TheHarry PotterTV show is poised to revamp the original story for a new generation, but there’s no denying thatlongtime fans of the franchise will also be tuning in for the HBO remake. Given its medium, theupcomingHarry Potterserieshas the opportunity to thoroughly dig into the source material. The original adaptations cut storylines, scenes, and characters fromtheHarry Potterbooks, all of which can finally be included in this updated take on the story. HBO’s remake can also explore certain characters and subplots in more depth, especially given its 10-year plan.
There’s plenty of potential for theHarry Pottershow to deliver a deeper and more faithful adaptationthan the movies, but a recent update about the TV show suggests it could go in another direction. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment President David Haddad toldVarietythat the series will draw material fromHogwarts Legacy,the 2023 video game set in the Wizarding World. While this opens the door fornewHarry Potterstories to be told, it also raises concerns about the remake repeating — and potentially worsening — the movies' mistakes.
The Harry Potter Remake’s Latest Story Update Suggests It Will Be Different From The Books & Movies
This Could Make It Even Less Faithful To The Source Material
The lateststory update about HBO’sHarry Potterremakemight be good news for the Wizarding World and its lore, but it doesn’t bode well for a faithful adaptation of the books. While it isn’t entirely clear what storylines fromHogwarts Legacywill factor into the upcoming TV show,the addition of these elements promises to make it something totally differentfrom the books and movies. In small doses, this may not have a detrimental effect on Harry’s story. However, well-meaning adaptations have tried going their own way before and been worse off because of it.
It’s understandable that HBO’s remake wants to stand out from what’s come before, but it should be careful about how it approaches this.
The inclusion of details fromHogwarts Legacyseems to be a means of setting the newHarry Pottershow apart from existing Wizarding World properties. It’s understandable that HBO’s remake wants to stand out from what’s come before, but it should be careful about how it approaches this. Using the video games and other existing lore to expand on elements of the Wizarding World makes sense. But going too far with it and detracting from the original narrative would be a bummer, especially whentheHarry Pottermoviesalready left a lot to be desired in terms of faithfulness.
The Harry Potter TV Show Not Being Faithful To The Original Story Would Repeat A Movie Mistake
The Films Already Deviated From The Books Too Often
TheHarry Potterfilms aren’t the least faithful book adaptations out there, but they still manage to buck the source material on multiple occasions — and several of their deviations could have been avoided. CuttingGoblet of Fire’s S.P.E.W. storyline and removing Ron’s Quidditch subplot are disappointing turns, but these types of changes are necessary when condensing hundreds of pages into a movie’s runtime. However, nixing Peeves' character, swappingHalf-Blood Prince’s final battle for an oddly placed fight at the Burrow, and removing crucial parts of characters' backstories are all questionable choices.
10 Most Tragic Stories The Harry Potter Movies Cut
Harry Potter’s story was tragic enough on its own, but there were several more heartbreaking subplots in the books that never made it to the screen.
The movies are classics in their own right, butthey make too many changes to theHarry Potterbooks to be considered flawless adaptations. They get a lot of slack, as they capture the heart of the original story. But they still make mistakes getting there, leaving readers wanting a proper depiction of Harry’s journey. HBO’s TV remake offers the chance to deliver on that, making up for some of the movies' missteps — and even including things they were justified in cutting. Despite claims that there’s no reason for a reboot, the desire for a faithful adaptation gives HBO’s show purpose.
A Faithful Adaptation Is Something Harry Potter Fans Are Looking Forward To From The Remake
It’s A Selling Point For A Remake That Needs A Clear Purpose
There are a number ofthingsHarry Potterfans demandfrom a remake, and a faithful take on the story is at the top of the list. Although there are calls to ensure the reboot isn’t just a retread of familiar territory, it would be risky to veer too far off the path outlined by the books. And a retread of the movies would still be unfaithful to the books, meaning a more accurate interpretation of them is actually new for the franchise. There’s nothing wrong with leaning further into the source material, especially when it wasn’t fully covered the first time around.
HBO’s Harry Potter Remake Can Finally Flesh Out One Big Wizarding World Reveal, 17 Years Later
HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter remake can finally dig into a major Wizarding World reveal that the books don’t pay nearly enough attention to.
That doesn’t mean the HBO show can’t modernize the existing story or expand on it in fresh ways. There are certainly things inHarry Potterthat haven’t aged well, and there are characters and storylines that could use more depth. Those things just further necessitate a faithful retelling, though, as they should be higher priority than new storylines pulled from other Wizarding World properties. The existing narratives are enough of a selling point, especially if there’s an effort to expand on them.
How The Upcoming TV Series Can Stay Faithful & Bring Something New To The Wizarding World
It Doesn’t Need New Stories To Accomplish This
TheHarry PotterTV show clearly wants to bring something new to the Wizarding World, but it can remain faithful to the source material while accomplishing this. In fact, it doesn’t even need new stories fromHogwarts Legacyto feel fresh — though if itisgoing to pull from the games, it should do it in a way that enhances the world-building within the already-existing narrative. Given that the game is set a century beforeHarry Potter, the references will likely need to be subtle anyway. But they shouldn’t take too much time away from the story outlined in the books.
Even withoutHogwarts Legacy, HBO’sHarry Potterremake can ensure a retelling of Harry’s story that features new elements.
And even withoutHogwarts Legacy, HBO’sHarry Potterremake can ensure a retelling of Harry’s story that features new elements. There are so many parts of the original series that could be expanded; in fact, fans have been calling for some of them to be fleshed out further for years. A TV medium opens the door to embrace different perspectives, which means the remake can finally create a proper redemption arc for Draco Malfoy or show the growth of characters like Ginny and Neville outside of Harry’s POV.
HBO’sHarry PotterTV show is expected to debut in 2026.
TheHarry PotterTV show can also spend more time on important backstories, giving viewers a version of the Marauder prequel they’ve wanted for years or even exploring Snape’s history in greater depth. Voldemort also offers plenty of material on that front, as Tom Riddle has a fascinating origin that could go even deeper than the books. Needless to say, there are many ways that HBO can make its upcomingHarry Potterremake its own thing while sticking to the script. It’s all about knowing what fans actually want more of and delivering on it.
Harry Potter
Cast
Harry Potter is HBO’s remake of the iconic Wizarding World film series that consisted of eight films between 2001 and 2011. Each season adapts a book from JK Rowling’s popular series and provides more book-accurate details than the movies did.
Harry Potter is a multimedia franchise about an orphaned boy who enrolls at Hogwarts School of Wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family, and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world. Adapted from the novels, Harry Potter is an eight-episode film saga that follows the journey of Harry Potter and his friends, Hermoine Granger and Ron Weasley, as they navigate the tricky world of growing up, school life, and magic. Starting from year one and moving to their seventh year, the films chronicle the students' time at Hogwarts while unfurling a sinister plot that centers around the unsuspecting Harry. With the return of the dark wizard, Voldemort, the students and professors at Hogwarts will fight to carry on as the world around them may change forever. Harry Potter has expanded beyond the world of its films and novels with several video games, a spin-off film series titled Fantastic Beasts, and even attractions at Universal Studios.
