Original Harry Potter Star Reveals Who They’d Want to Play in TV Reboot

Matthew Lewis played the unlikely hero Neville Longbottom in the original Harry Potter films, and while the actor expressed that he doesn’t have much interest in returning for HBO’s planned TV reboot of the books, he did enjoy the character of Remus Lupin before joining the franchise and that would be a character he would like to play, if pressed. The actor did express how much admiration he had for actor David Thewlis, who originally played Lupin, noting that “the incomparable David Thewlis” gave a performance that “could never be beaten” and that his choice of Lupin was based “purely on when I read the books.”

During an appearance at MegaCon in Orlando, per PEOPLE, Lewis expressed, “The character I enjoyed was Professor Lupin … If I was to have a go, that would be one that I’d do.”

This answer came with a bit of trepidation, however, as Lewis admitted initially that he wasn’t entirely interested in playing an established figure for the new series.

“Gosh, I have no idea. It’s very difficult as well because everyone just did such a wonderful job,” Lewis confirmed of the planned reboot. “I genuinely don’t think there’s anyone that I would want to even attempt to play.”

The Harry Potter reboot was officially announced last year, with the project aiming to deliver an adaptation of the book series and utilizing each season to explore an entire book. The plan, then, would be for the project to run for at least seven seasons. 

Whether or not this project could actually revive interest in the Wizarding World, however, is yet to be seen. In the wake of the conclusion of the original Harry Potter films, audiences were given three Fantastic Beasts prequels, which started off relatively well financially, but by the time of 2022’s Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, they had suffered a steady decline in both box-office and critical reception. Despite initially being planned as a five-movie storyline, reports claim that there are no plans to continue the concept.

While the original books focusing on Harry Potter are globally loved, with just over a decade having passed since the last film in the series, some fans are apprehensive about returning to the Wizarding World again so soon. Last year’s writers’ and actors’ strikes understandably delayed development on the project, with HBO yet to announce any official updates on filmmakers or actors who could be a part of the project since it was announced last year.

Stay tuned for updates on the Harry Potter TV series.

Would you like any original cast members to return for the reboot? Let us know in the comments!