Ever since the announcement of the HBO MaxHarry Potterreboot back in 2023, many fans have had just one question: “…but why?” Well, directorChris Columbus, who helmed bothHarry Potter and the Philosopher’s StoneandHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, has now revealed what he thinks the TV series could do better than the movies.
Speaking exclusively with MovieWeb’s own George Edelman, Columbus, who has helmed theNetflix whodunitThe Thursday Murder Cluband is also known for directing the likes ofHome AloneandMrs. Doubtfire, gave his blessing to the reboot and said that he thinks, in serial form, the Max series can adapt the books in far more detail.
“I really wish them well. I hope it’s fantastic. I mean, they get to do something we didn’t get to do, which is basically do the entire book. You know, I had to cut a lot of my favorite things from the movies, because we didn’t have enough time, and even so, you know, those movies are long, you know, they’re two and a half hours, but now these…they’ve got 10 hours to basically bring the whole book to life, which is fantastic. So, I think that’s great. I mean, as far as I’m concerned, I’ve done it, I’m like, I don’t know what else to do with it. I’m anxious to see what they’re gonna do with it.”
The ‘Harry Potter’ Reboot Is Already Drowning in Controversy
The upcomingHarry Potterreboot is already drowning in controversy. The largest shadow is cast by writer and creatorJ.K. Rowling, whose legacy hastransformed over the yearsfrom the author behind one of the most popular fantasy series of all time to a real-life enemy of the trans community. The original lead trio, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, have all sincedistanced themselves from Rowling, with many theorizing that this could be why a reboot is being made in the first place.
But it’s not just Rowling that has brought controversy to the newHarry Potterproject. The casting ofThe Lazarus ProjectandGangs of LondonstarPaapa Essiedu as fan-favorite character Severus Snapehas also caused backlash from both those concerned with how this will translate to the screen (Snape being played by a Black actor could cast James Potter in an even worse light than before) and out-and-out bigots.
Produced by HBO Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television, Brontë Film & TV, and Heyday Films, theHarry Potterseries stars newcomers Dominic McLaughlin, Alastair Stout, and Arabella Stanton as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, respectively.The rest of the castincludes John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid. The first series is expected to debut on HBO Max in 2027.
Chris Columbus, meanwhile, directs an all-star cast that includes Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, and Ben Kingsley inThe Thursday Murder Club, which is due to land on Netflix on August 21, 2025.
Harry Potter
