For some, the Harry Potter TV adaptation can’t come quickly enough – but a reported change to the wizarding world has left some fans questioning whether it will be everything they had hoped.
The new generation of witches and wizards are currently filming, as HBO sets about adapting each of JK Rowling’s tomes into a season of television.
The show is part of a ten-year plan to bring a new generation of viewers to the long-untouched Hogwarts IP.
It has now been reported that the set-up for the TV show is going to be slightly different from the films, with an actor said to have been cast as the narrator.
In what will mark a tonal shift from the films, British actor Tom Turner has been named for the role, according to Collider.
The news that the story could be framed or guided by a narrator’s voiceover has been met with mixed results from fans, for what is already a divisive adaptation, given executive producer and author Rowling’s transphobic beliefs.
Some Potter fans have taken to X to respond to the news – which is not yet confirmed at this point – and questioned whether a narrator is necessary.
Who is Tom Turner?
The actor has appeared in the Steven Spielberg film Ready Player One and Disney’s 2021 reboot of Cruella – and is now said to be lending his pipes to Potter.
He currently has no upcoming projects, according to IMDb, but there’s no official word on his involvement as of yet. We will definitely know for sure in 2027, when the first batch of episodes is set to be released.
Harry Potter TV series: What we know so far’
Showrunner: Francesca Gardiner
Director: Mark Mylod
Cast: HBO has confirmed Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout have been cast as Harry, Hermione and Ron in their first screen acting roles.
The production had shared a swathe of casting announcements, with John Lithgow set to play headmaster Albus Dumbledore, I May Destroy You star Paapa Essiedu taking on Severus Snape and Nick Frost as Hagrid.
The one cast member we still don’t know is Voldemort.
Release: 2027
How have fans reacted?
In a word: mixed. In a few words: mixed, leaning toward negative.
Taking to X after the report dropped, @ZealmanPlays wrote: ‘Oh I’m not really sure how I feel about a narrator. Unless it’s for a recap “previously on Harry Potter..” kinda thing. Would be immersion-breaking to have it throughout the episodes.’
@HogwartExpress1 also questioned whether the show needs a narrator, writing: ‘The films weren’t narrated and I’ve never seen a narration of a book in a TV series before? Yet another reason to completely avoid this series.’
@shanesm37478239 wrote: ‘In my humble opinion, whether it be audiobook or TV series, narrators need to stay away from Harry Potter, your already having the story acted out for you, with pictures, very slowly, for a decade, why do you need a narrator as well?’
But not everyone was wholly against the idea, with @aRVe_tweets writing: ‘A narrator in the HBO Harry Potter series could add depth and whimsical nostalgia, framing the story like a magical legend, giving context and emotion, and making the wizarding world feel timeless and mythic, with a literary touch that nods to its origins in the books.’
Metro contacted HBO for comment.
The Harry Potter TV series will premiere in 2027.
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