On June 26th, 1997, author extraordinaire,
JK Rowling released her first novel titled
Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. Since
then, the Harry Potter series has expanded
astronomically, becoming one of the world’s
most popular franchises. From movie adaptations,
Broadway spinoffs, amusement parks, and derivative
book and movie series’, the Potterverse
exemplifies what it means to be a successful
transmedia universe. Throughout this essay,
I will argue that the most essential methods
for a successful transmedia universe include
immersion, escapism, and open-endedness – all
of which the Potterverse has effectively incorporated
into their marketing strategies.
Before we define these terms, we must first
define what a transmedia universe is. The
term transmedia universe comes from Henry
Jenkins’ definition of transmedia storytelling,
which describes a story that “unfolds across
multiple media platforms, with each new text
making a distinctive and valuable contribution
to the whole” (Jenkins 95). Transmedia storytelling
is a relatively new phenomenon, only becoming
popular after the success of The Matrix franchise
in 1999. Jenkins argues that The Matrix’s
ability to incorporate 7 different techniques,
including spreadability versus drillability,
continuity versus multiplicity, immersion
versus extractability, worldbuilding, seriality,
subjectivity, and performance, contributed
to its success and mass popularity.
Whereas Jenkins describes 7 techniques used
in transmedia storytelling, I would argue
that there are 3 predominant methods that
can make or break a franchise, and the Potterverse
has utilized them to its advantage. The first
method is immersion, which refers to a film
or media text’s ability to bring the viewer
into the diegetic world, usually through visual
attractions. When a film is referred to as
immersive, the spectator typically means that
they have lost a sense of reality and become
totally engrossed in the presented fictional
world, usually because of the director’s
exceptional attention to detail and realistic
mise-en-scene.
When the Harry Potter books were adapted into
films, the story world became even more immersive
for Potter fanatics because they were able
enter the diegetic space not only mentally,
but visually too. Nonetheless, the Potterverse
takes its immersive properties one step further
with the creation of the Wizarding World of
Harry Potter theme park located in Orlando,
Florida. The theme park is a complete reconstruction
of locations from the Harry Potter story world,
including the village of Hogsmeade, the urban
neighborhood of Diagon Alley, and the Hogwarts
School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Waysdorf,
Reijnders 176). The Wizarding World of Harry
Potter fosters a sense of immersion through
its ability to bring the story world to life
by allowing attendees to shop in the same
stores, drink the same beverages, and meander
the same streets as their favourite Harry
Potter characters. “Tastes, smells, sounds
and physical movements that are a part of
the narrative world can be experienced through
the park, which gives the attendees an embodied
sense of a story-world that was previously
only cerebral or audiovisual” (Waysdorf,
Reijnders 180).
The second method is escapism which is often
utilized in fantasy novels or films targeted
towards children. “These are stories of
love and adventure, of hope and growing up”
(McKay, Boyle 712) and they comfort their
audience through distraction or relatability.
By definition, escapism is described as “the
tendency to seek distraction and relief from
unpleasant realities, especially by seeking
entertainment or engaging in fantasy” (Mariam-Webster).
Harry Potter does this by recounting the tale
of an orphaned boy who was able to overcome
adversity and end up saving the Wizarding
World with the help of his two best friends.
The series conveys that even when life is
difficult - if you persevere things will end
up working in your favour. This is a universally
loved trope and it is used time after time
in successful transmedia universes.
The fantastic elements of a series also help
to emphasize escapism. In Harry Potter for
instance, why would a reader want to remain
in a boring, ordinary life when they could
enter a world of magic and mystery instead?
Mythical creatures, a magical school, and
of course a wicked antagonist are all prominent
features used in the Potterverse which encourages
the audience lose their sense of reality and
escape into the story world. Fans often become
so enthralled with these fantastic elements,
that they even recreate them outside of the
story world. For example, there are Harry
Potter conventions where attendees cosplay
as their favourite characters and recreate
popular film or book scenes. Another example
is the fictional game of Quidditch that Harry
Potter characters play being adopted as a
real sport, with many schools having their
own Quidditch teams.
The final method is open-endedness, a term
that I use to describe a franchises’ flexible,
and unrestricted storylines. Successful transmedia
universes often present their stories in a
way that leaves questions unanswered, thus
increasing the likelihood of continuing the
story in some other media form. Continuation
of the storyline can either be done by the
author through cannon sequels and spinoffs,
or by fans through fanfiction. Some cannon
examples of the continuation of the Potterverse
include Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,
a story which documents the main Harry Potter
characters children, which was then turned
into a Broadway musical. Other examples include
the Fantastic Beasts trilogy which focuses
on the Wizarding World before Harry Potter
was born, as well as the website Pottermore
which author JK Rowling uses as a medium to
expand on certain characters and storylines.
In addition to these extensions that were
created by JK Rowling, participatory culture
invites fans to write their own endings or
offer different storylines through the use
of fanfiction and fan art. Gaps in a franchise’s
storyline provide openings for fans to display
their expertise and create their own version
of their favourite text.
JK Rowling’s Potterverse can be referred
to as “entertainment for the age of media
convergence”, meaning that it “integrates
multiple texts to create a narrative so large
that it cannot be contained within a single
medium” (Jenkins 95). Through its method
of immersion, escapism, and open-endedness,
the Harry Potter franchise demonstrates the
important elements of a successful transmedia
universe. Though the first book was written
over 20 years ago, it is still utilizing these
methods to capitalize on its success and keep
the magic of its transmedia universe alive.
