The legacy of the Harry Potter movies will be difficult for the new HBO TV remake to tiptoe around, and the announcement video proves that it can’t escape the nostalgia entirely. The idea of a book-faithful adaptation is one that many fans are eager to see, especially since some of the most impactful moments from J.K. Rowling’s novels didn’t make it into the original films. However, that’s not to say that these beloved movies didn’t get anything right, and audiences will naturally look for these elements in the new series.
HBO’s newly christened streaming service ‘Max,’ shared an announcement video across social media that revealed a Harry Potter remake is in the works. The text promised that it would be a book-faithful adaptation, with a ten-year plan that would dedicate each season to one of the popular novels. Of course, since Harry, Ron, and Hermione start out in Sorcerer’s Stone as 11-year-olds, each character will need to be recast—a change that will likely come with some growing pains. However, the announcement teaser indicates that audiences can expect some movie-familiar sights—and sounds—from the reboot.
Harry Potter’s TV Remake Is Already Relying Heavily On The Movies
Though the Harry Potter remake will start from square one in the casting department, the announcement teaser indicates that several elements of the original movies will still be present. The short video clip featured the familiar Harry Potter logo, the iconic musical theme composed by John Williams, and the same old Hogwarts silhouette. Of course, it’s possible that once the series goes into production, these features will be replaced with a logo, musical score, and set unique to the HBO series. However, given audiences’ passion for the movies, it would be unwise to tease this and then turn around and make changes.
There is also the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park to consider. Changing these aspects of Harry Potter would make the attraction obsolete (which would be bad news for the franchise as a whole). Therefore, it can be assumed that much of what the movies established as iconic of the wizarding world will be present in the Harry Potter TV remake. In many ways, this is good news. However, depending too heavily on the original movies could become a double-edged sword for Warner Bros.
Why Movie Nostalgia Is A Big Problem For The Harry Potter Remake
The decision to utilize the memorable features of the Harry Potter movies is likely meant (in addition to keeping the theme parks and memorabilia relevant) to make long-time fans feel comfortable and at home in this new world. At first glance, this will likely be the case since it’s hard not to experience a thrill when hearing those first few notes or seeing the outline of Hogwarts Castle appearing on the screen. However, the moment new actors show up claiming to be Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the rest, the excitement will likely give way to unsettling discomfort.
This will happen whether HBO’s remake borrows elements of the original Harry Potter movies or not. Still, by mixing the old with the new, the TV remake invites comparison in a way that isn’t likely to bode well. So, while the familiar sights and sounds would bring audiences in, the series may not be able to keep them in a meaningful way. On the other hand, if the remake went its own route entirely, fans would be able to recognize the Harry Potter remake as an individual entity without fearing any damage to their favorite movies’ legacy.
