HBO Max is working on a Harry Potter remake without the original cast. This new take on the books gives audiences the chance to see new scenes and characters.
Harry Potter is a seven-book series by J. K. Rowling released between 1997 and 2016. Since then, the series has been adapted into movies, spin-offs, games, theatre performances, and an immense amount of fan-made content. Did fans ever expect that they would get a Harry Potter remake?
The early 2000’s eight-film series from Warner Bros was a smash hit, bringing Rowling’s stories to the masses. The most recent success, Hogwarts Legacy, became 2023’s best-selling game in the US – showing that there is still a keen interest in the franchise. Now, HBO plans to capitalise on this nostalgic following by creating a Harry Potter TV series.
The planned Harry Potter remake TV series will allow for previously cut scenes from the book to be represented. Max and Warner Bros are fielding pitches from various TV and film writers, with both Kathleen Jordan (Teenage Bounty Hunters) and Martha Hillier (The Last Kingdom) being mentioned as potential writers.
A tweet including a short teaser video from HBO Max officially confirmed that the Harry Potter TV series was in production on April 12th, 2023.
Rowling, Radcliffe, and the Old Crew
It has also been confirmed that J. K. Rowling will be involved in the HBO Harry Potter remake as an executive producer. Daniel Radcliffe has told fans that he will not be returning as Harry Potter, though he seems excited to see how a new cast will perform: “I think the Harry Potter series of books was always going to be bigger than like one interpretation or one franchise. So it’ll be cool to like, see the torch get passed on.”
Radcliffe addressed the possibility of having a cameo in the series, answering with “I don’t think so, no”, adding that “certainly from everything that I’ve read about the series, they’re starting fresh and would probably be weird to have me pop in…”.
Additionally, the actor said “I’m excited for it as a viewer. I’ll be able to enjoy it with everyone else possibly, with a slightly different perspective. It’s a nice thing that a whole new generation is going to get introduced to the stories in a new way. They’ll see it as a TV series, so they’ll probably have time to go into all the things. So for the people who were angry about things that were cut from the films, hopefully, they will finally be able to see the full version they wanted”.
HBO released a 20th Anniversary reunion special for the original Harry Potter cast on January 1st, 2022.
The Future of Harry Potter: Pros and Cons
With the original cast unable to reprise their roles in the Harry Potter remake, HBO may face difficulties when recasting the most prevalent characters. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were made famous by Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson. In fact, these three actors are synonymous with the trio. Replacing iconic actors who have since passed on – including Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid) and Alan Rickman (Snape) will be a massive undertaking. Dumbledore will also prove difficult to cast, though there is now the chance to explore his character more deeply. Inevitably, fans will compare the movies and TV show adaptations. If HBO fails to live up to the original movies, their series will be torn apart by the Harry Potter fanbase.
The Harry Potter TV series has a great chance to explore supporting characters, flesh out the main cast, and depict previously ignored fan-favourite scenes. To reach an appropriate run time, the original films cut out characters, shortened story arcs, and limited the representation of the day-to-day life of Hogwarts.
For movie fans who have never read the books, there may be surprises in the TV series that change your perspectives on certain characters and events that happen within the Harry Potter universe. The return to Hogwarts is estimated for 2025/2026, though no official news has been released.
Have you watched the original films? Do you think a TV adaptation is needed? Who do you want to see play your favourite characters? Follow us for more TV news.
