Though we absolutely adore the original Harry Potter films, we can't help but wonder what an animated version of the series would look like. Would we be able to explore some of the more fantastical elements of the series? Would we get book-accurate characters? Would we be able to see some of the more silly and death-defying moments without risking the tone of the film or the safety of its actors?
Though both mediums do have their fair share of pros and cons, would one be better suited to the wizarding world? We will explore the pros of both the live-action and the animated mediums and see which one is the better choice when its comes to bringing the magic of the Harry Potter world to life.
Cartoon: Book Accurate Appearances
One of the biggest reasons that any future Potter-reboots should be animated would be the ease of which animators could create book accurate characters. Let's face it, some of the character descriptions were simply not practical to do in a live-action film. Dudley could not be wider than he was tall, having Sirius as thin as he was described in the books would not be healthy, and if Hagrid was as tall as he was meant to be, it would be impossible to include him and the children in the same shot.
But those sorts of things could easily be achieved in an animated version of the series and the more extreme character descriptions would not stand out as unnatural as such things are commonplace and easily accepted in animated films (where they could be seen as rather uncanny and unrealistic in a live-action film.)
Live-Action: Feels More Magical
Even though an animated version would be able to explore the magic on a grander scale, the live-action version of the series feels more magical than an animated film ever could. The simple reason for that is that talking animals, magic spells, and flying through the air are completely normal occurrences in children's animation and the suspension of disbelief the medium creates.
But bringing that magic into a live-action production makes it feel more real to the audience because they are seeing it in a world that resembles their own (a world where these sorts of things are not commonplace and tend to stand out.)
Cartoon: Peeves Can Finally Be Included
Some sillier elements of the story, like Peeves, were left out of the films as it was rather difficult to keep them included without making the films too cartoonish. But if one is making a cartoon then they will be more likely to embrace the sillier side of the series without affecting the more emotional moments due to the suspension of disbelief that the animation provides.
Fans were truly heartbroken when they realized that Peeves was never going to be included in the series but there is no way that he would be left out of an animated adaptation. He was made for that medium.
Live-Action: Watching The Characters Grow
One of our favourite things about the live action films was watching the characters grow up as the films progressed. Seeing them go from chubby-cheeked kids to fully grown adults was fascinating and growing up alongside them was one of the best parts of growing up as a part of the Potter generation.
Though it would be possible to slowly age the animated characters as the series progresses, and one could even easily include the scars that the children gather along the way, growing up alongside the characters was a truly magical experience that could be lost in an animated version of the series.
Cartoon: New Levels Of Magic
Though we love the films, it is important to note that the spells could have been much grander. Most spells emit a bit of light and sparkle and then fizzle out. An animated version of the series could take its magic to the next level and create unique and beautiful effects to follow each and every spell and potion.
The more practical everyday magic could even be taken up a knotch through animation. Sparkling effects could appear around a characters head if they ingest enchanted food items, a trail could follow brooms and balls during Quidditch, and potions could create colourful puffs of smoke and swirling steam while being brewed.
Live-Action: Hinder Adult Themes
Though an animated version of the series could really enhance the magical aspects as well as the sillier moments that we all love, it could affect some of the more adult themes in the series.
The series is labeled as a children's' fantasy series, however, the later books contain several serious themes including abuse, racism, and the beginnings of a genocide. Though many other films and shows have been able to juggle the animated medium and more adult themes in the past, some people write off animated media as "simple kids entertainment" and that could cause the more adult themes in the series to be written off as well.
Cartoon: Fantastic Beasts
Though we love the original films more than life itself, it was disappointing that we barely got to see any of the fantastical beasts that make up the animal population of the wizarding world. Even in the new series named after said creatures, the beast content has been severely lacking.
Switching the series over to animation instead of live-action could make these creatures much more frequent in the films as animating these nonsensical creatures would be much simpler than figuring out how to create one that is both accurate to the books and realistic enough to be believable in a live-action film.
Live-Action: Practical Effects
Though we do love animation, there is just something so fascinating about films that choose to use practical effects. Seeing the level of effort and work that goes into creating something fantastical and realistic for films is truly awe-inspiring and one of the most rewarded aspects of the movie-watching experience.
Masks, prosthetics, and sets that play on one's perspective are just some of the ways that Hollywood gets to work its movie magic onscreen and this art would be lost if the movie was simply animated instead.
Cartoon: Safely Go Bigger
If the films were to be animated, the action and magic-based sequences could go farther and bigger than they did in the films. They would not have to figure out how to make the magic believable as the medium would allow for a certain degree of suspension of disbelief and they could recreate scenes from the books that would have been dangerous or impractical to have recreated with real actors.
An animated version of the story could include larger-scale spells, grander scenes, and really take the magic to the next level. The characters could experience some of the more comical and intense moments from the books with ease. And we are all for including more classic book moments.
Live-Action: Feels Real
The fact that these films are set in our own world and brought to life with real peoples makes the magic and the story feel much more real to the audiences. Animated films, though brilliant, bring a layer of separation between the characters and the viewers. It makes the world feel more fantastical and, in doing so, can often take away a level of immersion for the audience or even make the stakes of the climax feel not as high as everything tends to work out in animated films.
Keeping the films live action makes it feel like this magical world could easily be a part of our own world. The idea that any lonely child could watch the films, see themselves in the character of Harry, and know that one day they will be able to escape their current circumstances and live the most wonderful and magical life is something that is truly important to the series itself and might be lost if the medium were to be changed.