J. K. Rowling Reacts To HBO's "Harry Potter" Race-Swapping Controversy

The media's most hated author – J. K. Rowling – has officially responded to HBO's new Harry Potter reboot as fans continue to mock it over a couple WILD casting choices.

The trailer for the new series, set to debut this Christmas, dropped this week. HBO has said it plans to do one season per book for the next decade. Why do we need a Harry Potter series when we already have eight movies, you ask? I have no clue. None. 

But, I assume, HBO has run the potential ROI on this, and sees a lot of green in the charts. So, I get it. 

What I don't get – and I'm not alone – is why HBO felt the need to cast a black Severus Snape in the new series. That's right. 

A BLACK Snape! You know, the guy Rowling describes as having "sallow skin" in the books? Yeah, he's now black, and fans are as confused as ever. 

Rowling did her best to ease tensions Thursday night, via social media:

This Harry Potter reboot could get real racist 

"It's going to be incredible. I'm so happy with it."

Well, I'll be honest. I didn't see this one coming. I figured J. K. Rowling, for as based as she is, would rip HBO a new one for this. But, she appears to be playing a good soldier here and seeing this one through, which I respect. 

As for HBO casting Paapa Essiedu as Snape … I think we're in for a wild decade, assuming this series makes it that long. 

Snape's entire storyline is literally just Harry always being … cautious … of him, and Harry's dad literally mocking his appearance as a child. At one point in the story, Snape is HUNG FROM A TREE. 

And now he's black? Yeah, OK. Let's see how THAT goes over in 2026 (and beyond). HBO will eat this up, by the way. I dare HBO to somehow make the James Potter/Snape rivalry about race. 

Please do it. PLEASE. It will give this site content for years to come. It'll be an embarrassment of riches. 

It's not just Snape, either. Hermione Granger is now hispanic, which could also lead to some awkward moments throughout the series given she's called a "mudblood" the entire time. 

For those who haven't brushed up on their Harry Potter slurs, that means "dirty blood" in the wizarding world. 

Yeah, I can't wait. 

Frankly, this is probably what HBO wants. HBO would LOVE to inject race into Harry Potter. The fact that J. K. Rowling is still on board gives me hope, though. 

I don't think she'd allow the network to get away with it, at least at first, so perhaps it can somehow still work. 

Regardless, if the early internet memes are any indication, I certainly plan on being along for the ride the entire time.