The Wizarding World continues its expansion now with a Harry Potter live-action series for HBO, but this retelling of the novels is facing a huge challenge in recasting one specific character. The Harry Potter novels were a worldwide sensation in the 1990s and 2000s, and it didn’t take long for them to be adapted to the big screen. The Harry Potter film saga was released between 2001 and 2011, with the final novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, divided into two movies. The Wizarding World kept expanding after the end of the Harry Potter film series with the Fantastic Beasts trilogy, but this universe is now going back to its roots.
After the Fantastic Beasts movies didn’t succeed as expected, the Wizarding World is returning to the Harry Potter saga with a remake for HBO Max. The project will be a live-action TV series and a reboot of the franchise, which will retell the events of the novels, with a season dedicated to each book. Of course, the biggest question around this new Harry Potter project is who will be cast in it, but there’s one character in particular that will be the hardest to recast in this remake: Hagrid.
Why Hagrid Is The Hardest Character To Recast For Harry Potter’s Remake
Recasting the Harry Potter characters for the TV remake is going to be a hard task given the memorable performance of every one of the original actors, but Hagrid’s case is different. Hagrid was a half-giant wizard who served as Hogwarts’ gamekeeper, so he lived on the school grounds. Hagrid was the one who delivered baby Harry Potter to the Dursleys, the one who reintroduced Harry to the Wizarding World, and continued to be very close to the young wizard for years.
Hagrid was kind, had a heart of gold, and a warmth that made Harry, Ron, and Hermione feel at home while at Hogwarts, and all of these qualities and more were perfectly embodied by Robbie Coltrane. While the young wizards can be played by newcomers in the Harry Potter TV remake, and there are a number of actors with the range to play complex characters like Severus Snape (and who can do it differently from Alan Rickman), the requirements for Hagrid are different and more difficult to find them all in one person. Hagrid needs an actor with the stature, warmth, comic timing, and likability of the character, which are traits rarely found in one actor.
Who Could Play Hagrid In The Harry Potter Remake
The news of a Harry Potter live-action remake for HBO Max prompted fans to share their recasting ideas for the saga’s main characters, and there have been some interesting choices for the role of Hagrid. A name that has popped up in various fan castings is Nick Frost, who even though is shorter than Robbie Coltrane (something that can be fixed with camera tricks), has the comic timing, warmth, kindness, and slight foolishness needed to play the beloved Hogwarts gamekeeper. Another option is Stephen Fry, who is also known for his comedic talents and ability to bring kindness and warmth to his performances, and in terms of stature, he’s actually taller than Robbie Coltrane.
Also found in fan casting lists for the role of Hagrid is Mark Addy, who played Robert Baratheon in Game of Thrones. While his role in the HBO series was far from what Hagrid is, Addy has shown incredible range in his career so far, proving he can embody the character of Hagrid and make the character his own. The Harry Potter remake is facing big challenges when it comes to casting, and it’s to be seen who will be chosen as the new Hagrid.
