Chris Columbus Declines HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Reboot, Calls J.K. Rowling Controversy ‘Very Sad’

Chris Columbus, the director behind the first two Harry Potter films and producer of the third, has said he has no interest in joining HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter reboot.

Speaking with Variety in London while promoting Netflix’s Thursday Murder Club, Columbus explained that he feels he has already completed his work in the Wizarding World. “No, I’ve done it, you saw my version,” he said. “There’s nothing left for me to do in the world of Potter.”

Even though Columbus won’t be returning, he praised the TV reboot and expressed excitement for what it can accomplish. He explained that the films could never include every scene or character from J.K. Rowling’s books.

Seeing early photos of Nick Frost as Hagrid and newcomer Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter gave Columbus a strong sense of nostalgia. “Because it was exactly where we were 20 years ago!” he said, recalling the challenges of filming with young actors on set.

Columbus also expressed pride in Daniel Radcliffe’s growth as an adult and actor. He explained that lessons from working with Macaulay Culkin on Home Alone helped him protect Radcliffe and the other young actors.

Columbus also praised Radcliffe’s stage work, saying, “There’s a sense of pride to see Daniel Radcliffe win a Tony Award. It was just remarkable. Seeing him on stage and seeing how incredibly talented he is as a musical comedic actor was just very moving for me.”

When asked about J.K. Rowling, whose controversial comments on trans identity have drawn widespread criticism, Columbus expressed a more measured view. “I like to sometimes separate the artist from the art, I think that’s important to do,” he said. “It’s unfortunate, what’s happened. I certainly don’t agree with what she’s talking about. But it’s just sad, it’s very sad.”

In short, Columbus won’t be joining the HBO reboot because he feels his chapter in the Wizarding World is complete, but he supports the new series and hopes it can explore parts of the story that the films couldn’t fully bring to life.

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