HBO’s Harry Potter reboot is adding a villain backstory in Season 1, but it’s not the one we need to see. Twenty-five years after Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone first hit theaters, and 29 since the book released in the U.K., the fantasy series is being revamped as a TV show. The movies will prove difficult to top, but a TV format offers the chance to be more faithful to the characters and storylines from the books — and to expand on them in places. While Warner Bros.’ original adaptations had to cut material during the jump to the screen, HBO’s remake can actually add details. It’s a risky line to walk, but done right, it could be a selling point for the new adaptation.
And it seems the changes will be evident as early as Harry Potter Season 1. The HBO show’s trailer reveals we’ll visit the Burrow before we do in the books, suggesting we’ll explore the Weasley family separate from their connection to Harry. Lavender Brown also looks to get more attention in the show, a positive sign for the supporting students at Hogwarts. And now, it’s confirmed that we’re getting a villain narrative that isn’t in the source material. It’s an interesting one, but it’s oddly timed, especially with a more pressing antagonist to explore.
Lucius Malfoy Will Get More Depth in ‘Harry Potter’ Season 1
It Feels Like an Odd Focus for ‘The Philosopher’s Stone’
One of the ways HBO’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone will expand on the books is by giving Lucius Malfoy an earlier introduction, and taking a deeper look at what shapes him as a character. Johnny Flynn, who will play Lucius in the upcoming series, explained his approach to the Malfoy family patriarch during an interview with Radio Times. It hints at what could be explored in Season 1:
“He was one of those kids bullied in his school, and he’s now turned into the bully, so he doesn’t know another way. That’s how I want to play him, because I know those people quite well. On the one hand, they were the people that bullied me, they were the abusers, but at some point, they were the abused. So, nobody’s outright good or bad in the world.”
It’s an interesting angle, and it’s not the only way the Harry Potter remake will give the Malfoys greater depth. Lox Pratt, who is taking over as Draco, told 1883 Magazine that we’ll see Draco separate from his tense interactions with the Golden Trio: “You get to see Draco at home. I won’t spoil too much about that, but there are some brilliant scenes at home where you start to get an insight into how he is.“
Giving the Malfoys more intricate motivations makes sense for the Harry Potter series, especially since they’re so integral to the overall plot. And witnessing fresh sides of such characters is one benefit of finally experiencing this story from outside of Harry’s perspective. However, the choice to focus on the Malfoys in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone does feel oddly timed. Given Lucius’s role in The Chamber of Secrets, I can’t help but feel that would be a better place to dig deeper.
Sure, establishing Lucius early allows the second season to jump right into his terrible treatment of Dobby and manipulation of Ginny Weasley. It could work, but I hope it doesn’t come at the expense of a more important villain backstory. It’s the one Season 1 should center on, as the books and movies leave a lot of lingering questions.
Professor Quirrell Is the ‘Harry Potter’ Villain Who Really Needs a Backstory
His Circumstances Raise A Lot of Questions
While a Lucius Malfoy backstory is intriguing — and highlights a wasted opportunity with Jason Isaacs’s version of the character — Professor Quirrell is the villain who most needs more screen time in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The end of the first book and film reveal that Quirrell is the one attempting to raise Lord Voldemort using the titular stone. He hosts the Dark Lord on the back of his head while he works towards that end. That alone is a situation that demands answers, and the ones we get are hardly sufficient.
We’re told Quirrell locates Voldemort during his travels, seemingly in the hopes of gaining power and respect from their alliance. It’s a big jump from that to allowing the villain to take up residence on the back of his head, however. Even longtime supporters of the Dark Lord would likely think twice before agreeing to that arrangement. The fact that Quirrell doesn’t start as a Death Eater makes his willingness more surprising. Harry Potter Season 1 should explore why he’d go to such disturbing lengths to get what he’s seeking.
After all, we rarely see that ruthlessly ambitious side of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher in the book or film. That’s because they lead us to think Severus Snape is the villain, downplaying Quirrell entirely. That Sorcerer’s Stone twist is so well known by now that the HBO remake doesn’t need to lean into misdirection quite so heavily. Instead, it can highlight Quirrell’s darker qualities, delivering a more well-rounded villain as a result.
With eight episodes to tell its story, Harry Potter Season 1 can technically expand on Quirrell and Lucius in its runtime — and that would be the ideal approach. There’s plenty of time to grapple with what makes Lucius tick, however, while Quirrell only has one season to shine. Hopefully, the remake gives Luke Thallon’s iteration of the character that opportunity.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone debuts on HBO on Dec. 25, 2026.
- Release Date
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2026 – 2026
- Showrunner
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Francisca Gardiner
- Directors
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Mark Mylod
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
