The ‘Harry Potter’ Reboot Can Finally Do Justice To Crucial Scenes Cut From ‘Sorcerer’s Stone’
It’s time to bring the wands and broomsticks out; another school term approaches as Hogwarts prepares to reopen its magical doors in the upcoming Harry Potter series on HBO Max. The studio recently announced that production had officially begun at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in the UK, accompanied by a first-look image of Dominic McLaughlin, who will portray the titular character, Harry Potter. The young actor will take on the mantle of the Boy Who Lived, a role first brought to life by Daniel Radcliffe nearly 25 years ago.
The image showed McLaughlin smiling while wearing the iconic school uniform and the signature round glasses. Joining McLaughlin are Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, Harry Potter’s best friends. HBO recently announced more casting details for additional characters, like Dudley Dursley (Amos Kitson), Neville Longbottom (Rory Wilmot), Garrick Ollivander (Anton Lesser), and Madam Rolanda Hooch (Louise Brealey), as well as another first-look image of Nick Frost as Hagrid. Helmed by Succession director Mark Mylod and showrunner Francesca Gardiner, the series is set to reboot one of the most beloved and successful book-to-film franchises of all time. It will be based on the first novel in J.K. Rowling’s seven-book series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, published in 1997.
The series will follow a young orphaned boy, Harry Potter, as he discovers he’s a wizard on his 11th birthday, decides to leave his cruel, Muggle (refers to a being with no magic) family, the Dursleys, and sets off to attend the prestigious and wonderous Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As he begins this new adventure, he makes some friends along the way, Ron and Hermione, but also uncovers a sinister plot by Lord Voldemort to steal the powerful Sorcerer’s Stone. The reboot has faced criticism and skepticism, particularly in light of J.K. Rowling’s widely condemned comments about the transgender community. However, this opportunity allows for those missing moments from the first film to be adapted into the series.
The 'Harry Potter' HBO Max Series Can Spend More Time in the Muggle World
Specifically Privet Drive
After over 30,000 auditions, HBO has found its Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger in Dominic McLaughlin, Alastair Stout, and Arabella Stanton, which means we’re one step closer to returning to the wondrous world of magic. When the studio announced plans to reboot the beloved film franchise into a television series, there were mixed reactions, with some fans beaming with excitement and others less enthusiastic.
HBO plans to adapt all seven books into a seven-season series, with each season focusing on one book, beginning with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The first novel, like any other first installment, introduced readers to Harry Potter and what lay ahead for him. The 2001 film, directed by Chris Columbus, did a marvelous job of drawing in audiences to tell the story on screen. However, there were some moments from the book that were shortened or entirely cut for the sake of runtime.
To fully set up the story, the series should allocate time for viewers to see more of Harry’s time with the Dursleys on Privet Drive. The first book opens up through Vern Dursley’s, who will be portrayed by Daniel Rigby in the TV series, perspective, where readers see his deep disdain for the wizarding world. It also offers a non-magical perspective on the wizarding world’s celebration of the defeat of the Dark Lord, which was always a nice scene for Rowling to include. So, readers see both worlds colliding, and including that in the series would be a small, yet important touch.
In the 2001 film, Harry’s time with the Dursleys is brief. After Hagrid reveals Harry is a wizard, the next scene shows them making their way through Diagon Alley to gather Harry’s school supplies before Harry takes the Hogwarts Express to begin his magical education. In the book, however, Harry remains with the Dursleys for the rest of the summer, and Vern is the one to take him to King’s Cross. This might seem like a small moment, but it’s key to understanding the dynamic between Harry and the Dursleys, and it’s a great way to balance the magical with the mundane.
Harry's Dream in the First Novel
After his first big night at Hogwarts, Harry has a strange dream in the novel, which turns out to be a prophetic vision, connecting Voldemort with Professor Quirrell, a scene which wasn’t included in the film. In the dream, Harry is wearing Quirrell’s turban, which tightens around his head, and speaks to him, saying that he needs to switch from Gryffindor to Slytherin House. Draco Malfoy, who will be played by Lox Pratt, and Professor Snape, who will be played by Paapa Essiedu, also make an appearance in the eerie dream before it ends with Voldemort’s cold laugh.
It was a mistake to cut the scene from the film, and excluding it from the series would be even worse, as it establishes and verifies Harry’s distrust of Professor Quirrell. His suspicions of Quirrell in the film seemed rushed, despite the professor’s odd behavior towards him. This is something that the series can address, and it will lay the groundwork for the even bigger answers to the questions that arise in later books. For instance, the dream introduces Harry’s psychic connection to Voldemort, which he confirms in later books. However, the fact that this is established early on in the novels means that it’s something significant enough that the audience should also be aware of early on. It’s an interesting creative choice to make for the film, but HBO has the opportunity to rectify this with the series.
There Are Seven Obstacles Protecting the Philosopher's Stone, Two More Than the Film
In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001), there are five obstacles that Ron, Harry, and Hermione have to face in their search for the stone created by the alchemist Nicolas Flamel. However, the novel included two additional challenges, which were created by six professors and the headmaster. These challenges included: Hagrid’s three-headed dog, Fluffy; Professor Sprout’s Devil’s Snare; Professor Flitwick’s enchanted flying keys; Professor McGonagall’s game of Wizard’s chess; Professor Quirrell’s Mountain Troll; Professor Snape’s potion puzzle; and Dumbledore’s Mirror of Erised. All but Professor Quirrell’s and Professor Snape’s obstacles were adapted in the film, so the TV series has more flexibility with time to extend the hunt for the stone.
By including these obstacles, viewers get to spend more time with the professors who were briefly featured in the film’s storyline. They would also balance the golden trio’s strengths, i.e., Harry’s bravery, Ron’s strategy, and Hermione’s intellect. Most of all, it would build suspense and prove the studio’s commitment to being as accurate to the novel as possible. Will decisions be made to fit the parameters of television? Yes, but searching for the stone was the storyline, and including all the obstacles is necessary.
