David Thewlis has finally ended the long held speculation of whether he is in the next Harry Potter TV series or not. The legendary actor who will always be remembered as the kind and sorrowful Remus Lupin has assured that he will not come back to the world of wizards in the new adaptation of the book. The reasons behind his choice are not bitterness or lack of interest, but a clear-headed perception of time, maturity, and the creative necessity to progress and not to retrace our steps.
Remus Lupin is one of the most emotionally relatable figures of the Harry Potter universe among a number of fans. Thewlis introduced warmth, restraint and deep humanity into a character of loss and moral courage as the quiet and compassionate professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. That performance continues to stand even decades later, perhaps the reason why the inquiries on a comeback have been trailing him ever since the news of a reboot spread.
Thewlis specifically and explicitly discussed the subject in a recent interview with ScreenTime published on February 8. I would be too old to act my original character, I said. And no I would not wish to go back into it. The message was not complex, yet resolute, and it put an end to any chances that legacy actors would recreate their roles in the new series.
The 62 year old actor further confessed that all the speculation is tiring. “I’ve had quite enough of that. I am tired of discussing it, I am quite honestly, you see? His tone did not show the slightest bit of resentment, but the impression of a person who thinks that he has said everything possible that there is to say about an episode of his life which the populace will never permit to get free of.
It is not that chapter which Thewlis dismisses lightly. Although he is not interested in going back, he noted the special role that Harry Potter has especially amongst the younger generation. It is good since with Harry Potter, it is children, he added. And children get quite impressionable, and very awed, and it is very nice to make children cheerful. It is a feeling that explains why the franchise has been able to survive. Harry Potter was not only entertainment to many viewers but an experience that formed them and actors such as Thewlis contributed towards the creation of that magic.
Thewlis stood alongside Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson as well as Rupert Grint when the film series was at its cultural pinnacle. A combination of that cast made a favorite range of books into an international craze that was a generation. However, to Thewlis, the emotional worth of such a period does not carry over into an urge to revisit it. Similar to most actors who have left behind iconic roles, he seems to be more concerned about the future rather than the successes of the past.
That philosophy is evidently being aimed at by the new Harry Potter television series. The producers have been determined to recast the main characters rather than banking on the nostalgic element of using the recognizable faces. Domic McLaughlin will take the role of Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton will play the role of Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout will play Ron Weasley. This practice is an indication of a clean creative start and the new generations of viewers will have characters that they can own liberated of the unending references to the film version.
Among the most discussed casting decisions is the veteran actor John Lithgow who played Albus Dumbledore. Lithgow had been versatile in his career in stage, film, and television; he has candidly discussed the pressure of playing such an iconic role. In an interview with ScreenRant last February, he also confessed, It was not an easy choice, because it will mark the final chapter of my life, I fear. But I’m very excited.” His statement echoes the fact that entering the Harry Potter world could not be another acting assignment, but a career-defining one.
Lithgow was also more personal in his interpretation of the decision, as well as the size and duration of the project. There are some excellent individuals who are returning to Harry Potter. This is the reason why it has been a difficult decision. At the wrap party, I will be nearly 87 years old, but I have said yes. The comment is a humorous comment that is mixed with the truth in that this business is not only exciting, but also requires many years, not months, to become part of a franchise.
Subsequently, in the SmartLess podcast, Lithgow took an even more light-hearted tone when talking about his role. He said, Dumbledore is kind the nuclear weapon. He comes on very very now and then. I do not believe it will be so difficult a task, we will simply go back and forth. The comment provided some relief to fans of the show who were worried about the physical strain of the role, as well as prefiguring the ways in which it could be exploited in the larger story structure of the series.
Combined, these utterances point towards a generation transition of the Harry Potter world. Such actors as Thewlis are deciding to maintain the authenticity of their original presentations by not altering them, but allowing the new actors to redefine the same world to a new audience. It is a fine line between reverence to the past and being open to re-invention, and all fans will not feel at ease with it.
Inevitably, there is a feeling of loss to the viewers who had grown up with the films and wished to see familiar faces back. Simultaneously, the non-consent of Thewlis reminds a significant fact about the process of storytelling: stories do not survive due to their repetition, but they are told with new voices and different visions. It seems more a protest against Harry Potter than a formal rejection of it, an expression of artistic integrity.
