Why Chris Columbus Says a Harry Potter Film Cast Reunion Isn’t Likely

In a recent statement, director Chris Columbus has dismissed any hopes of reuniting the original “Harry Potter” cast for a possible adaptation of the Broadway play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, branding the idea as “impossible” due to the fallout from J.K. Rowling’s controversial views. 

Columbus, who helmed the first two films, cited the divergence between the cast’s opinions and Rowling’s as a major barrier. “It’s never going to happen,” Columbus said in an interview with The Times UK. “It’s gotten so complicated with all the political stuff. Everyone in the cast has their own opinion, which is different from her opinion, which makes it impossible.”

Columbus emphasized how he personally disagrees with Rowling’s anti-trans positions, calling the situation “very sad” and underlining the importance of separating the art from the artist. At the same time, he maintained supportive ties with the original cast, stressing that the political complexity around Rowling’s public statements had created too much friction for any creative project with the original ensemble to move forward.

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About Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

19 years after Harry, Ron, and Hermione saved the wizarding world, they're back on a most extraordinary new adventure – this time, joined by a brave new generation that has only just arrived at the legendary Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Prepare for spectacular spells, a mind-blowing race through time, and an epic battle to stop mysterious forces, all while the future hangs in the balance.

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a new play by Jack Thorne, directed by John Tiffany with movement by Steven Hoggett, set by Christine Jones, costumes by Katrina Lindsay, music & arrangements by Imogen Heap, lighting by Neil Austin, sound by Gareth Fry, illusions & magic by Jamie Harrison, music supervision & arrangements by Martin Lowe, and casting by Julia Horan CDG and Lotte Hines CDG. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions.

Tom Felton will have a limited engagement in Broadway’s Harry Potter and the Cursed Child as “Draco Malfoy,” the same role he played for over a decade in all eight Harry Potter films and returns to for the first time in 15 years. Felton will now play a 26-week run in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child from November 11, 2025 to May 10, 2026 at Broadway’s Lyric Theatre, where the show recently celebrated its 7th anniversary.