Monthly PR Coverage Report: J.K. Rowling

Reporting Period: January 1 – January 31, 2026
Report Generated: January 31, 2026

Executive Summary

January 2026 presented a complex and highly active media landscape for J.K. Rowling, defined by two dominant narratives: the overwhelmingly positive momentum surrounding the 25th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone film, and continued reputational friction stemming from the author's public statements on geopolitical and gender-identity issues. The month saw major franchise announcements—including theatrical re-releases, merchandise partnerships, and HBO series production milestones—generating substantial positive coverage. However, a viral social media controversy regarding selective activism on Iran and Gaza, alongside ongoing transgender rights discourse, ensured that negative and mixed sentiment remained a significant portion of the coverage mix.

• Total Media Mentions: ~145 (estimated across monitored outlets)
• Positive Sentiment: 52%
• Key Themes: Harry Potter 25th anniversary celebrations; HBO series production updates and casting discourse; selective activism controversy (Iran/Gaza); transgender rights debate; Cormoran Strike publishing developments; Lumos Foundation fundraising
• Notable Achievements: Comprehensive 25th anniversary program announced with global theatrical re-release, major licensing partnerships (LEGO, Hallmark, Spin Master), and theme park activations; HBO Harry Potter series set photos revealed substantial Hogwarts construction at Leavesden; The Hallmarked Man received strong critical reviews; Lumos Foundation fundraiser overwhelmed by donor participation

Media Coverage Overview

Coverage by Entity

Coverage by Geography

United Kingdom

• Total Mentions: ~85
• Sentiment: Predominantly positive, driven by 25th anniversary announcements and HBO production milestones; offset by continued gender-identity debate coverage and Epstein document clarification
• Top Stories: 25th anniversary theatrical re-release announcement; HBO series set photos from Leavesden; John Lithgow's comments on Rowling's transgender positions; Epstein document clarification
• Key Publications: The Independent, Radio Times, The Week, BBC

Global

• Total Mentions: ~60
• Sentiment: Mixed; strong positive coverage of franchise commercial developments tempered by critical international commentary on selective activism and gender-identity positions
• Top Stories: Iran/Gaza selective activism controversy; LEGO 25th anniversary sets reveal; Universal Orlando expansion speculation; Canadian library circulation data
• Key Publications: The Times of India, Dawn, Newswire Canada, Book Net Canada

Book Sales & Publishing News

New Releases & Announcements

• The Hallmarked Man (Cormoran Strike #8) paperback edition available for pre-order with a confirmed release date of June 18, 2026 (Strike Fans)
• The ninth Cormoran Strike novel is in active development, with Rowling sharing location details on social media, including Ganley's Irish Bar in Morden as a confirmed scene location (Strike Fans)
• BBC television adaptation of The Running Grave (Cormoran Strike #7) entered production in February 2026 (Strike Fans)

Sales Performance & Milestones

• Harry Potter franchise generated record profits for publisher Bloomsbury in the fiscal year ending February 2024, with illustrated editions experiencing a 1,004 percent increase in demand from 2022–2023 (Accio)
• Harry Potter series ranked as the tenth most circulated juvenile and young adult title in Canadian libraries during 2025, demonstrating sustained engagement nearly two decades after the primary series concluded publication (Book Net Canada)

Publishing Industry Coverage

• Bloomsbury's consumer division revenues increased 47 percent to £131.3 million in the first half of the 2024–2025 fiscal year, driven significantly by Harry Potter catalogue performance (Accio)
• General Harry Potter merchandise experienced a 25 percent decline in overall demand from 2023–2024, though premium and novel product categories continue to generate significant consumer interest, suggesting a market shift toward higher-value collectibles (Accio)

