Why Is Chris Columbus Leaving the 'Harry Potter' Reboot to Others?
He prefers to watch the new version unfold naturally.
It’s kind of refreshing to see a director just move on. Chris Columbus, who brought the first two Harry Potter films to life, isn’t interested in returning for HBO’s new series.
Speaking to Variety while promoting Netflix’s Thursday Murder Club, Columbus said:
"No, I’ve done it, you saw my version. There’s nothing left for me to do in the world of Potter."
I actually respect that. Some directors would jump at a chance to return, but Columbus seems content leaving his version as it is. He does see the reboot as an opportunity to explore what he couldn’t fit in — like Peeves or a tense potion scene with Harry and Hermione.
"The great thing about it is that with the first and second and third book, we wanted to do it all. We wanted to bring all of that onto the screen, and we didn’t have the opportunity," he explained.
For me, it’s nice to know the reboot might show scenes we never got before — but I’m also happy Columbus isn’t trying to retread old ground. Sometimes letting a new generation take over is exactly what a story needs.
