With a new name to signal new moves for its future, Max recently came out with the announcement that a new Harry Potter series is being given the green light for development. And while there has been a lot of criticism being thrown around, there's an opportunity for the team behind this idea, including J.K. Rowling herself, to create magic and capture lighting the second time around. Although there are a lot of ways to make that happen, there are certain things that must be included. We take a look below at several details fans would love to see in the new series about The Boy Who Lived on Max.
5 biggest things we want to see in Max's new Harry Potter series
5. A cast credible enough to carve their own path from the original stars
One of the biggest questions in everyone's minds is how will Max find a group of people that can hold a candle to the original cast. For starters, the performance of the main trio – Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson – gave life to Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger and defined their characters on the big screen. Add the likes of Alan Rickman, Richard Harris, Michael Gambon, Gary Oldman, and Helena Bonham Carter, among others, and the odds against Max's new Harry Potter series just increased by a lot.
That's why Max must do its homework well and gather a cast of individuals that can at least differentiate the series into its own thing without being overwhelmed by the movie version of the beloved books by J.K. Rowling. If it fails, expect Max and Rowling to fold the upcoming series before it can even succeed. But both parties manage to achieve this feat, fans will readily flock to the new project faster than anyone can utter accio.
4. Cameo appearances from the movie cast
Speaking of the movie cast, it wouldn't really be the worst thing in the world when one or several stars from the Harry Potter movies appear in Max's new series. While the main goal here is to find an identity apart from the films themselves, having someone like Helena Bonham Carter or one of the three main characters appear in a short cameo will definitely break the internet.
Of course, for this idea to succeed, the cameo and the original cast member appearing in it must have a good reason for doing so. Plus, the execution must be done well to properly sell it to viewers. And if possible, moving a step further is having one of the original cast play a recurring part, like a Hogwarts professor or someone from the Ministry of Magic. One good example is having the aforementioned Bonham Carter play the role of Molly Weasley. Again, if this is done right, Max's Harry Potter series will have all the hype and attention it needs to succeed.
3. A captivating new take on how the Wizarding World will look like
Before Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone premiered in 2001, fans didn't have any idea what the Wizarding World inside J.K. Rowling's mind would look like. Fortunately, the first movie, and all the subsequent films after that, knocked the ball out of the park.
The thing is, that was more than 20 years ago since Sorcerer's Stone and 10 years since Deathly Hallows Part 2, the final film in the Harry Potter franchise. Even though the series itself isn't that old, fans would like to see a new take on the Wizarding World, and everything in it. That means an updated look when it comes to Hogwarts, the robes students will wear in school, the Ministry of Magic, even the Death Eaters for when they eventually appear.
That also means a new approach to the characters themselves without straying too far from canon. Fans will want to see a refreshing update on Harry and his friends, and how Voldermort will be adapted for the series, without the core physical characteristics of these individuals being altered that much. If the world of Harry Potter and the people inhabiting it gets a fresh look for modern times, it would certainly be more reason for viewers to stay tuned every once the series hits Max.
2. More time to delve into the story itself
One of the main gripes about the movies was how they sacrificed certain parts of the books just to fit the story on the big screen. As a result, some Quidditch matches and particular character arcs, to name a few, were cut out in the name of keeping the films within acceptable viewing time. With Max giving Rowling the green light on a new series, that won't be a problem anymore.
If all things go well, the new Harry Potter series on Max will have a full season for each of the seven books Rowling wrote. In this way, the showrunners and the famed author will have sufficient time to flesh out all of the characters while giving more life to the Wizarding World. Plus, fans won't have to worry anymore about not catching Gryffindor's finals match against Slytherin in Prisoner of Azkaban, unlike the film, which left this fun part out from fans.
1. Maintain the same sense of awe and wonder from the movies
Right before the movies came out, fans of the franchise only had four books to scratch their itch – Sorcerer's Stone, Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban, and Goblet of Fire. That's why when the movie adaptation of Rowling's first book in the series came out, people lined up for it with the expectation to see Harry's world come out from the pages. Suffice to say, the whole franchise delivered when it comes to handing out awe and wonder in that regard.
Even though Max's new series will have a different cast and take on Harry's adventures, the streaming service must make it a point to keep that same sense of awe and wonder alive for the project to succeed. It can be done by giving the source material a refreshing approach, hiring a cast that will rise up above everyone's expectations, and delivering an adaptation that will have everyone buzzing.
Whatever the case may be, Max and Rowling need to make the new Harry Potter series as captivating as possible while setting it apart from the beloved films. While that may seem like an impossible task, it's the only way for this project to win. If it delivers these things and more, fans will surely carry the project toward success, both critically and financially.
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