Warner Bros. Discovery has some strong words for folks on social media. According toVariety, whenHarry Potterauthor,J.K. Rowling, voiced support for Salman Rushdie on Twitter, she got a few concerning responses. It was when a commenter stated a “you’re next” that the mega media conglomerate stood up, issuing the following.
“Warner Bros. Discovery strongly condemns the threats made against J.K. Rowling. We stand with her and all the authors, storytellers and creators who bravely express their creativity and opinions. WBD believes in freedom of expression, peaceful discourse and supporting those who offer their views in the public arena. Our thoughts are with Sir Salman Rushdie and his family following the senseless act of violence in New York. The company strongly condemns any form of threat, violence or intimidation when opinions, beliefs and thoughts might differ.”
The situation started on August 12th, when Salman Rushdie was attacked by a male suspect. The author was on stage in New York giving a live discussion about the United States being used as an asylum for writers and other artists. It was then that the attacker jumped on stage and stabbed both the author and an interviewer in front of the crowds. Eventually, the attacker was dragged off stage, but not before both victims were seriously injured.
Rowling took to Twitter, sharing a link to the news and expressing her grief on the situation.
It was then that a Twitter user replied “Don’t worry you are next,” which set the author into concern. She tweeted to Twitter directly, reaching out for any possible support.
Rowling then thanked users that sent her support, mentioning that the police were involved in the investigation.
Walking On Edge
To understand what happened to Rushdie is to step back to 1988 when he pennedThe Satanic Verses. The book is magical realism, following the lives of two characters after surviving a plane accident over the English channel. Due to the book’s religious themes and taking inspiration from the life of the prophet Muhammad, it has been the source of controversy since its publication. The book has been banned in numerous countries and multiple translators of the book have been subjected to attacks. In 1989, Ruhollah Khomeini, the supreme leader of Iran, issued a fatwa for his assassination.
Rowling is no stranger to controversy, especially when it comes to social media. The once beloved author has since fallen from grace among fans in the LGBTQ+ community for her divisive opinions on trans rights. Rowling also published an adult novel, Troubled Blood, which was accused of transphobic content as well. Because of her controversy, both fans and former stars of the Harry Potter franchise have spoken up in support of the trans community.
Meanwhile,Rowling has taken a back seat to anything involving the Wizarding World, at least in short of selling the rights to her creations. As of now, the franchise is still considered a tentpole in the Warner Bros. Discovery librarybut has been limping as of late. The last film in theFantastic Beastsseries wassuch a bomb at the box office that it has been making executives consider shelving the series.
Despite the rocky status of the Wizarding World,Warner Bros. Discovery has firmly stood in support of J.K. Rowling in the past. Though this time Rowling might have bit off more than she could chew this time. Time will tell if anything comes from this threat, but the authorities are apparently quick to jump in her defense.
Meanwhile,Rushdie’s son has recently announced that he is off the ventilator and still in good spirits despite his condition.
