Former ‘Harry Potter’ Chief Creative Officer James Scott McKnight Plots ‘The Invisible Lights’ Franchise; TV Series, Podcast & Graphic Novel Among Initial Plans

deadline.com:

EXCLUSIVE: James Scott McKnight, who spent seven years as Chief Creative Officer at J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, overseeing the Harry Potter franchise, is stepping into his own universe.McKnight has created The Invisible Lights franchise, a fantasy/sci-fi world that is centered around 18 year old Elliott and a number of connected worlds.While many would start with a book or a series, given McKnight’s experience shepherding the Harry Potter universe, as well as working on brands such Lord of the Rings, Moshi Monsters and Hello Kitty, he is planning a major franchise roll out that will include a TV series, a podcast, a graphic novel and books.McKnight has signed with UTA, which is working with him to develop the project and he will start pitching this world at the start of June.“Everyone’s talks about franchises like Marvel.

Instead of it being a business organizing principle, I wondered could it be a creative strategy from the ground up? [At first], I decided I’m not just going to write a TV show, I’m not just going to write a novel, I’m going to try to build a world and see where that takes me,” he told Deadline.The Invisible Lights is set in a world that is connected through a portal to another world – Light – that has four continents that are divided through weather and each of these continents are connected to another world.

However, these portals went away and went off in their own direction – this story reconnects these worlds and looks at how they have changed.The main character is 18-year Elliott, who goes through tragedy at the beginning of the story, when his mother, the only person he knows, dies in a car crash.