Dumbledore actor's son throws shade at Harry Potter reboot: "Why do it?"

When Max announced it was making a Harry Potter TV show last year, the news was met with a mixed reception. We already have eight fantastic movies, right? But on the other hand, a long-running serialized version can adapt J.K. Rowling's books in much more depth than the movies ever could. It's a complicated case, for sure.

No matter your thoughts on the remake, the reality remains: Max's Harry Potter TV show is officially on the way. In fact, the streamer has given the show a 10-year commitment to adapt the books through to their conclusion. The series is currently in development, and the casting team recently issued an open casting call for its three key characters: Harry, Ron and Hermione.

In the months after the announcement, many members of the cast and crew from the original movies have spoken out. Daniel Radcliffe, Harry himself, is highly supportive of the new endeavor; Bonnie Wight (Ginny) can't wait to see it; and Gary Oldman (Sirius Black) has already voiced his desire to play Professor Dumbledore.

The response from the original cast has been mostly positive. But there are still those who aren't convinced. Take Jared Harris (Foundation, Chernobyl), the son of Richard Harris, who played Dumbledore in the original movies. Jared recently threw shade at the idea of a reboot.

Given that Jared Harris is an extremely accomplished actor himself, The Independent asked about whether he'd be interested in following in his father's footsteps to play Dumbledore in the reboot. “No, thank you,” he responded. “Also, I mean, why do it? I don’t understand. The films were fantastic – leave them alone.”

Richard Harris played Dumbledore for the first two movies in the original series — Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets — until he sadly passed away in 2002. The role was then taken over by Michael Gambon, who played Dumbledore in the remaining six movies.

Max's Harry Potter series doesn't have a release date yet. These are still early days. Season 1 is estimated to hit screens sometime in 2026 or 2027. Will you be watching?

To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and Twitter account, sign up for our exclusive newsletter and check out our YouTube channel.