One divisive rumor about HBO’s Harry Potter TV show has been shut down, avoiding a major change for the series. The remake has to pull off a delicate balancing act, staying true to the original Harry Potter books, capturing some of the magic of the movies, and doing enough of its own thing to justify its existence. Only time will tell just how well it pulls that off, though early signs have been mixed: some costumes and designs look far too similar to the films, but other changes, like Albus Dumbledore having a scene with Nicolas Flamel, suggest a reasonable level of expansion.
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The biggest recent rumor was that Harry Potter’s remake would have a narrator, voiced by Tom Turner. It wasn’t entirely clear how they’d factor into the show, but opinion had been split on the idea. However, that’s seemingly no longer something to worry about, as Deadline reports that the TV series will not have a narrator after all, nor is Turner part of the show’s cast in any capacity as things stand.
It Makes Sense Harry Potter’s TV Show Won’t Have A Narrator
If there’s some merit to the idea of HBO’s remake having a narrator, it’s that it would at least be something different to the Harry Potter movies. It could also potentially allow for some lines from the novels to be included that otherwise won’t make it to air, as they won’t be spoken aloud by anyone, like the opening line of The Philosopher’s Stone book that describes the Dursleys. It’s always a little hard to judge a creative choice without seeing (or hearing) it in action, but they’re what I can see as potential positives, though I don’t think they outweigh the negatives.
A more constant narrator would likely be a clunky fit for a TV show. Unless it was only for, say, the opening scenes – which seem likely to be Lord Voldemort’s attack on the Potters and then Vernon Dursley’s day at work – then there’s not really too much point to it. We predominantly follow Harry’s viewpoint anyway, and the purpose of TV is to be show, don’t tell. We’re going to be seeing these events play out, and there’s not a huge amount in the series that would require any further narration for audiences to understand them better or that would drastically enhance the viewing experience.
That said, some deviations will absolutely be welcome. There’s plenty of scope for the TV show to go beyond the events we see on the page, with things like Dumbledore and Flamel’s meeting mentioned in the text but never seen. They’re the kinds of things that are ripe for exploration and expansion in a TV show, especially with runtimes less of a concern, and can make this an experience that is different to both the books and the movies in a better, more organic way that fits the flow of the episodes than an ongoing narration.
Harry Potter’s remake is in production and expected to release on HBO and HBO Max sometime in 2027.
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