A new Harry Potter fan video reimagined the adult cast with American actors, and it's incredibly convincing. The film adaptions of J.K. Rowling's beloved bestselling books, catapulted the franchise to new levels of success by breathing life into the iconic story. Credit is in large part due to the stellar casting choices from a largely British talent pool.
Producers of the movies and J.K. Rowling herself were strongly against casting American actors in the coveted roles. Of course, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was directed by Chris Columbus, a native of Pennsylvania, who suggested some red-white-and-blue talent for the first film. For instance, his powerhouse friend, Robin Williams, was apparently a Warner Bros. frontrunner for Hagrid in the early stages. While it's hard to imagine the large cast any other way, fans have certainly let their imaginations swirl.
Youtube user, Race Archibold, shared a magical "deepfake" edit that recasts the adults in Harry Potter as American stars. The clip, which quickly amassed tens of thousands of views, opens on veteran screenwriter, Steve Kloves, and Rowling discussing how they didn't want an American cast for the franchise. From there, Archibold treats viewers to a glimpse of what a USA-heavy Harry Potter could've looked like. Check out the video below:
The inspired choices include: Morgan Freeman as Dumbledore, Adam Driver as Snape, Meryl Streep as Professor Minerva McGonagall, Keanu Reeves as Sirius Black, Matthew McConaughey as Garrick Ollivander, Nicholas Cage as Voldemort, Michael Cera as Professor Quirrell, Samuel L. Jackson as Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, Jeff Goldblum as Nearly Headless Nick, Melissa McCarthy as Mrs. Weasley, Seth Rogen as Mr. Weasley, Jon Hamm as Lucius Malfoy, Bob Odenkirk as Remus Lupin, Kathy Bates as Dolores Umbridge, Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Bellatrix Lestrange, Jason Momoa as Rubeus Hagrid and Kate McKinnon as Rita Skeeter.
The video then throws in some quick cuts of: Steve Buscemi as Argus Filch, Shia LaBeouf as the Knight Bus Conductor, Frances McDormand as Professor Pomona Sprout, Sam Rockwell as Gilderoy Lockhart, and even Leonardo DiCaprio as Barty Crouch, Jr. The least believable cameo was also the most hilarious. Timothée Chalamet jumping up and down on a bed as Dobby is something the wizarding world never knew it needed.
The deepfake clip elicits tons of double takes, with many of the American stars looking nearly identical to the actual Harry Potter cast. Jon Hamm as Lucius is perhaps the most convincing. The Mad Men leading man and Jason Isaacs, who played Malfoy's malevolent dad, are considered celebrity doppelgänger's in real life. If someone had to touch Alan Rickman's golden performance, many agreed that Adam Driver would make a wonderful 2021 Snape. Overall, the comments section was abuzz with the thought of Nicholas Cage as Voldemort. While no one can touch Ralph Fiennes' wickedly haunting performance, if "He Who Must Not Be Named" has to be re-named, Cage might make a pretty spirited choice.
Source: Race Archibold