Chris Columbus, director of the first two Harry Potter films, has expressed bewilderment at HBO's upcoming television series adaptation, saying photos of Hagrid's costume left him wondering what the point of the remake is.
Speaking on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast, Columbus said he saw unofficial photos of the HBO series filming in London and noticed that Rubeus Hagrid's costume and body double were nearly identical to those used for Robbie Coltrane in the original films. Nick Frost plays Hagrid in the new series.
“So, I’m seeing these photographs … and he’s wearing the exact same costume that we designed for Hagrid. Part of me was like: What’s the point?” Columbus said. “I thought everything was going to be different, but it’s more of the same. It’s all going to be the same.”
Columbus, who directed Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, added that while the similarity was flattering, it also felt like déjà vu. He said he was not jealous of the HBO series, which will have more time to adapt the books, and that he has moved on from the franchise.
The comments come as Columbus promotes his new Netflix film The Thursday Murder Club, based on Richard Osman's novels.
