Sorry JK Rowling fans the #newharrypotterbooks Twitter trend doesn't mean what you think it does

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Ire?

Matilda Battersby
Thursday 30 July 2015 12:57 BST
Comments
JK Rowling enjoys sharing Harry Potter secrets with fans on Twitter
JK Rowling enjoys sharing Harry Potter secrets with fans on Twitter

If JK Rowling had announced to her millions of Twitter followers this morning that she was busy writing more Harry Potter books the internet would doubtless shatter more violently than it did at the sight of Kim Kardashian holding a champagne flute on her rump.

But sadly for those of you who witnessed Twitter go into meltdown as the hashtag #newharrypotterbooks did the rounds, all is not what is seems.

No, the beloved author who recently revealed news of an upcoming Harry Potter spinoff play, The Cursed Child (and it is not a sequel!), isn’t penning the adventures of a middle-aged Harry, Ron and Hermione – or at least, not so far as we know.

The misleading hashtag has actually been catalysed by Midnight, a “late night game show thing” on Comedy Central, hosted by Chris Hardwick and featuring Chris Distefano, Kurt Braunohler and Jimmy Pardo.

The comedians encouraged social media users to come up with alternative titles for the Harry Potter series – with some very funny results.

However, keen Potter fans were not so amused with many venting their disappointment that the trend didn’t spell more magical books for muggles. Perhaps they should try an Aparecium charm in case there’s a hidden message?

It wouldn’t be the first time Harry Potter news has been broadcast on Twitter with Rowling often communicating directly with fans who ask questions about the characters.

She also revealed details of the three upcoming Newt Scamander spinoff films she has written for Warner on the social network.

Eddie Redmayne, who plays the lead in the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them trilogy, based on a Hogwarts text book read by Harry and his chums, is currently filming the first of the films which is due out on 16 November 2016.

Rowling hasn’t entirely ruled out writing further Potter novels. “I’m not going to say I won’t. I don’t think I will … I feel I am done, but you never know,” she said in 2010.

However, she is due to publish the third in a crime series written under the pen name Robert Galbraith in October.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in