In 2011, the cinematic release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 marked the end of the narrative journey of the orphan boy wizard Harry Potter. Since the end of the phenomenally successful books and films, however, the Harry Potter franchise has continued to expand, generating new texts such as the Fantastic Beasts film series and the stageplay sequel Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - alongside other opportunities to revisit the magical universe such as the 'Wizarding World of Harry Potter' theme parks and the Warner Bros. Studio Tour: The Making of Harry Potter in Watford, UK.
This book traces the development of the Potter franchise in the crucial period following the books and films to explore how Harry Potter became the 'Wizarding World', a transmedia world-building phenomenon that expanded the franchise into new times, places and media while reinforcing the value of the Harry Potter texts at its core. Using six different case studies, this truly interdisciplinary study mingles textual analysis and empirical research to offer compelling insight into not only the business strategies of one of the world's best-loved and best-known franchises, but the wider contemporary media environment as well.