Miriam Margolyes Denounces HBO’s Harry Potter Reboot: “They Don’t Need It”

Overview

• Speaking on Capital Breakfast, Margolyes said she would have turned down any return and suggested the project is driven by money, declaring, “They don’t need it.”
• Her remarks follow earlier comments minimizing the franchise’s cultural weight, including saying in 2024 that adults should be “over” Harry Potter.
• Director Chris Columbus questioned early set images that mirror designs from the films—citing Hagrid’s costume—while noting television could restore cut elements such as Peeves and the potion trials.
• Other alumni have taken a more positive tone, with Tom Felton expressing interest in a cameo and Jason Isaacs and Bonnie Wright voicing support for the new approach.
• Production is underway with a largely new cast—Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, and Alastair Stout leading—major roles recast for Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, and Hagrid, and Warwick Davis returning as Filius Flitwick.