Harry Potter Director Chris Columbus Asks “What’s the Point?” of HBO Remake

Chris Columbus, who directed the first two installments of the big-screen Harry Potter franchise and produced the third, is less than enthused about HBO’s upcoming reboot series.

Having already made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with the reboot, Columbus has doubled down on his feelings after seeing images of actor Nick Frost as the character Hagrid from the HBO series.

“He’s wearing the exact same costume that we designed for Hagrid,” Columbus told the The Rest is Entertainment podcast. “Part of me was like: ‘What’s the point?’ I thought everything [on the HBO show] the costumes and everything was going to be different. It’s more of the same.”

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He went on to say that he was “flattered” that the series didn’t feel the need to try and improve upon the original costuming. “I’m excited to see what they’re going to do with it,” he added. “Part of it is sort of déjà vu all over again.”

Columbus wanted to emphasize that there’s no jealousy involved with the HBO reboot, saying, “I’m so beyond it. I did it. I’ve done that, it’s time to move on.”

When the series does arrive, it will feature newcomers in the lead roles: Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley.

Also among the cast are John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell, and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch. Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling will serve as an executive producer, whom HBO has lauded for her “invaluable” contribution.

The show is currently in production, with plans for it to premiere in 2027.