HBO’s Harry Potter series has been met with less than enthusiastic responses from fans. While devoted to staying true to the source material, the original cast have reservations, with James and Oliver Phelps expressing their disinterest.
Catching up with the actors who played Fred and George Wesley in the Harry Potter franchise, they were candid in their responses to The New York Post.
“I haven’t thought about it,” said James, 39.
James goes on to add that the new HBO series is something neither of them is heavily involved in. The series stars a brand new cast and will focus on adapting all seven books from the series into their own seasons.
“We only know where everybody else knows,” James added. “It’s something not connected with us at all.”
The Harry Potter reboot began filming this summer, with an expected release date in 2027. With some time before it hits the small screen, the actors were asked if they had any interest in watching.
“I won’t know until I probably come closer to it,” said Oliver.
For Oliver, there’s something that can’t be replicated when it comes to having been a part of the original cast. They were all budding young actors who became a part of a globally famous franchise.
“We’ve always got that bond of being the first [cast] group together,” he explained.
“Because when we were filming, we didn’t know how big it was going to be from the first movie. It could have been a one and done, or it could have been as [big as it is] today. We’ll see what happens.”
Like a majority of the original cast, Oliver does have a few words of advice for the newcomers. He hopes “the lads who are playing Fred and George in the new series – I would like that they just enjoy it, as much as we did.”
Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint haven’t made public comments about the TV series reboot. Gary Oldman, who played Sirius Black, once said the series will likely not “go anywhere near people that were connected to the original,” but is “intrigued” by exploring more of the books.
Director Chris Columbus questioned the HBO series after seeing Nick Frost as Hagrid. He questioned, “What’s the point?” after realizing the actor looked almost identical to Robbi Coltrane’s portrayal.
