HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter TV show won’t feature many of the original film’s cast or crew, and in a recent interview, the series’ longtime director revealed why.
Why won’t Chris Columbus be involved in the Harry Potter TV show?
Speaking to Variety in a recent interview, Chris Columbus — who directed the first two films in the Harry Potter film franchise — was asked about the upcoming show. Columbus said he’s long since moved past the franchise.
“No, I’ve done it, you saw my version,” Columbus said. “There’s nothing left for me to do in the world of Potter.”
Although Columbus won’t be returning to the franchise at all, he said he’s all for a reboot due to what they can include in the show.
“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,” said Columbus.
The Harry Potter series is described as a “decade-long” project, with each season expected to adapt one book in Rowling’s acclaimed book series. The series will be led by Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, and Alastair Stout as Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley.
Alongside the trio, the Harry Potter TV show also stars John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell, Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch, Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley, Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy, Johnny Flynn as Lucius Malfoy, Leo Earley as Seamus Finnigan, Alessia Leoni as Parvati Patil, Sienna Moosah as Lavender Brown, Bel Powley as Petunia Dursley, Daniel Rigby as Vernon Dursley, and Bertie Carvel as the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge.
It’s unclear as of now who else will be in the cast, although rumors have circulated about other potential castings, including the likes of Voldemort. More casting information is expected to be announced in the future.
The HBO adaptation is being written by Emmy-winning producer Francesca Gardiner (Killing Eve, Succession). The series is executive produced by Gardiner, Mark Mylod, Rowling, Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts, and long-time Harry Potter franchise producer David Heyman. Mylod, who has worked with HBO on Game of Thrones and The Last of Us, will also helm multiple episodes. It is a production of HBO in association with Brontë Film and TV and Warner Bros. Television.