‘Harry Potter’ Star Discusses Reboot and Recasting as Wizarding World Collapses

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Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) in 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban' Poster

Credit: Warner Bros.

2011 will probably go on record as the greatest year in the history of Harry Potter. It was the year the final film in the series hit theaters; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 (2011), a finale so epic it gave The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) a run for its money.

Harry Potter was as untouchable as its titular character — eight brilliant films and seven brilliant books under its belt. But, unfortunately, nothing remains sacred, and just five years later, Warner Bros. churned out spin-off/prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016).

Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), and Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) in the magical creatures class in 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'
Credit: Warner Bros.

Related: Did ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ Create a Wizarding World Multiverse?

Based off the wafer-thin, faux-encyclopedic book of the same name, the film actually turned out to be pretty magical in its own way. But we should have known there was trouble ahead when Warner Bros. announced four more films in the series (The Hobbit eat your heart out).

Now, eight years later, and just three films in, the Wizarding World is on the brink of collapse. Many fans will tell you that it’s all due to the controversy surrounding actors Johnny Depp and Ezra Miller, and Wizarding World creator JK Rowling. But the truth is actually a lot simpler.

Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald in the rally in 'Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald'
Credit: Warner Bros.

Related: Is JK Rowling Involved In Next Year’s ‘Harry Potter’ Installment?

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022) didn’t just disappoint fans and critics — they also didn’t impress the vaults beneath Gringotts. So, now, Warner Bros. is reportedly looking to hit “reset” on the series.

Newt Scamander actor Eddie Redmayne recently threw fuel to the fire of these rumors by confirming that there is no further Fantastic Beasts film in active development. Hardly reassuring news for fans of the spin-off series, or for the Wizarding World as a whole, for that matter.

Newt Scamander looking for the Niffler in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Credit: Warner Bros.

Related: ‘Harry Potter’ Reboot “Banned” Ahead of Release

There have also been reports of a “recasting”, which would suggest that there is some kind of Harry Potter reboot in the works. And now, actor Rupert Grint, best known, of course, for playing Ronald Weasley in all eight Harry Potter films, has shared his thoughts on the idea of a reboot.

The 34-year-old actor told GQ that he would “love to see Harry Potter be adapted into a TV show, and that he thinks “it would really work”, before adding, “I’m sure the films will get remade, anyway.” Well, looking at the current state of the Wizarding World, he could be right.

He then went on to talk about how someone else should play Ron Weasley in a reboot, saying, “I think there’d be a feeling of passing the baton, letting someone else play Ron. It’s weird because I’m protective over him, I could relate to him so much, and then I was picked to bring him to life. That’s hard to let go. But it would be nice to, as well.”

Harry, Ron, Hermione casting "petrificus totalus" on Neville in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Credit: Warner Bros.

Related: ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Star Confirms Series Is Dead In the Water, as New Prequel Takes Its Place

Grint’s suggestion of a Harry Potter series isn’t the first time word of such a project has emerged. Previously, there were rumors of a HBO Max series, although there has been no development on that front. Two years ago, Grint addressed the rumor in an interview with Variety, saying:

“It’ll be weird if it was a continuation kind of thing [a continuation from the movies]. I weirdly feel quite protective of that character. Even when I saw the stage shows, it was a very strange experience… If it’s like a different group of friends, I guess it would be interesting.”

Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) wearing the Sorting Hat in 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone'
Credit: Warner Bros.

Related: 12 Major Deaths In the ‘Harry Potter’ Movies Ranked

Though in no way a reboot, there have also been talks for years of a film adaptation of the stage show Grint is referring to — West End play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (2016).

Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) previously said he wouldn’t want to return, however, Draco Malfoy actor Tom Felton said he’d be open to returning. And despite his comments about a reboot and Ron Weasley being recast, Rupert Grint also recently said that he wouldn’t be against returning.

But it doesn’t look like that’s happening now, either. So perhaps the best way forward for Warner Bros. to reset the series, after all. How that might look, though, is unknown, and try as they may to start over, it will be impossible for them to shake off the controversy surrounding JK Rowling.

The Wand shop in Hogwarts Legacy
Credit: Warner Bros.

Related: Could ‘The Clone Wars’ Save ‘Harry Potter’ From a Major Reset?

Grint is one of a number of actors to have spoken out against Rowling’s comments on Twitter regarding gender identity. Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) have condemned her comments, while actors Ralph Fiennes (Tom Riddle/Lord Voldemort) and Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy) have spoken out in her defense.

But the backlash toward Rowling shows no signs of simmering down. The looming release of open-world game Hogwarts Legacy (2023) has brought with it plenty of chaos, as many fans are trying to boycott it due to its affiliations with Rowling.

Whether or not a Harry Potter reboot will ever happen remains to be seen, but for now, we should be happy that Hogwarts Legacy will give fans the opportunity to forge their own adventure, rather than being disappointed by yet another Fantastic Beasts film.

Check out the official “cinematic” trailer for Hogwarts Legacy below:

Related: Will Warner Bros. Use the Upcoming ‘Harry Potter’ Prequel to Reset the Franchise?

Along with Simon Pegg (Phineas Nigellus Black) and Luke Youngblood (Everett Clopton), other Hogwarts Legacy actors are Sebastian Croft and Amelia Gething (the main character/Fifth Year student), Lesley Nicol (Deputy Head Professor Matilda Weasley), Kandace Caine (Divination Professor Onai), Sohm Kapila (Astronomy Professor Satyavati Shah), Asif Ali (Ravenclaw student Mahendra Pehlwaan), and Jason Anthony (Nearly Headless Nick and the Sorting Hat).

As per the official Hogwarts Legacy website, here’s the synopsis for the game:

Hogwarts Legacy is an immersive, open-world action RPG set in the world first introduced in the Harry Potter books. For the first time, experience Hogwarts in the 1800s. Your character is a student who holds the key to an ancient secret that threatens to tear the wizarding world apart. Now you can take control of the action and be at the center of your own adventure in the wizarding world. Your legacy is what you make of it.

Owl in Hogwarts Legacy
Credit: Warner Bros. (via Hogwarts Legacy YouTube)

PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of Hogwarts Legacy will be released on April 4, 2023.

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC versions will be released as planned on February 10, while the Nintendo Switch version will be released on July 25.

Would you like to see a Harry Potter rebooted in the form of a television series? And how would you feel about Ron Weasley being recast? Let us know in the comments down below!

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