Chris Columbus, the original director behind the first two Harry Potter films, has confirmed he has no plans to return to the franchise for HBO’s upcoming television reboot. Speaking to Variety while promoting Netflix’s The Thursday Murder Club in London, Columbus said, “No, I’ve done it, you saw my version. There’s nothing left for me to do in the world of Potter.”
Although he isn’t involved in the new adaptation, Columbus expressed support for the project and admiration for what it could achieve. He acknowledged that the series format may allow for deeper storytelling, including scenes and characters that didn’t make it into the original films due to time constraints. “We wanted to do it all,” Columbus said of the early Potter films. “We just didn’t have the opportunity.” He cited Peeves the poltergeist and a scene involving a dangerous potion test as examples of cut content he hopes to see included in the reboot.
The director also recalled a moment of déjà vu upon seeing a recent image of the new cast—Nick Frost as Hagrid and Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter—filming in a familiar London location. “It was exactly where we were 20 years ago,” Columbus noted, remembering the early shoots with Daniel Radcliffe and Robbie Coltrane’s double, Martin Bayfield.
Columbus reflected fondly on Radcliffe’s growth since their time on set, expressing pride in his recent success, including winning a Tony Award. He also shared that lessons learned from Home Alone shaped how he and producer David Heyman protected the young Harry Potter stars during their meteoric rise.
When asked about Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, Columbus acknowledged the controversy surrounding her views on gender identity. “I certainly don’t agree with what she’s talking about,” he said. “It’s very sad… I like to sometimes separate the artist from the art. I think that’s important to do.”
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