfranchise, and it would later become one of the most important, if not the most, in their arsenal. Over eight series films and a three-film spinoff,the franchise would gross almost ten billion dollars for the studio, to say nothing of the enormous merchandise that has since followed. For most installments,critical scores have remained fairly highas well, with an average higher than most other big franchises today.
If Nintendo had won exclusive rights toHarry Potter, it is unlikely that any of this would happen. Since they have only recently begun making films of their properties,it might have been years or even decades before we saw a proper adaptation, assuming it was ever made at all. Considering the franchise isstill making wavestoday, it is a major piece of popular culture, and the idea of not having these films is difficult to fathom. Whatever one might think of the series, no one can doubt the impact ofHarry Potterover the past generation, and not having the films would be a huge loss.
Thankfully, whatwe have now seems like the best of both worlds. Although the idea of Nintendo owning the series makes for an interesting piece of trivia and thought experiment, they’ve also proven more than successful enough without it. For Warner Brothers, the series has been so profitable that they areseeking to recapture iton the small screen, though whether it proves successful remains to be seen. Still,no one benefited more from the deal than Rowling herself, and the influence her work has created makes it clear that she made the right choice.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
An orphaned boy enrolls in a school of wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world.
The entireHarry Potterseries is now available to watch on Peacock in the U.S.
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