Harry Potterfranchise veteranMiriam Margolyeshas a stark message for adult fans of the fantasy saga who are not happy that the story is being remade as a TV series. In her usual frank and candid way, Margolyes laid out her brutal assessment of the main problem people have when it comes tothe ever-popular story of the boy wizard– they just can’t let it go.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
In theHarry Pottermovies, Margolyes played Hogwarts teacher Professor Sprout, and despite having gained worldwide recognition in the role after an equally successful career prior to it, she believes that everything has its place and time, and Potter is now in the past. With thepublic outrage over the new TV seriescontinuing to bubble up on social media, Margolyes shared her feelings on the movie franchise. She told1News:
“I worry about Harry Potter fans because they should be over that by now. You know, it was 25 years ago and it’s for children. I think it’s for children. But they get stuck in it. I do cameos and people say, ‘I’m having a Harry Potter-themed wedding,’ and I think, gosh, what’s their first night of fun going to be? I can’t even think about it. Harry Potter is wonderful, I’m very grateful to it. It’s over. That’s what I think.”
Margolyes' comments do shed light on the way theHarry Potterfranchise has crossed generational boundaries to work its way into the hearts of both the children it was written for but also the adults they have become. Her stance on the matter also gives an insight into the strange position that the franchise is now in, with the new TV show being criticized by those who are old enough to have children of their own. All of this, obviously, before their children get the chance to see that new version made for their generation.
Why the Harry Potter Franchise Has Become as Controversial as It is Successful
When J.K. Rowling releasedHarry Potter and the Sorcerer’s/Philosopher’s Stonein 1997, no one knew just how passionate the world would become about the story of a young boy destined to become a great wizard and save the world from the dark magic of Lord Voldemort.
However, despite the book series coming to a best-selling conclusion, and the movies becoming one of the biggest franchises in the world, the saga ofHarry Potterhas not been without its problems. The controversy surrounding Warner Bros. new TV series is only the latest in a line of issues the franchise has faced.
In the last several years, authorRowling has frequently courted controversyover her stance on the transgender community and comments made on social media. This has led to a huge split in opinion that divided both fans and stars of the franchise alike, and the arguments continue to roll on thanks to Rowling’s involvement with the TV series.
Additionally, theFantastic Beastsfranchise, a spin-off and prequel to the Potter story, suffered greatly over the controversial departure of Johnny Depp from his role as Grindlewald in the midst of his legal battle with Amber Heard. Despite the third movie in the franchise,The Secrets of Dumbledore,going ahead with Mads Mikkelsen taking over the role, the reviews were very critical and the future of that series collapsed.Whether, in another life, Depp’s continued involvement in the movie could have papered over the cracks is something we will never know, but feelings over his exit from the franchise certainly did not help.
Every Character Recast in Harry Potter (& Why)
Many Harry Potter stars became mainstays who made their roles iconic throughout the movie franchise. For various reasons, others had to be recast.
While Margolyes questions whether olderHarry Potterfans need to move on from the franchise and leave all of this behind, Warner Bros. will be hoping the opposite is true.When theHarry PotterTV series finally arrives in 2026, its success is going to depend on those adults tuning in to see what has become of their beloved boy wizard, for better or worse.
TheHarry PotterMovies are available to stream on MAX.
