‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ Director Chis Columbus Addresses TV Series

Chris Columbus, the director of the first-ever Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, has an opinion about the upcoming TV remake that’s being produced by HBO. While he is ultimately optimistic, Columbus does have a few small reservations about some of hte tough decisions that will need to be made about the new iteration of the beloved franchise.

Columbus spoke about the Harry Potter TV remake in the new edition of Empire magazine. The remake is set to be released in 2026. Or 2027, if we take into account the latest news. Few details have been revealed about the show, but Columbus has already raised some valid questions.

“Look, I wish them luck. With the TV series, you have the opportunity to basically film the entire book. So that’s exciting. They can get into things that we could never get into – [like] the character of Peeves, who we tried to put in the first film. They’ve got a bit of a challenge, I think.

There’s a certain stylistic quality to those films you either have to depart [from] or you have to embrace. Do they completely rethink the look of Hogwarts? Do they use the John Williams theme? I don’t know how you do that. But I look forward to seeing it.”

At the turn of the century, Warner Bros. had acquired the rights to four books about a child wizard. Steven Spielberg was the studio’s first pick to adapt the books into movies, but he passed because he wanted to make an animated film, and the studio didn’t. Years later, Spielberg claimed he rejected the offer because he wanted to spend some time with his family.

A list of directors was then considered, but execs at Warner Bros. thought Columbus’ work on Home Alone was good enough to make him the perfect choice to make a family film. The result was a fantasy genre behemoth that was followed up by Columbus’ second Potter outing with Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Does the ‘Harry Potter’ TV Series Have a Chance Against the Original Franchise?

When Warner Bros. announced through their television division that a Harry Potter TV series was coming, the outrage was instant. Not only because it feels that the movies ended recently, but also because of the whole “J.K. Rowling is still getting rich” debate. The author’s stance on transgender rights is divisive, to say the least. Even the CEO of HBO had to come out and shed light on J.K. Rowling’s involvement in the production.

Naturally, one of the most concerning aspects about the series is who will star in it, as the original casting in the Harry Potter franchise was spotless. Rowling was very much involved in the late 1990s when the first film was being planned, and per her request, only British actors could be considered to participate in the movie to accomplish her vision of authenticity.

Regardless, fans have forgotten something: the Harry Potter TV series is a new adaptation of the books and not a remake of the movies starring Daniel Radcliffe. Whatever’s coming to HBO is a freshly brewed reimagining of the franchise that has no association with the movie franchise. Whether the series can possibly impress in the same way is something that won’t be known for a few years yet.

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Release Date

November 16, 2001

Runtime

152 Minutes

Cast

Daniel Radcliffe
, Rupert Grint
, Emma Watson
, John Cleese
, Robbie Coltrane
, Warwick Davis
, Richard Griffiths
, Ian Hart
, John Hurt
, Alan Rickman
, Fiona Shaw
, Maggie Smith