Daniel Radcliffe doesn't want to play The Boy Who Lived in a potential reboot of the hit Harry Potter franchise. Radcliffe shot to stardom at just 11-years-old when he starred in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, the first of eight films in the franchise set in the Wizarding World. Over the next decade, the Harry Potter films would go on to gross over $7.7 billion and solidify the films and novels as one of the most successful young adult franchises of all time. Along with Radcliffe, co-stars Emma Watson and Rupert Grint would go on to become global stars and with the decade anniversary of the final film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 happening this year, talks have swirled about a potential reunion.
Earlier this year, reports indicated that HBO Max was developing a Harry Potter television series, but nothing has come of that yet. Similarly, Radcliffe said a 20-year reunion for the Harry Potter cast was unlikely, mainly because the actor is busy with a myriad of other projects this year. Still, buzz has followed the Harry Potter actors and the franchise in general as longtime fans of the property clamor for any news about a reunion or a revival.
While nothing is on the table yet, that hasn't stopped Radcliffe from thinking about what a revival could look like. In an interview with Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused podcast (via The Wrap), the actor revealed who he would want to play in a potential revival and it's not the character who made him a star. Radcliffe says that, if given the opportunity, he would want to play one of the Marauders, namely Sirius Black or Remus Lupin. Check out Radcliffe's full comments below:
I would probably want to go with like, Sirius or Lupin. Those were always the two characters that I was like ‘They’re great.’ And also like, I’m obviously biased by my experience of filming those scenes, with those people, and they’re like some of my favorite memories.
In Harry Potter, Sirius is godfather to Radcliffe's character, while Lupin was a close friend of Harry's father and a mentor of sorts to the young wizard. Seeing Radcliffe step into either role would be a full circle moment in many ways. Not only would it allow him to mentor another young actor taking on the coveted role of The Boy Who Lived, but it would also put Radcliffe squarely in the role of seasoned wizard. Radcliffe was already seen as an older version of Harry Potter during the epilogue of the final film, but this would be a different kind of nostalgia trip for audiences.
Now, as for whether or not a Harry Potter reboot will actually happen, that remains unclear. While reboots and revivals are all the rage right now, if and when Warner Bros. decides to revive the property, the studio will likely do so with the utmost care. Having Radcliffe back would be a sure fire way to draw in longtime fans while fleshing out the world in different ways, carrying on Harry Potter's legacy while simultaneously forging a new path forward.
Source: Happy Sad Confused podcast (via The Wrap)