Fans of the Harry Potter world who have a subscription to HBO Max will no longer be able to watch these films on this platform as of August 31st. This news is unfortunate because rewatching the eight original movies is something Potterheads do very often, continually finding new details in their favorite series.
Many times, fans discover some unpleasant things when they decide to start another Harry Potter marathon, and after noticing more flaws, they find these characters less agreeable. Whether the Wesleys to Neville, Redditors have commented on the characters they find completely annoying.
Ron Weasley
A lot of people find Ron Weasley to be funny and charming, but some fans can't stand him. Though the character is Harry's best friend, viewers find it annoying that he's just the movie's comic relief, with absolutely no focus on his character development.
Redditor JerseyJedi contrasts the movie adaptation with Ron's character in the books, who is "way smarter and more multidimensional." Sadly, people who don't read the books will never get to know Ron's more insightful and mature side, which is the reason he's so crucial in Harry's journey.
Neville Longbottom
Neville Longbottom was the butt of the jokes at the beginning of the movies, injuring himself while learning to fly, getting in the way of Harry and his friends when they were trying to save the Philosopher's Stone, and constantly being afraid of everything. However, this character changed drastically along the books, and he became of the biggest heroes of the series.
Still, a lot of people believe Neville's character is simply annoying. Neville's lack of assertiveness rubs Redditors the wrong way, and they can't stand him. Redditor Turbulent-Original28 says that "he is good-hearted, but as a character I do not like him, he is not even a bit interesting and I always skip his parts in movies and books."
Rubeus Hagrid
Though Hagrid is the first person in the Boy Who Lived's life who treats him with kindness, the giant has a lot of flaws. In the first movie, for example, he decides to adopt a dragon, and Harry and his friends have to help him get rid of him. His problem with drinking also gets the trio in problem since Hagrid reveals how to pass over Fluffy to Quirell while drunk in Hog's Head.
While some people can look over Hagrid's mistakes and focus on how supportive he's of Harry and his friends, others find him completely exasperating. Redditor Penguino_ argues that he's a "horrible teacher and a bad role model for the kids, means extremely well but the main characters paper over his massive flaws."
Fred And George Weasley
Fred and George are probably Harry Potter's funniest characters, but not everyone thinks this about them. Though they provide some necessary humor to certain scenes in the movies, some fans believe these characters are overrated.
Redditor 03en7an, for example, explains that "I thought that a lot of their jokes weren’t as funny as people said that they were (although I know everyone has their taste in humour). I also thought they were unnecessarily mean at times." Fred and George are known for making fun of other characters, especially their brothers Ron and Percy, and given their antics, it makes sense that some fans find them to be some of the most annoying Harry Potter characters.
Albus Dumbledore
One of the most complex characters in the series, Dumbledore went from a charismatic yet eccentric authoritative presence to a distant and cold parental figure. Though the powerful wizard is loved by most fans, others believe he made enough mistakes to become an unlikable character, even if Dumbledore is not as morally bad in the movies as he is in the books.
Redditor PrysmX believes that "Dumbledore often made decisions in a bubble without consultation or help of others that might have had better outcomes had he sought or allowed the help." Certainly, Dumbledore's hubris was his own downfall, a lesson he learns way too late in the series. However, there's no doubt this character had a bigger burden than anyone - except maybe Harry - and his decisions were the product of an impossible situation.
Ginny Weasley
Ginny's character in the Harry Potter books is way better than her movie counterpart. Ginny doesn't get a lot of important scenes in the books, but at least J.K. Rowling tries to give her some sort of personality. She's great at Quidditch, has a very strong temperament, and goes around performing a hell of a Bat-Bogey Hex. On top of that, Ginny can be funny and extremely sarcastic, just like her brothers.
For this reason, people find it very annoying that her character in the movies is mostly shy and reserved. Redditor jamesol1 believes that the "movie Ginny should have been that very confident/popular girl she was in the books." Who knows what was the reasoning behind changing this character so much in the movie adaptation, but it certainly didn't resonate with the fans.
Luna Lovegood
Although Luna is one of the sweetest and most loyal characters in the franchise, a lot of people can't stand her eccentricities. As the films already portray, Luna is not an easy-to-like character, and even Harry and his friends have a hard time understanding her at the beginning.
Luna tends to spend a lot of her time speaking about things of which existence there's no real evidence. Because of this, she can get on certain people's nerves, mostly pragmatical and logical people like Hermione. Redditor darcelanastasia says that "Luna Lovegood would be an extremely annoying person to know, let alone befriend." However, even if Luna's unique approach to the world isn't for everyone, the girl still is one of the best friends anyone could ever have.
Hermione Granger
While Hermione is one of the brightest witches of her age, her uptight attitude and inflexible way of approaching life can sometimes make her come across as pedantic. The young witch has one of the kindest hearts, but it takes time to know her and warm up to her, as Harry and Ron did.
However, Redditor xKingGilgameshx "found her personality EXTREMELY unbearable, insufferable and understood 100% why she had zero friends beyond Ron and Harry." Some people simply can't stand Hermione, no matter how much she grows up during the series.
Dobby
Even if Dobby is an amazing character, his first storyline can be infuriating. When he steals Harry's letter from his friends, gets him in trouble with his relatives, and makes him miss the Hogwarts Express, viewers have a hard time connecting with the house elf. Still, people come to see Dobby's motivation, and he became one of the most likable characters in the series.
However, some people find his characters annoying even after The Chamber of Secrets. Redditor Basilisk1667 comments, "I’ve never cared for the cutesy, bug eyed, speaks-in-third-person, blatant comedic relief, dim but endearing character trope." Even if reducing Dobby to this stereotype is a great misunderstanding of the character, it is understandable that some people cannot connect with the stubborn and sometimes misguided house elf.
Harry Potter
The dislike for Harry as a character is less an unpopular opinion than people may believe. Though he's the series' protagonist, there are plenty of fans who can't stand him. A lot of people believe Harry is annoying, self-centered, and temperamental. Redditor theatahhh comments, "I find harry an insufferable turd. Especially when he complains about not wanting this burden, but everything is up to him."
Harry's contradictory ideas and the way he sometimes reacts to situations may be unlikable at times, but it's part of a realistic character of his age. Not only is Harry just a teenager, but he's constantly in life and death situations, and most of the time he doesn't even have control over his own life.