Children’s book by JK Rowling to be adapted for film despite continued inflammatory comments

JK Rowling and her children’s book ‘The Christmas Pig’

JK Rowling’s popular children’s book The Christmas Pig is reportedly getting a film adaptation, despite the author’s continued controversial comments about the trans community.

The project is currently in early development and has yet to be attached to a production company, Variety reports.

Rowling’s representative declined The Independent’s request for comment.

Rowling’s production company Brontë Film and TV, which saw a 74 per cent drop in profit last year, already produces the BBC/HBO series Cormoran Strike, an adaptation of her detective series of the same name.

Published in 2011, The Christmas Pig follows a young boy named Jack, who embarks on a magical journey to save his lost toy pig, Dur Pig. Along the way, he and Dur Pig’s replacement, Christmas Pig, meet a host of characters, including Santa Claus.

The news comes a week after Rowling, 58, who has a history of making anti-transgender remarks, criticised Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson’s rebuttal of her views in 2020.

Following the release of a landmark review into gender treatment in the UK, Rowling took aim at Radcliffe and Watson, telling them to “save their apologies” to her for “traumatised detransitioners”.

The row reignited when one X/Twitter commenter, whose account name included the phrase “FarRightHooligan”, wrote to Rowling: “Just waiting for Dan and Emma to give you a very public apology… safe in the knowledge that you will forgive them.”

Rowling, who denies she’s transphobic, responded: “Not safe, I’m afraid. Celebs who cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women’s hard-won rights and who used their platforms to cheer on the transitioning of minors can save their apologies for traumatised detransitioners and vulnerable women reliant on single sex spaces.”

Addressing Rowling’s views in a recent podcast interview, sitcom star Dawn French called the British author “a good person” who had “made her mistakes”. French also issued a plea to young people in support of the idea of “robust debate that might change your mind”, calling it “the best thing in the world”.

Last April, it was announced that Warner Bros would be moving forward with a “decade-long” TV adaptation of Rowling’s best-selling Harry Potter book series. The show, which Rowling is executive producing, is said to be eyeing a 2026 premiere date.

“Max’s commitment to preserving the integrity of my books is important to me, and I’m looking forward to being part of this new adaptation which will allow for a degree of depth and detail only afforded by a long form television series,” she said in an earlier statement.

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