3 Great Overlooked Harry Potter Characters the HBO Reboot Can Fix

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HBO is creating a new adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books that aims to be more comprehensive than the movies that began in 2001. The series, overseen by Francesca Gardiner – the Emmy-winning showrunner of Succession – is planned to run for ten years, dedicating an entire season to each of the seven books. Director Mark Mylod, known for his work on Succession and Game of Thrones, is also leading the creative team. The cast already includes acclaimed actors like John Lithgow as Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Snape, and Janet McTeer as McGonagall.

The Harry Potter movies were a huge commercial success, earning over $7.7 billion globally. But because movies have limited running times, the screenwriters had to focus on the main plot, often simplifying or cutting the storylines of supporting characters that J.K. Rowling originally created. Now, with the HBO series having eight episodes in its first season, it has the opportunity to develop those characters and give them the depth they deserved.

3) Fleur Delacour

Fleur Delacour, played by Clémence Poésy, is introduced in Goblet of Fire as the champion from Beauxbatons. The movies focus heavily on her elegant French appearance, but don’t give her much of a role beyond that. She appears in two films and then disappears from the story, and this lack of development is especially noticeable in Half-Blood Prince.

During the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, Fenrir Greyback attacks Bill Weasley, leading to a powerful moment where Fleur Delacour directly addresses Molly Weasley’s concerns about his injuries. Fleur insists that Bill’s scars don’t change her love for him, which convinces Molly to accept her. This scene is crucial because it shows Fleur earning her place in the Weasley family and becoming a true daughter-in-law. However, the film omits this entire interaction, jumping straight to the wedding and leaving Fleur’s emotional depth unexplored. The HBO series has the opportunity to develop Fleur as the strong and perceptive character J.K. Rowling created, instead of simply portraying her as an attractive face in the background.

2) Cho Chang

In the Harry Potter films, Cho Chang (played by Katie Leung) is largely portrayed as a heartbroken ex-girlfriend, used to further Harry’s story before being forgotten. While the books offer a more nuanced portrayal of her character, the films actually made things worse. Specifically, the film adaptation of Order of the Phoenix changed a key plot point: in the book, Cho’s friend Marietta Edgecombe is the one who betrays Dumbledore’s Army due to family pressure. The film, however, puts the blame directly on Cho, turning a grieving character – still processing the loss of Cedric Diggory – into someone who willingly gives up Harry’s secret group to their enemy. This change is significant because it strips Cho of her integrity, a core part of her personality in the books.

Cho leaves the film series unfairly branded as a traitor, and doesn’t get a chance to clear her name. The HBO series offers an opportunity to fix this, letting Cho portray Marietta’s grief as the author intended, and giving the character the importance she deserves within the overall story.

1) Percy Weasley

You know, as a huge Harry Potter fan, it always bothered me how they handled Percy Weasley. Chris Rankin did a great job portraying him as a bit of a know-it-all at the beginning, but then… he just kind of disappeared! He pops back up in Deathly Hallows: Part 2 for one quick joke before the big fight, which feels so unsatisfying. The movies completely cut out a really important storyline from the books. In the novels, Percy’s loyalty to the Ministry causes a huge rift within the Weasley family that lasts for four books! He ignores his dad’s concerns, cuts off his siblings, and really hurts his mum before finally coming back to help during the Battle of Hogwarts. That moment in the books felt so earned, so emotional, because we’d seen years of family tension build up. It’s a shame the films didn’t give that arc the attention it deserved.

This storyline within the Weasley family highlights a larger theme throughout the series: how power structures can corrupt good people and cause rifts within families due to differing beliefs. The HBO series has the opportunity to show Percy’s flawed ambition as a serious issue with real impact on characters viewers care about, instead of just presenting him as a joke after a long time away.

Which Harry Potter character do you think deserves a better portrayal in the new HBO series? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-04-29 23:13