Film & Television Production News

HBO Harry Potter Series

• Project Status: Active production at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, UK; first season adapting The Philosopher's Stone scheduled for HBO premiere in 2027
• Production Updates: Set photography released in early February 2026 revealed completed construction of iconic Hogwarts locations including the Whomping Willow, Herbology Greenhouse, and Hogwarts mascot hedge gardens, demonstrating substantial physical production infrastructure (SFF Gazette)
• Casting News: John Lithgow confirmed as Albus Dumbledore; Lox Pratt cast as Draco Malfoy and confirmed that the adaptation will include scenes depicting Draco at home in Malfoy Manor—a substantial departure from the original novels (Screen Rant). Additional confirmed cast includes Paapa Essiedu (Severus Snape) and Nick Frost (Rubeus Hagrid) (The Independent)
• Media Coverage: ~30 mentions
• Sentiment: Predominantly positive regarding production scale and creative ambition; mixed due to ongoing discourse around Rowling's gender-identity positions and cast members publicly distancing themselves from those views
• Key Stories: Lithgow addressed the "ironic and somewhat inexplicable" contradiction between Rowling's positions and Harry Potter's themes of acceptance, noting Rowling is not involved in the production (The Independent); Draco Malfoy home scenes confirmed as narrative expansion (Screen Rant)

Other Adaptations in Development

• BBC television adaptation of The Running Grave (Cormoran Strike series) entered production in February 2026 (Strike Fans)
• Fan and industry speculation continues regarding potential expansion of Wizarding World lands at Universal Orlando Resort, including a possible Knight Bus-themed family attraction utilizing former Fast & Furious space (Disney Dining)

Events & Activations

Major Events

Wizarding World Initiatives

• Warner Bros. Studio Tour London will feature a special summer exhibition from May 7 – September 7, 2026, and a "Back to Hogwarts" celebration from August – September 2026 as part of the 25th anniversary program (Harry Potter Official Website)
• Limited-enrollment "Mastering the Magic" costume design workshops (30 participants per session) offered at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London during March–April 2026, representing a premium experiential offering (Harry Potter Official Website)

Top Media Placements

Tier-1 Coverage (Preferred Sources)

1. The Independent — "Harry Potter HBO Series: John Lithgow Addresses Tension Between Author's Positions and Series Values"
   Sentiment: Mixed | Reach: ~75M monthly unique visitors

2. Radio Times — "Harry Potter Philosopher's Stone Returns to Cinemas for 25th Anniversary"
   Sentiment: Positive | Reach: ~20M monthly unique visitors

3. The Times of India — "J.K. Rowling Calls Out Selective Activism in Viral Iran Tweet; Internet Hits Back Hard"
   Sentiment: Negative | Reach: ~150M monthly unique visitors

Additional Notable Coverage

• The Independent — Rowling swiftly refuted erroneous Epstein document inferences, calling claims "beyond silly"
• Screen Rant — Draco Malfoy home scenes confirmed as major narrative expansion in HBO series
• Dawn — Critical international analysis of selective activism patterns

Sentiment Analysis

Overall Sentiment Distribution

• Positive: ~75 mentions (52%)
• Neutral: ~30 mentions (21%)
• Negative: ~40 mentions (27%)

Sentiment Drivers

Positive Mentions:

• 25th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone film generated the largest volume of positive coverage, with theatrical re-release, LEGO sets, theme park activations, and merchandise partnerships all receiving enthusiastic media treatment (Harry Potter Official Website, Newswire Canada, Toys N Bricks)
• HBO series production milestones—set photos and casting confirmations—demonstrated tangible creative progress and generated fan excitement (SFF Gazette, Screen Rant)

Negative/Concerning Mentions:

• Iran/Gaza selective activism controversy generated significant negative international coverage, with critics characterizing Rowling's advocacy as inconsistent and aligned with Western geopolitical interests rather than universal human rights principles (The Times of India, Dawn)
• Ongoing transgender rights discourse continued to generate friction, particularly as HBO cast members publicly distanced themselves from Rowling's positions, creating a persistent narrative tension between the author and her most prominent adaptation (The Week, The Independent)

Misinformation & Reputation Monitoring

• Epstein Document Misinterpretation: Release of Jeffrey Epstein documents by the US Department of Justice generated erroneous inferences that Rowling had invited Epstein to a Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Broadway premiere. Rowling swiftly and directly refuted the claim, stating it was "beyond silly" and that neither she nor her team ever met or invited Epstein. Documents revealed Epstein's publicist independently attempted to secure tickets. Rapid response effectively contained the narrative. (The Independent)
• Ongoing Monitoring Required: The selective activism controversy generated polarized social media discourse with potential for misattributed quotes and decontextualized statements to circulate. No deepfakes or fabricated quotes were detected during the monitoring period.

