How the Original Harry Potter Cast Reacted to the TV Adaptation

Potterheads who missed the movies freaked out (maybe just a little) when Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking brought back our favorite Weasley twins. So, now that there’s going to be a Harry Potter TV adaptation, Potterheads are freaking out a lot. Growing up, watching eight magical films and now getting the chance to revisit the wizarding world in a whole new way is super exciting. But, of course, getting excited for the TV series doesn’t mean we love the movies any less, much less the actors who brought these characters to life. 

Now that HBO is gearing to bring the Harry Potter universe to the small screen, what do the original cast members think? 

Bonnie Wright who played Ginny Weasley, the youngest Weasley sibling and eventually Harry Potter’s wife, told People in a September 2024 interview that she has high hopes for the show. She said, “My biggest hope as a fan of the books is that they're able to just include more of the world that we know and love. With TV shows, you've got hours unlike movies. I'm hoping as a fan that I get to see some of the bits in the books that just didn't make the cut for our films because they had to be shorter.” 

Ralph Fiennes aka Voldemort also said he’s “very excited to watch as an audience member.” Fiennes even gave his stamp of approval about Cillian Murphy potentially becoming his successor, as reported by Entertainment Weekly. “Cillian is a fantastic actor. I actually think that's a wonderful, wonderful suggestion. I would be all in favor of Cillian.” 

Fan-favorite Sirius played by actor Gary Oldman said he’s not expecting Warner Bros. to call and offer him the character he told IndieWire he still holds a soft spot for. “I love Sirius. He wasn’t in it enough. He turned up and then he went through the veil.” Still, the Slow Horses actor is still interested in returning to the franchise. “Maybe in a few years, I could do Dumbledore.” 

Aside from the casts, Chris Columbus, who directed the first and second films, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) and Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets (2002), respectively, said, “I think it's a spectacular idea, because there's a certain restriction when you're making a film.” He added, “The fact that they have the leisure of [multiple] episodes for each book, I think that's fantastic. I look forward to seeing what they're trying to do with it. I think it's great,” according to People. 

The Harry Potter TV series is slated for a 2026 release.