Chris Columbus, who brought the wizarding world to life in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, is optimistic about the upcoming Harry Potter TV series for HBO.
Speaking exclusively with PEOPLE at the Los Angeles premiere of Nosferatu, the filmmaker praised the potential of adapting the beloved book series into a long-form format.
"I think it’s a spectacular idea because there’s a certain restriction when you’re making a film," Columbus, 66, explained. "Our film was two hours and 40 minutes, and the second one was almost as long. We tried to get as much of the book in as possible."
With the planned TV series, Columbus believes there’s an opportunity to explore the books in greater depth. "The fact that they have the leisure of [multiple] episodes for each book, I think that’s fantastic," he said. "You can get all the stuff in the series that we didn’t have an opportunity to do ... all these great scenes that we just couldn’t put in the films."
Excitement and Casting Buzz
Columbus, who also directed classics like Home Alone and Mrs. Doubtfire, expressed enthusiasm for the series, saying, "I look forward to seeing what they’re trying to do with it. I think it’s great."
While casting and production are still in the works, fans have begun imagining who might step into the iconic roles. One fan-favorite idea gaining traction online is casting Cillian Murphy as Lord Voldemort.
"Well, Cillian is one of my favorite actors, so that would be amazing," Columbus said. Ralph Fiennes, who famously portrayed Voldemort in the original films, also endorsed Murphy during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live: "Cillian is a fantastic actor ... I would be all in favor of Cillian."
A New Chapter in the Wizarding World
With all eight original Harry Potter films available to stream, fans are eager to see how the HBO series will expand on the magical world. For Columbus, the series represents an exciting chance to revisit Rowling’s universe with fresh perspectives and more room for the stories to unfold.
