Chris Columbus, who first brought “Harry Potter” to the big screen by directing 2001’s “The Sorcerer’s Stone” and 2002’s “The Chamber of Secrets,” is as puzzled by HBO’s upcoming TV reboot as we all are.
The filmmaker recently appeared on the podcast “The Rest Is Entertainment” and weighed in on HBO’s upcoming reboot after seeing set photos of Nick Frost as Hagrid.
So, I’m seeing these photographs… and [Nick Frost is] wearing the exact same costume that we designed for Hagrid. Part of me was like: What’s the point?” I thought the costumes and everything was going to be different, but it’s more of the same. It’s all going to be the same.
Listen, I get it, the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling has sold around 600 million copies worldwide. It’s an incredible IP for Warner Bros to own, but we’ve already had eight movies released, between 2001 and 2011; what more is there to say?
Dominic McLaughlin steps into the role that made Daniel Radcliffe a household name, donning the familiar wizarding robes as production kicks off in the U.K. Alongside him, the core trio will be rounded out by Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger—three complete newcomers tapped to lead this new, and allegedly “faithful,” adaptation of Rowling’s bestselling book series.
The rest of the cast includes, John Lithgow as Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, and Nick Frost as Hagrid. Behind the camera, Succession’s Francesca Gardiner serves as writer and executive producer. Mark Mylod, also of “Succession” fame, will direct multiple episodes and executive produce.
The upcoming series, which plans to adapt one book per season over seven seasons, is being touted as one of the most expensive shows ever made, with a jaw-dropping $2 billion budget. That’s around $300M per season, a number that puts it in the same league as “The Rings of Power” and “House of the Dragon.”
The show is expected to span a full decade, with each season adapting one book from the original seven-novel saga. Whether this becomes a worthy successor to the beloved film series—or simply a nostalgia-fueled cash grab—remains to be seen. Either way, it’s happening.
Following “Air,” this is Affleck’s latest stint behind the camera. He has cast himself in the lead role, alongside Kerry Washington, Steven Yeun, and Gillian Anderson (“The X-Files”).