While the new Harry Potter reboot series will be a fresh take on the familiar Wizarding World, two of the franchise’s original cast members would be up for an appearance if the opportunity arose.
Since the news of the imminent reboot, many former Harry Potter actors have made their stance known. After eight films and a decade of delivering this story to the big screen, the main trio is ready to move on. The Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts was a heartwarming and nostalgic reunion, but that is where any collaboration would cease, it seems. But some other actors aren’t so quick to dismiss the television reboot.
Daniel Radcliffe may be making a living being chosen by Weird Al to portray him, but Oliver and James Phelps have different perspectives. The Harry Potter actors who portray incorrigible pranksters, Fred and George Weasley, gave some enlightening information to The New York Post. “I suppose so,” Oliver mused when asked if he would return. “It’s one of those things where it’s never really a chapter closed in your life… Whether as our characters, that’s a totally different thing -- we’re not quite looking like high schoolers anymore! If it does happen, we only know as much as you do. But, it’s nice that there’s a lot of intrigue around the show.”
At least for one of the actors, it would be impossible to revive him as his previous character. James Phelps played Fred, who tragically died in one of the most pointless deaths in Harry Potter. Only one of many casualties during The Battle of Hogwarts, it would bear some difficulty to make the twins return physically. And to Oliver Phelps' credit, they probably wouldn’t be reprising their old characters anyway. The streaming platform that has brought steamy teen dramas such as Euphoria would no doubt be looking for a younger cast, and the actors are well past the age of attending Hogwarts. This could leave the opportunity for dream sequences or -- more likely -- playing two different characters altogether. If Marvel has taught us anything, fans are willing to buy any cameo as long as it is heartfelt enough. But even if they do return, is this something the franchise needs?
Many fans agree that Max's attempt at reviving Harry Potter is too soon. The film franchise was a cohesive and largely faithful adaptation of the books. Having only ended a little over a decade ago, it almost seems disrespectful to recreate a franchise that meant so much to book readers. And with J.K. Rowling involved as executive producer amid her ongoing controversies in the media, Harry Potter feels like its time is over. No one is likely to dismiss some of the most likable characters in the franchise, but if fans had their way, they would be satisfied by just re-watching the films.
The Harry Potter franchise is currently streaming on Max.
Source: The New York Post