Harry Potter fans and actors distance themselves from J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter is one of the most prominent and influential franchises in the last decades, making British author J.K. Rowling very wealthy. However, Harry Potter fans are ditching the once-beloved writer.

Not only that, Variety has reported that Warner Bros will be abandoning ‘Fantastic Beasts’ after the last movie underperformed at the box office and several controversies relating to its stars, such as Ezra Miller.

Last summer, Major League Quidditch, a real-life sports league focused on playing the fantasy sport from the Harry Potter books, announced that it would change the name of the game to 'Quadball.'

The league, which was founded in 2015 and currently lists 12 teams in its current season, cited trademark issues and legal obstacles set by Warner Bros, current holders of the Harry Potter franchise.

The Major League Quidditch won't be the only one adopting the new name. The International Quidditch Association and its youth wing, US Quidditch, will also join the name change.

"This is a bold move, and for me personally there is definitely some nostalgia to the original name," Alex Benepe, who helped found the real-life sport in 2005, said in a statement cited by The New York Times.

"But from a long-term development perspective I feel confident this is a smart decision for the future that will allow the sport to grow without limits," Benepe added. The Major League Quidditch’s Benepe Cup is named after him.

The New York Times highlights that the organization also wanted to distance itself from Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, citing her anti-trans views.

This is not the first time Rowling’s opinions on trans people have caused tension within the Harry Potter fandom.

In June 2020, Rowling released an essay where she made clear her views on sex and gender, speaking critically about trans people. Causing uproar among the fans of Harry Potter.

Some fans decided that they would no longer pay for official Harry Potter merchandise, books, movies, or theme park tickets, to avoid giving royalties to J.K. Rowling.

Others have ditched the series altogether, looking at the Wizarding World with more critical eyes.

Meanwhile, former Harry Potter stars have shown solidarity towards the trans community.

Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger in the movies, tweeted in June 2020: "Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren’t who they say they are."

Better known for his role as Ron Weasley, Rupert Grint’s statement on trans people to The Sunday Times echoed his costar’s: "We should all be entitled to live with love and without judgment."

How about Harry Potter himself? Daniel Radcliffe answered Rowling’s statement with dire words: "Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject."