Before they head to Hogwarts, two of the new Harry Potter stars are teaming up for something a little more down-to-earth — and full of pumpkins. Fathom Entertainment has acquired the U.S. theatrical rights to Grow, a whimsical family fantasy starring Nick Frost and Dominic McLaughlin, with the film officially set to premiere nationwide on October 3.

That release date makes it one of the rare family-friendly movies positioned against the usual slate of October horror films, and might end up being a very canny bit of counterprogramming for two reasons — the family friendly tone, and the massively curious Potter fandom. As Fathom CEO Ray Nutt put it, Grow is “an uplifting and heartwarming family film for movie lovers of all ages that American audiences are sure to embrace. A pure, joyous comedy – with just a little bit of spice.”

What Is ‘Grow’ About?

Directed by John McPhail (Anna and the Apocalypse), the film follows Charlie, a restless young girl sent to live with her tough-as-nails Aunt Dinah (played by Golda Rosheuvel, Bridgerton). Charlie throws herself into the town’s fiercely competitive pumpkin-growing contest, discovering not only a knack for nurturing plants but also a bond with her aunt and the eccentric locals. The story promises community spirit, quirky rivals, and of course, one very oversized pumpkin.

Joining Rosheuvel are Priya-Rose Brookwell (The Lazarus Project) as Charlie, Frost as a colorful member of the pumpkin-obsessed community, and McLaughlin — who is set to debut as Harry Potter in HBO’s upcoming reboot — in one of his first big screen roles. The supporting cast is stacked with British talent, including Tim McInnerny (Notting Hill), Jane Horrocks (Absolutely Fabulous), Alan Carr, Joe Wilkinson, Kathryn Drysdale (Bridgerton), Fisayo Akinade (Heartstopper), Sharon Rooney (Barbie) and Jeremy Swift (Ted Lasso).

For Potter fans, the film is more than just a cozy fall adventure — it’s the first chance to see McLaughlin (the new Harry) and Frost (the new Hagrid) share the screen. Their dynamic will soon be at the heart of the Harry Potter television series, but here audiences can watch them in a lighter setting before the big franchise responsibilities arrive.

Grow just premiered at the Edinburgh Film Festival before its U.K. rollout on Sky Cinema, and U.S. audiences can grab tickets starting September 5. Between its feel-good story and spooky-season timing, it could be the perfect counterprogramming to slashers and jump scares this October.

Grow opens in theaters on October 3.

Harry Potter

Showrunner

Francisca Gardiner

Directors

Mark Mylod

Writers

Francesca Gardiner

Franchise(s)

Harry Potter

Would I Be Wrong To Voice My Harry Potter Discomfort Around JK Rowling’s Transphobia To My Family?

Q

I’m non-binary and lesbian, and pretty leftist; but my niece is into Harry Potter, which, of course, makes me uncomfortable because of the author’s… fascist leanings. Actually, most of my family are HP fans or read Rowling’s works, in spite of the fact me, and two of my cousins, are queer. Whenever they, or my niece, bring up the series, I am forced to bite my tongue and say nothing about how buying merch is funding transphobic hate laws and pushing back gay rights; not to mention the discomfort I get seeing HP merch, or my niece’s new copy of The Philosopher’s Stone. Would I be wrong to voice my discomfort to my family?

A

Summer: Ugh, I’m so glad Harry Potter was never a cultural phenomenon in South Africa the way it was overseas. The fallout sounds awful.

And no, I don’t think you’d be ‘wrong’ to voice your discomfort to the family. I might be inclined to ask you to keep the peace if the content of that fictional universe was disquieting to you. Like being with Game of Thrones fans if you have strong opinions about its depictions of various topics. The fact is, one of the main issues with Harry Potter in 2025 is that supporting the franchise isn’t a statement about fictional worlds. It’s about a very real person’s very tangible efforts against social progress and inclusion. Those efforts are mainly aimed at trans people, but others too. She’s made some choice remarks about thin people and models in advertising.

The principal reason she has sufficient wealth and influence to conduct her campaign against a host of people (including… cisgender boxers?) is Harry Potter. The Harry Potter media franchise funds these efforts and her chosen lifestyle. A lifestyle which, to describe in an old-school fashion, I tolerate but don’t respect or believe in. Much is said about Rowling and how her life relates to the literary concept of Death of the Author. But my take-away is that she is one of the most succinct cases wherein supporting a media empire directly contributes to a definitive voice in the marginalization of queer people with far-reaching consequences.

I leave it to my fellow authors to cast their input and discuss how you can talk to them about this. All I can say is you would not be wrong to voice your distaste. If you believe in ‘keeping the peace’, it’s also not wrong for you to keep quiet and avoid the topic. But I have a feeling you’re already sick of doing that.

Nico: I think you can have a conversation with your family about this, yes. It’s good to have hard conversations with family. However, as we’ve seen again and again, not everyone is willing to give up the things they find pleasurable for ethical reasons, so don’t be surprised if you receive pushback. Do you have friends who feel the same way you do who you can commiserate with, or who you can plan out how you’re going to go about saying this with, first? It would be good to have someone who you know you can go to in order to vent your frustrations should your family be, well, frustrating. As Summer said above, their financial support of this franchise goes directly toward funding the furtherance of hateful ideology, and so it goes well beyond something like even enjoying the work of an author who is a bad person or being a fan of a franchise with content you find odious — it’s a lot more like donating directly to anti-trans lobbying efforts, and that’s worth discussing with the people who you care about.

Riese: I think you should talk to them yes! I feel like they’re likely to resist if Harry Potter is often central to a child’s interest in reading, and Rowling’s politics probably feel too abstract in the face of this universe that their children are so engaged with — but it’s still worth a try! If they won’t budge, try some middle grounds: only buying Harry Potter books second-hand, foregoing merch… but if they must merch, they should get it from an independently owned store with politically aligned owners, or pledge to donate the amount they spent on merch to a trans-focused non profit or mutual aid fund.

I’m not actually sure that it even matters that you or your cousins are queer, you know? You absolutely should speak to them about how it feels to be nonbinary and witness JK Rowling’s hatred towards trans people, I think it will resonate and help you get through to them. But I do think at the end of the day, JK Rowling’s fascist hate-fueled campaign towards trans people should concern all of us, including your family, because we are all human, and trans people are human. Because I think this conversation is likely to become an opening to talking to them about some of the shit trans people are currently dealing with politically here and in the UK, and that’s an opportunity to teach them about something they hopefully will care about not just because it affects you but because it’s the ethically sound position to hold.

My Friend In The Poly/Kink Scene Makes Me Feel Boring

Q

I am in a relatively new relationship (1 year and going strong), and it has been really positive for me. Prior to this relationship, I had been in pretty tumultuous and intense open and poly dynamics for the past five years. While monogamish, this relationship with my girlfriend has been way more stable and predictable and…well, boring! But I like it : ) We’re moving in together, which I’ve never done before, and I’m really excited about our future and present together. She has very Mr. Darcy vibes—because she’s quiet, I initially didn’t see her as romantic or fun, but now I literally want to hang out with her all the time.

My question has to do with one of my friends. When I was in these other poly and dating dynamics, and she in her own, she and I would talk a lot about our relationship issues. She’s big in the poly and kink scene and through our friendship I experienced more of those communities, and it was great! We would always have tons to tell each other about our most recent trysts or longings. Since my gf and I have gotten more serious, I just…haven’t had as much to share! We hang out, we have sex, we eat noodles, and that’s sort of it. And on top of that, I feel protective of my relationship and any judgment from my friend. For example, the sex I have with my gf is amazing, but it’s very different from the more explosive kind I had in past relationships. I chalk that up to the fact that all relationships are different and I think we have a more stable dynamic, but my friend has expressed multiple times that she thinks people should be obsessed with and fiending for their partners. So I think she views my pretty non-dramatic feelings for my partner with suspicion.

Anyways, I’m sad! I feel like my friend thinks I’m boring now that I’m not in the poly scene. Idk why I need her approval so much, but apparently it matters to me. And I also feel like she hasn’t put a lot of effort into meeting me where I’m at. And at my lowest moments I doubt myself and worry maybe she sees something that I don’t. I don’t really know any to talk to her about it but I also don’t know how to proceed.

A

Summer: Boring is not necessarily bad. Boring can be safe, stable, and as you prefer: predictable. The ideal relationship for you is the one that fits your needs and personhood at a given time. It sounds like this one fits you and the uncertainty is external. An externality born out of ideas of what an exciting and proper queer life looks like. There isn’t a right way to date queer, nor is it sustainable to build a life wholly on intensity and energy.

Most people reach a life stage where smooth and predictable is a better option. It’s often linked to permanent employment, having kids, marriage, and so forth. Some people hit that stage earlier than others. Some people never hit that stage and resolve to leave smoking skidmarks en route to the grave. I don’t think your friend is seeing something that you don’t, causing her to have misgivings about your relationship. I think she’s completely failed to see what you do. Which is the happiness and comfort you’ve found. Like, I just don’t see what’s wrong with your relationship. It sounds lovely. It may not be the shape of the relationship I want. It won’t be the one a freshly bisexual party sophomore party animal wants. As long as it’s what you want.

Nico: I would hope that your friend would be your friend even if you didn’t have entertaining gossip to share. You don’t both have to be the chaotic friend always embarking on new relationships and adventures. In fact, some of the sweetest friendship dynamics are made up of people who lead wildly different lives. If your friend thinks you’re boring because you aren’t showing up with new poly / kink scene news to share anymore, and you all can’t find something else that’s entertaining to do together, then I am not sure how good of a friend they are. I really hope you’ll ask yourself more about why you care about impressing a friend who isn’t trying to meet you where you are because I am willing to bet that if the situation were reversed, you’d probably be happy for them if they’re happy, right?

Now, to speak to the “boring” and “stable” aspects of your current relationship. Less stable relationships of any kind, not just kinky ones, can lead to more explosive sex. If you feel safe, stable, and certain, then maybe you aren’t “fiending” for your partner constantly in the same way you might have when you didn’t have this same level of security, because sometimes that fiending can also be a sign that you’re seeking more connection and security through sex. There’s nothing wrong with having explosive sex with multiple partners, engaging in the kink scene, but neither is there with not doing those things.

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Harry Potter is one of the most popular media franchises of all time, as the franchise based on J.K. Rowling’s novel series managed to have a firm grasp on popular culture for an entire decade. While not everyone who saw the Harry Potter films had read the books, the franchise was remarkably consistent in terms of quality, as all eight films can at least be considered to be “good.” Reactions to the prequel series, Fantastic Beasts, were much more mixed, but Warner Bros. Discovery is rolling forward with a new television series set to debut on HBO within the next few years.

Harry Potter fans have struggled within the last few years, as Rowling’s offensive comments have caused many to turn away from the franchise, as they do not want to offer financial support to someone who uses their resources for hateful reasons. However, there are many other great shows that may fill the Harry Potter-sized hole in their lives. Here are ten great shows to watch if you love Harry Potter.

10

‘Game of Thrones’ (2011–2019)

Created by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss

Game of Thrones is one of the biggest sensations in television history, as it successfully managed to adapt the dense source material from George R.R. Martin’s novels into an incredible series that captured the sheer depth of the world of Westeros. Although Martin’s novels had a sizable fan base, Game of Thrones became so popular that even non-readers could recognize beloved characters like Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) and Arya Stark (Maisie Williams).

Game of Thrones may now be at risk of being underrated when considering the incredibly negative response to the final season. Although the eighth season undercut a significant portion of the drama that the show had been building towards, the first seven seasons of the series are masterful, and include many all-time great Game of Thrones episodes like “Blackwater,” “The Rains of Castamere,” “The Mountain and the Viper,” “Hardhome,” “Battle of the the Bastards,” and “The Winds of Winter.”

9

‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ (1997–2003)

Created by Joss Whedon

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of the definitive coming-of-age stories of the late 1990s and early 21st century. Similar to Harry Potter, it combined a complex mythology of magical creatures and spells with relatable characters that deal with the inherent challenges of being a teenager. Although Sarah Michelle Gellar’s performance as the teenager “slayer,” Buffy Summers, has been recognized as being one of the greatest heroes in television history, fans fell in love with the amazing cast of supporting characters.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer was somewhat inconsistent in terms of quality, as it is really only the second, third, and fifth seasons that represent the show at its best. However, there is room to still be excited, as Gellar is in the midst of collaborating with Hulu for a new reboot that will introduce a young cast of characters.

8

‘Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ (2019)

Created by Jeffrey Addiss, Will Matthews, and Javier Grillo-Marxuach

Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance offers the type of fantasy spectacle that is not often seen outside of films like Harry Potter, as supernatural stories have often been replaced within popular culture by superhero and science fiction tales. Although it was based on the underrated classic The Dark Crystal from Jim Henson, which utilized groundbreaking puppetry effects that were ahead of their time, Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance expands the world to include a much broader set of characters, locations, and magic.

Like Harry Potter, Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance explores an elemental battle between heroes and villains, yet recognizes that not everyone can be easily classified as “good” and “bad.” Although Dark Crystal was sadly canceled after its first season, as the audience was not sizable and the viewership was too low, the show is a true achievement that will hold up for many years to come.

7

‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ (2008–2020)

Created by George Lucas and Dave Filoni

Star Wars: The Clone Wars helped create a new chapter in the Star Wars universe that appealed to fans of Harry Potter, as it was a coming-of-age story about a young character growing up within a crisis. Although it was the return of characters from the films, including Anakin Skywalker (Matt Lanter) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (James Arnold Taylor), the focus of Star Wars: The Clone Wars was on the young Jedi padawan Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein) and the Clone Captain Rex (Dee Bradley Baker).

Star Wars: The Clone Wars helped open up the Star Wars universe to new stories, as it established characters and events that would go on to factor into other shows, including Rebels, The Bad Batch, Tales of the Jedi, The Mandalorian, Andor, and more.

