Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks is addressing the controversy surrounding J. K. Rowling as the toy giant moves forward with a new partnership centered on the Harry Potter franchise. During a recent appearance on the Decoder podcast, Cocks was asked about criticism tied to Rowling’s political views, particularly her stance on the trans community, and whether the backlash could affect Hasbro’s plans to develop toys and games based on the beloved wizarding world.
Podcast host Nilay Patel brought up Rowling's "loud politics" which "are turning off a lot of younger consumers," specifically noting "her transphobia is turning off lots of young consumers."
“How do you make this decision when the creator of the property is actively reducing the fandom and hurting a lot of people in that fandom?” Patel asked.
Cocks responded by emphasizing the importance of separating the work from its creator.
“For me, it’s separating the art from the artist and going to what the core fans want. I’m not going to get into the politics around it, other than to say we very strongly support diversity and inclusion inside of Hasbro. We are proud of it and proud of the diversity of viewpoints and backgrounds we have in our employee base. ‘Harry Potter’ is a wonderful franchise. It’s done a great job of bringing joy to the world.”
The comments follow Hasbro's recent announcement of a multi-year licensing partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products, under which Hasbro becomes the global primary toy licensee for the Harry Potter franchise starting in 2027. The deal covers products inspired by the original films, the Fantastic Beasts series, and HBO's forthcoming Harry Potter television series. Hasbro plans to roll out a range of items, including dolls, role-play accessories, action figures, collectibles, interactive plush toys, board games, and more.
It should be noted, that while there is some evidence of backlash among fans and younger consumers, there's little clear evidence that it has significantly hurt the overall franchise commercially. Surveys have indicated that some fans have stopped buying official Harry Potter merchandise because of Rowling's comments, but hard sales data have shown little impact. The most recent example is the Hogwarts Legacy game. Despite calls for a boycott when it launched in 2023, the game went on to sell tens of millions of copies.
While the debate over Rowling’s stance on the trans community generates significant discussion online, there is little evidence that it has substantially affected real-world sales.