Nearly 25 years after Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone launched a multi-billion-dollar franchise and made household names out of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, HBO is preparing to take fans back to Hogwarts. A seasons-spanning TV adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s novel series is currently in the works, and this time it will take the magical Wizarding World to the small screen. As filming continues on HBO’s Harry Potter TV series, the film series’ original director is speaking out.
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Speaking with Variety while promoting Netflix’s Thursday Murder Club, Chris Columbus opened up about HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter remake, which will see Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, and Alastair Stout take over as young wizards Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley. The series was first ordered in April 2023, years after Columbus directed 2001’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and its 2002 follow-up, Harry Potter and Chamber of Secrets. Although the show is one of the most anticipated titles on the horizon, there has been concern amid Rowling’s anti-trans statements.
“I like to sometimes separate the artist from the art, I think that’s important to do,” Columbus said when asked about Rowling’s controversy. “It’s unfortunate, what’s happened. I certainly don’t agree with what she’s talking about. But it’s just sad, it’s very sad.”
Rowling has been embroiled in controversy for many years now, and some fans have expressed concern that her anti-trans views could impact the show. However, HBO’s chief content officer Casey Bloys revealed on The Town podcast in May that the TV adaptation will not be “infused” with the author’s views.
Will Chris Columbus Be Involved in HBO’s Harry Potter TV Series?
Columbus had a significant role in bringing Harry Potter to life on the screen and establishing the tone of the overall film franchise. In addition to directing the first two movies, he also produced the third, 2004’s Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. However, he told Variety that he will not be re-enrolling at Hogwarts for HBO’s TV adaptation.
“No, I’ve done it, you saw my version,” the director said. “There’s nothing left for me to do in the world of Potter.”
HBO’s series is being described as a “faithful adaptation” of Rowling’s novels, and each season is set to cover a single book in the seven-book series. Columbus acknowledged that adapting the books into movies meant that some things “never made it into the film… The great thing about it is that with the first and second and third book, we wanted to do it all. We wanted to bring all of that onto the screen, and we didn’t have the opportunity.” He added that the TV show provides “an opportunity to bring all those scenes to life.”
Along with McLaughlin, Stanton, and Stout, the upcoming series stars Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy, John Lithgow as Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid. Katherine Parkinson, Johnny Flynn, Leo Earley, Alessia Leoni, and Sienna Moosah also star, among others.
HBO’s Harry Potter TV series is now filming. The show is set to premiere sometime in 2027, but an exact premiere date hasn’t been announced. Let us know what you think of the upcoming show in the comments below.
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Image courtesy of Paramount+
