J.K. Rowling Announces Harry Potter 8: Real or Hoax?

A rumor circulating online states that author J.K. Rowling has “confirmed” that she is nearing completion on Harry Potter 8. Is this true or false?

Note: In February 2016, an 8th Harry Potter story was announced. See more information on that announcement here. The article below is about a false rumor which circulated in 2013.

It’s a hoax.

The recent announcement of a new Rowling project has been confused with a 2013 April Fool’s joke claiming that an 8th Potter book is on the way.

Rowling recently announced that she will author a “Harry Potter inspired film” entitled Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. This title appeared as a Hogwarts textbook in the Harry Potter series. News of this project has led to sharing of the inaccurate the April Fool’s story discussed below.

In September 2013, the April Fool’s joke from 2013 began circulating. That prank article, entitled, Exclusive: Harry Potter 8 Confirmed by J.K. Rowling!! was posted April 1, 2013 on the Story Carnivores website.

The article was written to read like a press release published by Rowling, stating that she was “75% done with the manuscript.” The fake press release ended with a “quote” from actor Daniel Radcliffe which asks, “Wait, what day is it again?”

After some commenters immediately called it an April Fool’s joke, the author, Brian, wrote, “haha, sorry everyone! I couldn’t resist!”

What Does J.K. Rowling Say?

Regarding possible future projects regarding Harry Potter from the real J.K. Rowling, the author stated in 2012, “I have been enjoying sharing information about Harry’s world on Pottermore for free, and don’t have any firm plans to publish it in book form.” The author’s website still refers to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as “the seventh and final book in the series.”

Rowling announced she would write a film inspired by a textbook from Hogwarts, but it would not be a “Harry Potter” installment.

Bottom Line

J.K. Rowling did not announce a “Harry Potter 8” project near completion. The fake press release was merely an April Fool’s joke. She will be authoring a new film based on a Hogwarts textbook with all-new characters.

Sources

• J.K. Rowling (jkrowling.com)
• Exclusive: Harry Potter 8 Confirmed by J.K. Rowling!! (Story Carnivores: April 1, 2013)
• J.K. Rowling to write Harry Potter-inspired film (Ann Oldenburg, USA Today: September 12, 2013)