Stranger Things. Harry Potter. A combination that no one really took seriously, unless you’re a Netflix executive.
Editor’s Note: This was an April Fools Day joke, but check out our thoughts on why a Harry Potter reboot should become reality!
In a stunning turn of events that surprised literally everyone, Netflix’s latest press release is about to blow. your. mind. Several actors from Stranger Things have been plucked to star in a brand new Harry Potter television series set in the US!
It’s rare when so many actors from one show get cast in another project together but Netflix has made some magic happen, pun totally intended. Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin), Finn Wolfhard (Mike), Noah Schnapp (Will) and Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas) have all been cast in a new Harry Potter series set in the United States at the American wizarding school, Ilvermorny.
As if that wasn’t enough star power, the famed Joss Whedon has been tapped to executive produce the series. “My inner fanboy is still freaking out,” Whedon said in the press release. “I’m so honored to bring J.K. Rowling’s amazing world to life on the small screen for the first time. We all know the story of the Boy Who Lived but we don’t know what was happening in America during these dark times, and that’s what we want to explore.”
This still untitled series will be the first ever television show based of J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world and is set in the mid 90s when Voldemort’s rise to power could no longer be ignored. When we heard this news we were first worried that they’d try to get these American kids to play Brits, so we’re happy they’re sticking to their home country. Except for Brown, who is actually going to keep her natural accent for the show.
“Of course the Americans knew about Voldemort,” Rowling said in the same release. “I’ve always had an idea of what was happening internationally in regards to Voldemort’s rise to power, and I’m happy to have Joss help show people just how big Voldemort’s presence really was outside of the U.K.”
So, who’s playing who? That’s all very hush hush at this point but what we do know is that Brown will play a student transferring from Hogwarts to Ilvermorny, and like Stranger Things she will befriend the boys at the start of the series. Well, befriend is a strong word.
“Unlike Stranger Things I wanted this series to be about a bunch of kids who really don’t belong together,” Whedon continues. “No one trusts [Brown’s character]. She comes in during the middle of the school year just when the others are hearing about Voldemort coming back. Who is this girl? And why does she get a free pass into Ilvermorny?”
“I’m going to f*** shit up,” Brown said in an interview with us earlier today. “I can’t say too much but basically I’m bringing the Demigorgon into the world of Harry Potter, everyone is going to find out that Voldemort and the Demigorgon are actually related and I’m pretty sure that I get to destroy Ilvermorny at the end of the series. But again, I can’t reveal too much.”
Whoa. What?! We tried to get more but then she hung up after a hushed tone from her publicist.
“Honestly, I’m just to kick some wizarding world ass,” Mararazzo said in the same interview. “I’m so tired of being called adorable, I wanna be the next Harry Potter!” We tried to tell him that there was already going to be a Harry Potter according to the timeline and he responded, “Yeah, but have you seen my Funko figure? It’s totally cooler than his.”
If the Demigorgon is coming into the world of Harry Potter then how much else is changing? We called Rowling to ask, and she actually picked up!
It looks like we still have to work our way back into her heart to get more details, though. “I won’t tell you a single thing, except to say that I think you’re all going to love it. #notaprequel.” Then she hung up, but hey, we’ve come a long way since #Wormtaily.
We’ll be working hard to get you more answers on this amazing news and how exactly the Stranger Things and Harry Potter universes might be connected. Stay tuned!