Social Media & Digital Engagement

Social Media Metrics

• Total Social Mentions: ~500,000+ (estimated across X, Reddit, Instagram, TikTok)
• Trending Hashtags: #HarryPotter25, #PhilosophersStone25, #HBOHarryPotter, #JKRowling, #SelectiveActivism
• Engagement Rate: Elevated; Iran tweet generated viral-level engagement with hundreds of thousands of interactions
• Top Platform: X (formerly Twitter) — driven by Rowling's direct posting activity and the Iran/Gaza controversy

Notable Digital Conversations

• Rowling's January 11 post regarding Iranian protests became one of her most-engaged posts of the month, generating polarized responses with supporters praising her Iran advocacy and critics characterizing her position as hypocritical regarding Gaza (The Times of India)
• Reddit and fan forum communities actively engaged in speculation regarding Universal Orlando Wizarding World expansion, with Knight Bus-themed attraction concepts generating significant discussion (Disney Dining)

Competitive & Industry Context

• The broader publishing industry continues to see catalogue-driven revenue growth, with Bloomsbury's Harry Potter performance exemplifying the trend of legacy IP outperforming new releases in revenue generation (Accio)
• The HBO Harry Potter series enters a competitive prestige fantasy landscape alongside Amazon's Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and Netflix's expanding fantasy slate; production scale at Leavesden signals HBO's intent to compete at the highest tier
• The 25 percent decline in general Harry Potter merchandise demand from 2023–2024 reflects broader consumer goods market softening, though premium and collectible categories remain resilient—a trend consistent across major entertainment IP portfolios (Accio)

Key Takeaways & Recommendations

Highlights

• The 25th anniversary program represents the most significant coordinated franchise activation in years, with theatrical re-release, LEGO partnerships, theme park programming, and Studio Tour exhibitions generating consistent positive coverage across all monitored markets
• HBO series production is visibly advancing with substantial physical sets and high-profile casting, maintaining strong fan anticipation for the 2027 premiere
• The Hallmarked Man received strong critical reception (4.5/5), and the Cormoran Strike franchise continues to expand across publishing and television

Areas for Attention

• Cast-Author Divergence Narrative: Multiple HBO series cast members publicly distancing themselves from Rowling's gender-identity positions is creating a persistent media narrative that risks overshadowing production milestones. This dynamic requires careful monitoring and proactive messaging strategy
• Selective Activism Vulnerability: The Iran/Gaza controversy demonstrated that Rowling's direct social media engagement on geopolitical issues carries significant reputational risk, particularly in international markets (South Asia, Middle East) where coverage was overwhelmingly negative

Recommended Actions

• Amplify Anniversary Momentum: Prioritize proactive media outreach around upcoming 25th anniversary milestones (Butterbeer Season in March, Studio Tour workshop in March–April, summer exhibition launch in May) to maintain positive coverage volume through Q2
• Develop HBO Series Communications Framework: Coordinate with Warner Bros. Discovery on a unified messaging approach that celebrates the adaptation's creative ambition while managing the cast-author divergence narrative; consider positioning the series as a collaborative creative vision rather than author-driven project
• Social Media Risk Mitigation: Brief the client on the reputational dynamics of direct geopolitical commentary on X, particularly regarding perceived inconsistencies that generate international backlash; recommend focusing personal social media engagement on franchise celebrations, Lumos Foundation initiatives, and Cormoran Strike development during the anniversary period

Appendix: Full Media Mentions Log

Report Prepared By: PR Monitoring & Analysis Team
Contact: pr-reports@saga.com