The fantasy film franchise Harry Potter has been removed from its streaming home on NBCUniversal’s Peacock, meaning it is no longer available on any streaming service. The films were previously available to stream on HBO Max earlier this year, though they have since left the service. Because of the franchise’s huge fan base, any platform with exclusive streaming rights to Harry Potter has a huge opportunity to attract new viewers and stand out from the crowd.
At first glance, NBCUniversal’s decision to remove Harry Potter from Peacock could appear to be a response to the recent controversy surrounding the series’ author J.K. Rowling. Rowling has recently faced criticism on social media for expressing transphobic views. Many fans have expressed their disappointment with Rowling, even going so far as to boycott future Harry Potter projects. However, Harry Potter’s departure from Peacock appears to have nothing to do with Rowling and everything to do with contractual obligations.
As reported by Comicbook, all eight of the Harry Potter films have been removed from Peacock as of November 1. NBCUniversal has apparently removed the movies from streaming in order to broadcast them on their cable networks, which include Syfy and USA. The reasoning behind the decision stems from a contract which stipulates the Harry Potter movies leave Peacock at this time. NBCUniversal has the rights to the film franchise until the end of 2021.
The decision to remove the Harry Potter films from Peacock appears to be due to the contract primarily. However, it also ensures NBCU's various properties are not competing with each other. This has been a recent concern for many other streaming providers as well. Just a few months ago, WarnerMedia announced plans to pivot its DC Universe streaming service to a comics-only platform. The company's DC shows will instead stream on HBO Max, likely to prevent competition between the two brands.
As the streaming market continues to become more saturated, audiences will likely see more and more of these media giants like NBCU and WarnerMedia consolidating their brands under one banner or moving properties around to prevent competition. For the average Harry Potter fan, this could mean their favorite wizard movies may no longer be widely available. However, it could also mean The Boy Who Lived will make a triumphant return to streaming in the near future. In the meantime, the Harry Potter films will live on through cable broadcasts, as well as home media.
Source: Comicbook