Director David Yates, best known for his work on the Harry Potter movies, spoke publicly for the first time about the upcoming reboot bringing in a new crop of actors.
After eight Harry Potter movies based on J.K. Rowling's best-selling books along with three Fantastic Beasts spin-offs, the Hogwarts-centered series is now set for a full-blown reboot as an episodic series coming to Max.
With franchise stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson all having moved on from the magical story, this new reboot is set to recast their roles and give fans a new look at the Wizarding World over the coming years.
Harry Potter Director's Thoughts on Reboot
While discussing his work on the new Netflix movie Pain Hustlers with ComicBook.com, director David Yates spoke for the first time about the upcoming reboot of the Harry Potter series as a show on Max.
Yates directed the final four Harry Potter movies in the original eight-film franchise and took on the same position for all three of Eddie Redmayne's Fantastic Beasts movies.
When asked if he could see himself diving into more Potter, Yates was clear that he "could not, in any conceivable way, get involved" with the new series, calling his current work "more compelling than going through the hallowed gates of Hogwarts:"
"Do you know what? Honestly, I could not, in any conceivable way, get involved. It’s simply: I spent a long time at that school, in those corridors and in those classrooms, and it was an exquisite experience and one I will always treasure. But to go back and do another year or two, for me, I feel I’ve left it. Being in the back of a van with [producer] Lawrence [Grey] in Atlanta of Savannah, hoofing it to try and make a drama, to me, at the moment, is more compelling than going through the hallowed gates of Hogwarts."
However, Yates also offered the new team his best wishes, expressing his excitement "to see them re-explore all it can be for the next generation" of viewers and creatives:
"I wish that show so well, it’s gonna be amazing to see them re-explore all it can be for the next generation. I think it’ll be a challenge for everyone involved, but it’s a very exciting enterprise and I wish it well. It was an amazing experience for me, and I know the other filmmakers who were involved, and it will be for the next generation of filmmakers."
When Will Harry Potter Reboot Be Released?
Considering how Harry Potter is still being utilized as one of Warner Bros.' biggest promotional tools, the prevailing thought is that the studio will want to work quickly on pulling this reboot together.
While it's still unknown if the book's original writer, J.K. Rowling, will be involved with this new series, having the first 11 movies from the Wizarding World series as a start should help move preproduction along without too much delay.
A new group of actors is set to take on versions of Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger, and more at a younger age, with rumors pointing to the studio already looking at who to cast in the leading roles.
And with stars like Rupert Grint feeling protective over their past roles and wanting the series to be done right, the hope is that Warner Bros. will put forth its best effort to deliver the best recasting possible for this legacy franchise.
The upcoming Harry Potter reboot is currently without a release timeframe.
