The real chamber of secrets from the realm of Harry Potter harbors treasures that are unbelievably delectable to the human mind in the form of behind-the-scene stories and facts unknown to the common folk. The numerous legends that make up the magical world of Hogwarts then become currency for the people living in withdrawal in the aftermath of the film series’ ending. But, with time, and as the actors from the eight-film franchise grow older, these little pieces of mystery and adventure unravels for the public to bear witness to.
And what better to prep the new generation of Harry Potter lovers before the Warner Bros. series takes over the screens than revisiting the original series and the hilarious first-and account straight from one of the stars of the series itself?
Neville Longbottom and the Prisoner of a Fat Suit
Harry Potter trio, whom the audience could grow up with in real-time, not only became the face of the franchise but also symbolized everything the literary books stood for on paper. The trio – Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint – just as much became part of the lore they represented as their on-screen alter egos. But it would be an error to disregard the contributions of such actors as Matthew Lewis, Bonnie Wright, and Evanna Lynch who contributed immensely to giving more backstory, spine, and depth to the wildly expansive storyline of the world of witchcraft and wizardry.
In fact, the character of Neville Longbottom who was represented by Matthew Lewis went above and beyond to portray a literary-accurate version of his magically-gifted persona on screen. As he would later go on to recall:
I wore a fat suit in [films] 3, 4, 5, and 6. And I had false teeth in 3 and 4. I didn’t mind it — until I was 14 or 15 and there were girls on set. I was a bit like, ‘Why me?’
Unlike what the audience may like to imagine, the lives of the young witches and wizards were very much affected by the real-world struggles that plague the minds of teenagers and manifest as insecurities and self-esteem issues whenever there are societal norms concerned.
Harry Potter Gets a Second Chance at Doing Things Right
By no means is the original cinematic adaptation of the Harry Potter films lacking in any aspect of its narrative and storytelling aspect. The Warner Bros. production has been recognized as some of the best literary adaptations of recent times for the eight films that make up the series. Starting from the virtually perfect casting – from Michael Gambon and Alan Rickman to Ralph Fiennes and Helena Bonham Carter – everything that made up the cinematic world of Harry Potter is unmarred by any single mark of discrepancy.
But with Warner Bros. revisiting the saga a second time, worry dangles over the collective head of the fandom about corrupting the legacy and untouched purity of the original films by attempting to recreate the magic. For one, the hype surrounding the first is impossible to live up to and anything short of miraculous will fall short of and be always held in comparison to the Daniel Radcliffe-led saga. Secondly, the recent transphobic controversy swirling around J.K. Rowling and the leeway WB has given her by granting the author creative control over the series takes away the production’s legitimacy by giving fans a reason to clap back at the new project.
So far, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO, David Zaslav, shows no signs of stopping or slowing down the newly revived IP, and details about the upcoming series tell us that the series will comprise eight seasons with each season delving into the lore of each book.
The Harry Potter series is available for streaming on MAX.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
