Jared Harris, the son of Richard Harris, who played the original Dumbledore in “Harry Potter,” said the J.K. Rowling book series doesn’t need another TV adaptation, adding that he also wouldn’t take the opportunity to fill his father’s shoes by taking on the role as the iconic bearded wizard.
The “Chernobyl” actor made his remarks during an interview with The Independent when he was asked if he’d be open to his dad’s part.
“No, thank you,” Harris replied, questioning the purpose of another show in the “Harry Potter” universe. “Also, I mean, why do it? I don’t understand. The films were fantastic — leave them alone.”
While he’s not a fan of moving forward with the show, he shared that it will feature “a lot of storytelling” the “Harry Potter films lacked.
Richard served fans up with their first version of Dumbledore in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” and “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. After he died in October 2002, the role was given to Michael Gambon, who played him in later films. Gambon dies in September 2023.
The new “Harry Potter” series is the latest TV iteration to come from Rowling’s franchise, following “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.” The new show has yet to be titled, but Rowling is set to serve as executive producer and it will is scheduled to be released in 2026.
