Rowling rejected hundreds of Potter spin-offs

JK Rowling has estimated that she has turned down more than 1,500 offers for Harry Potter spin-off projects in the last 10 years. Speaking at the opening gala of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in the West End, the author said finally agreeing to go ahead with a stage show had been a ‘daunting’ prospect.

She said meeting producer Sonia Freedman — whose credits include The Book of Mormon and Funny Girl — convinced her that “this is the one”.

Rowling also said she was delighted that fans who had seen the show during an eight-week preview run had avoided leaking details of the plot online.

She said: “They’ve been amazing, they’ve been incredible. It is the most extraordinary fandom so I’m kind of not surprised they didn’t want to spoil it for each other, but I’m so happy we got here without ruining it.”

Rowling hopes the play will travel as widely as possible.

Sia scores MTV music video award nomination

Australian singer-songwriter, Sia has been nominated for an MTV video award. She topped the Hot 100 with “Cheap Thrills” in the US, having previously co-written Rihanna’s “Diamonds” that led the same chart for three weeks in 2012.

“Cheap Thrills” earned Sia a nomination for best female video at the MTV Video Music Awards, competing against Beyonce, Adele, Rihanna and Ariana Grande.

While late David Bowie, who died from cancer earlier this year, is nominated for best direction, cinematography, art direction and editing for “Lazarus” — a video that showed him frail and lying in bed, eyes bandaged. It was released several days before the icon’s January 10 death.

Published in Dawn, Young World, August 20th, 2016