A “Harry Potter” series is in very early development at HBO Max, Variety has learned from sources.

Rumors that a show set within the wizarding world have persisted for some time. Now it seems those plans are moving ahead, though no writers or talent are currently attached to the project. There is no word yet on what the focus of the show would be or what part of the “Harry Potter” timeline it would focus on should it move ahead.

Variety has reached out to HBO Max and Warner Bros. for comment and will update should they respond.

The “Harry Potter” book series is one of the most popular of all time, with the seven books in the series having sold over 500 million copies worldwide. They were then adapted into a hit eight-film franchise, which has grossed nearly $8 billion worldwide. There have also been two films to date in the prequel spinoff “Fantastic Beasts” film series, with the third of five planned films due out in 2022.

Warner Bros. Discovery is looking to close a deal to produce a “Harry Potter” television series.

According to Bloomberg, which was first to report news of recent talks surrounding the project, the project would be directly based on J.K. Rowling’s best-selling book series, rather than an in-universe spinoff such as the “Fantastic Beasts” film series. Each season would reportedly draw from one of the books, suggesting an ongoing franchise that would stretch for years for the studio.

Sources close to the situation suggest that talks between Warner Bros. Discovery and Rowling’s camp remain in a preliminary state. The studio is looking to house the series under its streaming banner HBO Max, soon to be combined with Discovery+ and rebranded under a new name.

Harry woke on the last day of the holidays, thinking that he would at least meet Ron and Hermione tomorrow, on the Hogwarts Express. He got up, dressed, went for a last look at the Firebolt, and was just wondering where he’d have lunch, when someone yelled his name and he turned.

‘Harry! HARRY!’

They were there, both of them, sitting outside Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour, Ron looking incredibly freckly, Hermione very brown, both waving frantically at him.

‘Finally!’ said Ron, grinning at Harry as he sat down. ‘We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said you’d left, and we went to Flourish and Blotts, and Madam Malkin’s, and –’

‘I got all my school stuff last week,’ Harry explained. ‘And how come you know I’m staying at the Leaky Cauldron?’

‘One moment, please, Macnair,’ came Dumbledore’s voice. ‘You need to sign, too.’ The footsteps stopped. Harry heaved on the rope. Buckbeak snapped his beak and walked a little faster.

Hermione’s white face was sticking out from behind a tree.

‘Harry, hurry!’ she mouthed.

Harry could still hear Dumbledore’s voice talking from within the cabin. He gave the rope another wrench. Buckbeak broke into a grudging trot. They had reached the trees…

The Harry Potter television series is starting to take shape.

Succession duo Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod have signed up as its writer and director, respectively.

This comes four months after Deadline revealed that Gardiner was one of three finalists to win the prize to reboot the classic kids franchise for the small screen. Gardiner beat Tom Moran and Kathleen Jordan to win the gig.

Gardiner, who was a consulting producer on seasons three and four of the Brian Cox-led family drama, will serve as showrunner and exec producer, while Mylod, who directed over a dozen episodes of the show, including episodes such as the second episode, Sh*t Show at the F*ck Factory, and the finale, With Open Eyes, will direct multiple episodes and also exec produce.

It comes after it emerged that Harry Potter was moving from a Max original to an HBO original as part of a strategy rethink at the Warner Bros. Discovery business. The series is slated for a 2026 bow.

The series, which is currently still in development, will be a “faithful” adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s books and will feature a new cast.

Harry Potter is produced by Warner Bros. Television and Rowling’s Brontë Film and TV. Rowling, Neil Blair and Ruth Kenley-Letts of Brontë Film and TV will exec produce alongside Gardiner and Mylod as well as David Heyman of Heyday Films, who produced the movies.

Before working on Jesse Armstrong creation Succession, Gardiner was an exec producer of HBO and BBC fantasy co-production His Dark Materials and was a co-exec producer of AMC’s Killing Eve. She has also written on shows including Starz’s The Rook and Amazon’s The Man In The High Castle.

Mylod’s other credits include the Minority Report series, Backstrom, Shameless and Entourage.