Summary
Harry Potteris one of the most beloved fantasy franchises of all time, and a big reason for that is its family appeal. By blending comedy, romance, fantasy, and action, J.K. Rowling created a compelling and easy-to-connect-with story for all ages, and the movies highlighted that.
However, there is a darker side to theHarry Potterfranchise. Rowling’s world features plenty of scary locations and characters, with some of the scenes truly shocking. That’s why HBO would be smart to take the upcoming television series in a slightly darker tone to grip audiences on a weekly basis.
Why HBO’s Harry Potter Should Be Darker
TheHarry Pottermovies showcase the story in a balanced way with lots of humor and heart alongside some of the more serious plot points and characters that audiences might find scary. While HBO should keep some of the funnier aspects, tapping into this franchise’s more frightening and darker aspects would be wise because they are some of the story’s most exciting and thrilling parts.
HBO’sHarry Potteris going to be looking to separate itselffrom the movies despite being based on the same story. That’s something that can be achieved because so many details, characters, and storylines were left on the cutting room floor when the movies were created. Even characters that audiences think they know and love have elements about them that could easily be made darker as part of the show to perhaps create a more adult-orientated series that will help the show thrive in the long term.
Television tends to thrive much more when there’s drama, and the show being slightly darker in tone would allow for that to happen. It would create a series that adults would be likely to binge-watch and tune into every week, and that’s going to be a crucial audience for HBO to tap into if this series is going to be a success in the long term. While it doesn’t need to go as seriously assomething likeGame of Thrones, there are plenty of ways to makeHarry Potterslightly more serious and tense, which would help create a fabulous show.
Which Characters Would Work For These Scenes?
Harry Pottermight be aimed at a family audience, but the story itself has many intense characters that could easily be tapped into to take the show to a darker place.The obvious option is Lord Voldemort, as he can be visually scary, but at the same time, he provides a menacing presence that is sure to frighten people if he’s given a darker and more serious tone within the television series. However, many other characters would work well if given more serious and darker scenes.
Bellatrix Lestrange is a perfect example of a character that could be enhanced by being given an even darker edge if HBOdove into her backstoryto provide more information about who she is and why she acts the way she does. The entire Black family is worth exploring more because of that, with this being one example of a story and characters that don’t get the full explanation they deserve in the movies due to time restraints and how much had to be balanced at that time.
The Malfoy family is another set of characters who have a much darker tone in the books, as things don’t always run smoothly for them. There’s an element of fear within everything Lucius does, and that could be highlighted in more detail if there was room for some darker, more serious scenes in the show. Fenrir Greyback also has an interesting story that should be looked at over the course of a lengthy TV series, as he’s more than just a werewolf that can provide the obvious visual fear.
Even some of the heroes, such as Neville Longbottom, have to go through some very dark and traumatic situations within the novels that simply aren’t explored in the movies. In the films, Neville is seen as a comedic side character until the end, when he becomes a true hero. Still, if his full story and the difficulties he goes through due tohow Bellatrix treated his parentsin the past are explored properly, then his character arc will be far stronger when he steps out of the background.
Overall, HBO’s decision to make theHarry Potterseries much darker will benefit the show. It will draw in older audiences who might be more likely to watch weekly television, and creating unique storylines that will be engaging and force viewers to connect from a deeper emotional perspective will help create a show that has depth and entertainment at the same time.
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