Harry Potter is one hot property. J.K. Rowling's successful book has spawned eight movies (eleven with Fantastic Beasts) and countless games, the latest being the acclaimed Hogwarts Legacy. Despite those projects being fresh in minds of fans, Warner Bros. has announced a TV remake for HBO Max. Many see this as unnecessary since the films already translated material beautifully. Nevertheless, longtime loyalists might be interested in this small-screen adaptation.
Each season will cover roughly one book, meaning that filmmakers can portray the stories in infinitely more detail. As such, the show will likely include several sequences previously left on the cutting room floor. Most of these have nothing to do with the main narrative, but they do aid in world-building. Because of that, die-hard fans may rejoice at another deep dive into the Harry Potter realm.
5 St. Mungo's
One location entirely absent from the movies is St. Mungo's. This is the leading wizard hospital. Several characters are tenants here at some point, from Neville's parents to Ron's dad. Because of that, the heroes have personal reasons to go here, usually for family visits. Ironically, though, the most memorable patient is completely unrelated.
In Order of the Phoenix, Harry and his friends run across Gilderoy Lockhart. This famous fraud accidentally erases his own memory in Chamber of Secrets. Slowly but surely, the doctors are piecing his mind back together. By the time the heroes see him again, he's regained enough of his wits (and vanity) to offer autographs to visitors. Some things never change. At least Gilderoy's silliness makes for an amusing callback. After the Chamber of Secrets film, he's gone without comment, perhaps so that Kenneth Branagh could go back to directing Shakespeare.
4 The Quidditch World Cup
The Goblet of Fire film opens with the characters attending this championship Quidditch match, but it cuts away just as the game begins. Only readers get to experience the whole thing. From its description, it feels like a real sporting event. Rowling even offers a play-by-play of how each team fares. Unfortunately, Bulgarian Seeker Viktor Krum catches the Snitch, but the points earned can't offset the lead that Ireland's team gains. This result isn't ideal, but it is authentic. Sometimes, people go to these big stadium games only to watch their teams lose. Luckily, the sport is only half the appeal.
The Quidditch World Cup is also a place for characters to socialize. The heroes use that chance to reunite with old friends. For example, Harry catches up with his former Quidditch captain, Oliver Wood, who has since graduated from Hogwarts. This shows how the world and characters evolve outside of Harry's orbit, which is something that the films can't do without losing focus.
3 S.P.E.W.
Another familiar face at the Quidditch Cup is Dobby, the house elf whom Harry frees in Chamber of Secrets. He's enjoying life without servitude. However, this contrasts wildly with Winky, a house elf under Barty Crouch who remains fiercely loyal even after he fires her. These two worldviews couldn't be more different.
Regardless, Hermione uses them both as her inspiration for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare. This organization campaigns for the humane treatment of house elves and protests their subjugation under wizard rule. Her exploits with this elf rights group allow Dobby and Winky to stay involved as recurring characters throughout the series.
Sadly, Hermione doesn't start this campaign in the movies, so house elf appearances are sporadic. Dobby plays his part in Chamber of Secrets, but he doesn't show up again until the first Deathly Hallows flick. Sure, fans have Kreacher in Order of the Phoenix, but he's little more than a cameo until (again) resurfacing in Deathly Hallows. Not only are these guys enslaved, but they're shortchanged on screen time.
2 Rita Vs. Hermione
Among the more obnoxious Harry Potter characters is Rita Skeeter. This muckraking journalist does anything to attract readers to her articles in the Daily Prophet. Anyone whom she dislikes gets a heaping helping of character assassination. It doesn't matter if her allegations are true or not.
One who runs afoul of this is Hermione. Skeeter paints her as a snooty gold-digger who uses her charm to lure famous wizards like Harry Potter and Viktor Krum. Unfortunately, the crafty heroine learns that Skeeter is an unregistered Animagus; she turns into an animal to spy on people and learn their dirty secrets for her writing. Hermione then exploits this information to blackmail the reporter into silence. How amazing that such a fierce rivalry only gets a few lines of dialogue in the Goblet of Fire movie.
1 Classes
Despite taking place at a school, the movies don't place much emphasis on classes. Granted, that's the case with most high school comedies and dramas. If audiences want to be bored, they can just attend regular classes. However, Hogwarts education provides some of the most relatable moments for young readers, as Harry and company are just as bored.
Throughout the books, the curriculum is a consistent concern. The students' future depends on it, and they're inevitably better at some subjects than others. For instance, Harry and Ron basically fake their way through Divination due to being terrible at it. This culminates in the Ordinary Wizarding Level exams, or O.W.L.
The whole ordeal prompts students to ponder their futures in the Wizarding World. Teachers give advice on which courses to take in order to achieve their chosen career. It's not unlike the career/college preparation that real-life high school students have to complete. It also has nothing to do with Voldemort and his evil schemes, so it only gets occasional lip service in the films. Thus, Harry's academic future amounts to a minor inconvenience. Assuming the creators can translate classes without putting viewers to sleep, emphasizing education can bring the show one step closer to what real teens struggle with.