'Harry Potter' film director reacts to reboot: 'What's the point?'
28 Aug 2025

Chris Columbus, the director of the first two Harry Potter movies, has expressed his confusion over HBO's upcoming series adaptation of J.K. Rowling's beloved books.

Speaking on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast, he shared his surprise at how similar the new show is to his films.

"I thought everything was going to be different, but it's more of the same," he said.

Columbus expected more differences in the reboot
Similarities with original films

Columbus revealed his surprise at seeing Nick Frost in a costume similar to what he had designed for Hagrid.

"Part of me was like: What's the point?" Columbus said, adding that he expected more differences but is seeing "more of the same."

Despite this, Columbus said he doesn't feel jealous of HBO's decision to reboot the series. He said, "It's time to move on."

"I've always had issues with [the] idea of franchise."

Series aims to explore more of Rowling's source material
Series adaptation

The HBO series, which is set to adapt Rowling's books over multiple seasons, is currently being filmed in the UK.

Columbus's comments raise questions among fans about whether the remake will bring anything new or just rehash old elements of the franchise.

Reportedly, the series aims to explore more of the source material, including characters like Peeves the Poltergeist, who were left out of the films due to time constraints.