This week, I stumbled across some news that made me do a double take: Harry Potter is getting a full-fledged TV reboot, and John Lithgow has been cast as Dumbledore.
A few things struck me about this announcement—first and foremost, the fact that I had somehow missed the memo that Harry Potter was headed for TV-land in the first place. But once I got over that little shock, I had some thoughts.
1. John Lithgow as Dumbledore? Honestly, I Can See It.
Lithgow is a powerhouse actor. If you’ve seen The Crown, you know he pulled off an incredible Winston Churchill—gruff, wise, with just the right touch of warmth and wit. Based on that performance alone, I can absolutely picture him as Dumbledore.
Will he bring the same twinkly-eyed mischief as Richard Harris or the more commanding intensity of Michael Gambon? Time will tell. But if anyone can capture the balance between kindly grandfather and all-powerful wizard, Lithgow is a solid bet.
2. Harry Potter as a TV Series? This Could Actually Work.
Look, I love the movies. They’re visually stunning, brilliantly cast, and packed with memorable moments. But let’s be real—so much got left on the cutting room floor. Whole subplots vanished, character arcs were condensed, and by the later books (Order of the Phoenix, anyone?), the films had to do some serious gymnastics to fit everything in.
A TV series has the luxury of time. It can dive deeper into the stories, explore side characters more fully, and—dare I say it?—even let us spend more time in the wizarding world without rushing from one major plot point to the next.
For comparison, The Lord of the Rings took three epic films (or 12 hours, if you’re watching the extended editions) to tell its story, and even then, entire sections of the book were cut. (RIP Tom Bombadil, not that I’m complaining.) A series format could give Harry Potter the breathing room it deserves.
3. Can HBO Pull This Off?
I’ve been cautiously optimistic about Amazon’s Lord of the Rings series (The Rings of Power), and—surprise!—I actually enjoyed the last season more than I expected. (Maybe I should do a review of it? Let me know if you’d be interested in that.) So, I’m willing to give HBO the benefit of the doubt here.
If they handle this with care, respect the source material, and don’t take unnecessary liberties (cough making Sauron hot cough), we could be in for something really special. But if they decide to get “creative” in ways that alienate the fans? Well…we’ve seen how that plays out before.
Feeling a Little…Old?
The last Harry Potter book came out in 2007. The final movie hit theaters in 2011. That means there’s a whole generation of kids who have never known a world where new Harry Potter content wasn’t a thing.
So yeah, if the thought of a full reboot makes you feel a little, well, ancient, you’re not alone. But hey, maybe this is an opportunity to revisit the books, rewatch the films, and introduce new fans to the magic all over again.
What do you think? Excited? Skeptical? Mildly concerned? Let’s discuss!
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