The Warner Bros. prohibited unauthorized fan festivals about Harry Potter in the U.S. Festival and convention directors from the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois and others were informed about the company’s new guidelines that don’t allow the use of character’s names, places or objects created by [J.K. Rowling] for her Wizarding World.
“Warner Bros is always pleased to learn of the enthusiasm of Harry Potter fans but we are concerned, and do object, when fan gatherings become a vehicle for unauthorized commercial activity,” said the company.
The guideline unpleased the North-American fans. Sarah Jo Tucker, student at Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, which hosts a Quidditch tournament manifested her insatisfaction to the British newspaper The Guardian. “It’s almost as if Warner Bros has been taken over by Voldemort, trying to use dark magic to destroy the light of a little town,” she said.
Philip Dawson, Chestnut Hill business district director, said Warner Bros contacted his group in May, letting it know new guidelines. In October 2017, his festival gathered around 45 thousand people. This year, due the changes, the city will host Wands and Wizards and will be a generic magic-themed celebration. The fans, however, will keep wearing Harry Potter characters’ costumes. They tried to reach to J.K. Rowling via Twitter, but her spokesperson said she had nothing to comment on the topic.
News by Gabriela Schulz
Translated by Anna Viduani
Revised by Caroline Dorigon
