HBO Has Plans To Keep New Harry Potter Cast From Aging Problems Unlike Stranger Things

Key Takeaways

HBO’s Harry Potter TV series will feature younger actors aged 9-11.
The production team aims to film Harry Potter seasons 1 and 2 very close together time-wise to prevent noticeable cast aging.
The delays in the production of Netflix’s Stranger Things ended up with the cast members playing roles that are much younger than them.

As a fan who grew up with Harry Potter and has watched Stranger Things since its inception, I can’t help but feel a sense of relief and anticipation regarding HBO’s upcoming adaptation. The decision to cast younger actors for the Harry Potter series is wise, considering the aging issues that have plagued shows like Stranger Things.

The Harry Potter TV series is one of the anticipated shows on HBO. The series is expected to have several seasons, but the people behind it already know how to avoid the aging issues that the cast could encounter due to delays in production, as is the case for Stranger Things.

2023 marks the announcement of a TV series adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” by HBO Max. Unlike the movies that graced our cinemas, this TV show will feature fresh and younger actors aged between 9 and 11 playing the iconic roles. The series is said to be more aligned with the book events compared to the big-screen adaptations, as it plans to span seven seasons, one for each book. While there are concerns about the cast members aging during filming, the production team seems prepared to handle this challenge.

Casey Bloys, the head of HBO, acknowledged that as they plan for the “Harry Potter” TV series, they’ve thought about how the children would grow and change over time since the show could span several years. “It’s something we’re contemplating,” Bloys explained to TV Line. One idea they discussed was filming seasons 1 and 2 back-to-back due to the significant changes that occur in a child’s life between ages 11 and 13. However, they can stretch it to around ages 13 to 15. To manage this, they will need to carefully schedule and shoot the series to minimize the children’s physical transformation between seasons. This is something they are taking into account.

It would be wise for HBO to structure their filming schedule considering the cast’s age, as Netflix’s Stranger Things has garnered humor due to this same issue. The significant gap between the young actors and their character ages was noticeable because seasons were released years apart, yet in the plot, events transpired only weeks apart. Consequently, the actors had to portray characters younger than themselves. The show’s initial trailer from July depicted the cast members on a bike ride at a much younger age. Millie Bobby Brown stated that she was ten when filming Stranger Things began, but she was already 20 during recording which felt “strange.” Caleb McLaughlin, who plays Lucas, even jokingly addressed the delayed Season 5 of Stranger Things by sharing a photo with co-stars Sadie Sink and Maya Hawkeye on X (formerly Twitter), editing it to show them as older characters, hinting at the long wait.

It would be prudent for HBO to strategize their approach towards managing the aging of their cast members, as the transformation in their physical appearance becomes noticeable during adolescence. When the age difference becomes glaringly obvious, it can weaken the narrative’s impact. It is crucial that actors portray characters close to their own age to avoid distraction due to them appearing too old or too young for their roles. This is particularly relevant in series like “Stranger Things” and “Harry Potter,” where the cast members’ ages are essential for maintaining the continuity of the multi-year storylines. In planning these productions, it is important to consider the characters’ development and how the age disparity will be handled as the main cast grows older over the years.

Harry Potter is expected to premiere on HBO Max in 2026.

2024-11-28 17:23

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