6

‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ (2023–)

Created by Rick Riordan and Jonathan E. Steinberg

Percy Jackson and the Olympians is based on a novel series that was often compared to Harry Potter, as it was also a coming-of-age adventure story about a group of gifted children who are trained in a secret academy as they prepare to go on quests to save the world from evil. It was actually the second adaptation of the first novel in the series, as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets director Chris Columbus directed the 2010 film Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians worked much better as a television show than it did as a movie, as the series cast the characters at an appropriate age, and included the subtle worldbuilding and snarky sense of humor that had made the original novels by author Rick Riordan so beloved among readers around the world.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Release Date

December 20, 2023

Cast

• 

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5

‘Cobra Kai’ (2018–2025)

Created by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg

Cobra Kai explores the nature of training and competitive collaboration that is inherent to the Harry Potter series, but applies it to the world of the original The Karate Kid franchise that began in 1984 with the Oscar-nominated film of the same name by John G. Avildsen. Cobra Kai subverted expectations of what a legacy sequel should look like, as it was told from the perspective of Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), the former bully who had been bested by Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) in the All-Valley tournament.

Cobra Kai was able to establish a new audience through its many new characters, all whilst having a cheeky sense of humor about itself. Although Sony Pictures recently released the new film Karate Kid: Legends starring Macchio and Jackie Chan, Cobra Kai is the better continuation of The Karate Kid universe, as it capped off six solid seasons with a very satisfying finale.

Cobra Kai

Release Date

2018 – 2025-00-00

Network

Netflix, YouTube Premium

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4

‘I Am Not Okay With This’ (2020)

Created by Jonathan Entwistle and Christy Hall

I Am Not Okay With This is a very underrated fantasy coming-of-age drama on Netflix that would certainly resonate with fans of Harry Potter who felt represented by the show, Sophia Lillis of It fame did a great job at playing a young teenage girl who discovers that she has superpowers, despite coming from a meager home that somewhat resembles what life was like for Harry when he was forced to live with his Muggle family.

I Am Not Okay With This was able to explore surprisingly dark material, yet retained the sharp comedic edge that had made the Harry Potter novels so beloved among young readers. It’s very unfortunate that I Am Not Okay With This was canceled after only one season, as the final episode set up a compelling hook for future installments that could have taken the series to greater emotional depths and included more spectacle.

3

‘Good Omens’ (2019–2023)

Created by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

Good Omens is another adaptation of a beloved fantasy novel series that managed to satisfy both fans of the original source material and viewers who simply wanted to be whisked away on a madcap adventure. Although David Tennant gave a memorable performance in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, he has one of the best roles of his career in Good Omens as the demon Crowley, who is obsessed with the music of Queen and Freddie Mercury.

Good Omens has unfortunately suffered similar controversies to Harry Potter, as momentum on a third and presumably final season of the show was stalled after disturbing allegations of sexual assault and trafficking were made against Neil Gaiman, the original author and producer of the show. Although it’s unclear if the show will be impossible, those capable of separating the art from the artist may still be able to enjoy the first two seasons.

Good Omens

Release Date

2019 – 2024

Showrunner

Neil Gaiman, Douglas Mackinnon

• 

2

‘Stranger Things’ (2016–2025)

Created by The Duffer Brothers

Stranger Things became one of the biggest television phenomena of all time for a reason, as it captured the imagination of young viewers in the same way that Harry Potter did. Although the show has many references to classic films from the 1980s, including Gremlins, Goonies, E.T. the Extra Terrestrial, Ghostbusters, and Beetlejuice, among others, it is also steeped in the fantasy lore that made Harry Potter so popular.

Similar to Harry Potter, part of the joy of watching Stranger Things is getting to see the young cast grow up, as the show has tracked their adolescence and development for almost ten years. The upcoming fifth and final season of Stranger Things, which is set to air in three installments this winter, is easily one of the most anticipated projects of any form within the entire history of Netflix streaming.

1

‘Legion’ (2017–2019)

Created by Noah Hawley

Legion is easily the most underrated television show ever based on a Marvel comic book series, as it is far more emotionally succinct, dramatically compelling, and visually dynamic than generic Disney+ shows like WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Moon Knight.

Similar to Harry Potter, Legion explores the challenges that come with being a “gifted” person, as the protagonist, David Haller (Dan Stevens), is a mutant who is sent to an asylum because he is deemed to be mentally unwell. Although it includes the type of action that one would expect from a series based on the X-Men comic books, Legion managed to go to some fairly dark and psychedelic places over the course of its three seasons. It’s one of the few shows not made by David Lynch in which the word “Lynchian” could apply.

Legion

Release Date

2017 – 2018

Showrunner

Noah Hawley

Directors

Noah Hawley

NEXT: Movies To Watch if You Love ‘Harry Potter’