As the upcoming Harry Potter TV series approaches, attention will inevitably turn to the possibility of some of the main cast from the films coming back in other roles.
While the assumption isn’t that Daniel Radcliffe plays an 11-year-old Harry again, there are several roles he could come back and play.
The most popular is Sirius Black which would have a certain cyclical feel to it, while others have called for Radcliffe to come back as James Potter.
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Add to that people who are clearly off their rocker calling for the previous main man to play the villainous Voldemort, and there is a clear desire for Radcliffe to come back.
Barriers to Radcliffe’s return
His return would be fraught with potential conflict, however. The series has not distanced itself from J.K. Rowling despite her various transphobia scandals, with Warner Bros. releasing a statement supporting her.
Radcliffe himself spoke out against J.K. Rowling, writing an essay in defence of the LGTBQ+ community for The Trevor Project, in which he apologised for the ‘pain’ caused by Rowling’s comments.
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Radcliffe has also generally avoided blockbuster roles since his time in Harry Potter, instead frequently taking on quirky and interesting projects such as Horns and Swiss Army Man.
When is the Harry Potter show coming out and has anyone been cast?
At the time of writing the Harry Potter show, which will be produced by HBO alongside Warner Bros., is in the process of casting.
While they may in secret have found their Harry, Ron and Hermione, nothing has been announced so far.
What the show has found, however, is its showrunner and a director for multiple episodes.
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Leading and writing the show will be Francesca Gardiner, a writer who penned scripts for shows such as His Dark Materials.
Meanwhile, director Mark Mylod will be directing several episodes of the show, having previously directed episodes of Succession, Game of Thrones and directed 2022 film The Menu.
The show does not yet have an exact release date, but Warner Bros. recently announced it would be releasing in early 2027.
So what has Radcliffe said about returning?
Speaking to ComicBook.com, Radcliffe didn’t seem against the idea, but wasn’t optimistic about its chances.
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He said: "My understanding is that they're trying to very much start fresh and I'm sure whoever is making them will want to make their own mark on it and probably not want to have to figure out how to get old Harry to cameo in this somewhere.
“So I'm definitely not seeking it out in any way. But I do wish them, obviously, all the luck in the world and I'm very excited to have that torch passed.
“But I don't think it needs me to physically pass it.”
When asked by E! News, he also said: “I don't think so, I think they very wisely want to [have] a clean break. And I don't know if it would work to have us do anything in it.”
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He said he was 'very happy to just watch along with everyone else’ but refused to clarify what his exact response would be if he was asked to return.
All in all, it’s not looking likely, but stranger things have happened.
Warner Bros' recent statement about J.K. Rowling
In a recent statement, Warner Bros. defended series producer and author of the Harry Potter books J.K. Rowling.
It comes in the wake of Rowling’s comments about women and transgender people, in which she regularly refers to trans women as men.
Warner Bros. said in its statement: “We are proud to once again tell the story of Harry Potter — the heartwarming books that speak to the power of friendship, resolve and acceptance.
“JK Rowling has a right to express her personal views. We will remain focused on the development of the new series, which will only benefit from her involvement.”
Rowling's involvement has led to calls to boycott the show, with Emma Watson having also joined Radcliffe in speaking out against Rowling.
Topics: Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliffe, JK Rowling, HBO, TV, TV and Film, Film
Michael Slavin