Gary Oldman reflected on his Harry Potter role and shared thoughts on the upcoming HBO reboot. In a new interview, he revealed he would have liked the chance to play Dumbledore in the new Harry Potter series. Oldman spoke about joining the films in The Prisoner of Azkaban and explained why he believes his performance as Sirius Black could have been stronger.
Gary Oldman would have liked to be Dumbledore in Harry Potter reboot series
In a video interview with Variety, Oldman said, “I would’ve fancied a go at Dumbledore. I’m getting up there now, it’s the right age for Dumbledore.” He said the new series intrigues him because the original films cut so much from the books.
Reflecting on his experience in the franchise, Oldman praised director Alfonso Cuarón’s work on The Prisoner of Azkaban, stating, “It was interesting working with Alfonso Cuarón. I think he did a spectacular job with number three, which is when I joined.” He also recalled working with the young cast: “Daniel Radcliffe would’ve been about 11 when I first met him. They were all delightful – super smart, super talented.”
Oldman expressed doubt that any original actors will return. “My personal feeling is they’re not going to go anywhere near people that were connected to the original,” he said. During a 2023 Happy Sad Confused podcast appearance, Oldman also said, “I think my work is mediocre in [the Potter franchise]… Maybe if I had read the books like Alan [Rickman]… I honestly think I would have played it differently.”
John Lithgow has been cast as Dumbledore in the new series and commented that taking on the role will likely define the final chapter of his career. “It came as a total surprise to me… it was not an easy decision,” Lithgow told Screen Rant. “But I’m very excited.”
The HBO series will feature newcomers Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. Francesca Gardiner serves as the showrunner. Mark Mylod will direct multiple episodes. The series will stream on Max.
Originally reported by Anubhav Chaudhry on SuperHeroHype.
