Jason Isaacs Promises HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Will Surprise Fans Despite Set Photo Backlash

Jason Isaacs, who played Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, is speaking out about HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series, promising that it will be very different from the movies fans know and love.

The comments come amid criticism of early set photos and casting choices, which have sparked debate online.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Isaacs praised Johnny Flynn, the actor playing the new Lucius Malfoy. “Johnny will do his own thing. Maybe he’ll be more charming. I doubt that he’ll look like me, because that was the look I came up with and he’s far too original to want to copy anything,” Isaacs said.

He emphasized that the new series is designed for a fresh take on the story. “They’re redesigning everything from scratch. They’re redesigning Hogwarts and the costumes and they’re writing all these fabulous new scripts that are expanding each book into whole season. And it’ll be fab — it’ll be for a new generation. It’ll be their version of Harry Potter.”

Fans have already voiced mixed reactions to casting announcements and the first look images. Nick Frost, who will play Hagrid, drew divided opinions after Warner Bros shared a photo of the actor in full costume.

Some fans praised Frost’s portrayal, while others felt the look was off, saying it resembled cosplay rather than the character from the books and films.

Paapa Essiedu, cast as Severus Snape, has also faced criticism. Headlines in outlets like The Mail and Telegraph highlighted that some fans objected to the actor’s race, claiming it didn’t match the traditional depiction of Snape.

The backlash included racist and bigoted commentary online, focusing on the deviation from “book accuracy.” Essiedu and the production team are expected to face ongoing scrutiny as the series progresses, which is planned to run for up to ten years.

Arabella Stanton, who has been cast as Hermione Granger, experienced similar backlash. Her ethnicity became a trending topic on Google, and many of the Instagram comments under her announcement were negative, with some targeting her race.

HBO had to disable comments on the post to prevent further harassment, though positive messages were also removed in the process.

Despite the criticism, Isaacs remains confident in the new adaptation and its direction. He believes the series will bring a fresh perspective and appeal to a new generation of viewers, rather than simply replicating the movies.

“It’s their version of Harry Potter,” he noted, reinforcing that the creative team is reimagining Hogwarts, the characters, and the stories for a contemporary audience.

The HBO series is still in production, and fans will have to wait to see how these changes translate on screen. While the casting and early visuals have caused controversy, Isaacs’ comments suggest that the show is committed to originality and a modern retelling of the classic Harry Potter universe.

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