London (PTI): Movie giant Warner Bros has initiated a legal battle with a director who claims he devised an earlier version of the Harry Potter character.

John Buechler was behind a little known film called Troll, released in 1986, which featured a young boy called Harry Potter Jnr.

Now, 49-year-old Buechler says he intends to create a 20 million pound remake but lawyers for Warner Bros have warned him they will defend their rights to J K Rowling's character.

According to a report in the Daily Mail, Buechler is beginning a search for a boy to star in his remake.

His partner, Hollywood producer Peter Davy, said "In John's opinion, he created the first Harry Potter. J K Rowling says the idea just came to her, John doesn't think so. There are a lot of similarities between the theme of her books and the original Troll. John was shocked when she came out with Harry Potter."

But Rowling has always vigorously defended any suggestion that her Harry Potter was not an original creation and she maintains that she has never seen Troll.

Warner Bros spokesman Scott Rowe said "If these producers intend to remake Troll they'd better tread carefully not to infringe on our rights."