It’s strange, but one of the original villains from the Harry Potter series has become a popular figure for many fans. While Lord Voldemort was the main villain Harry ultimately defeated, other dangerous characters like Bellatrix Lestrange, Dolores Umbridge, Barty Crouch Jr., and Fenrir Greyback also caused trouble. Most of these villains appeared later in the books and movies. In the first story, Harry faced opposition from two characters: the harsh Professor Severus Snape and his childhood tormentor, Draco Malfoy.
Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, has been chosen as a symbol for the Chinese New Year. According to CNN, the connection is based on the Mandarin transliteration of “Malfoy,” which is “Ma Er Fu.” The first character, “Ma,” means “horse,” and the third character signifies “good fortune.” This makes the name sound like “horses bringing good luck,” and China has embraced this meaning for their New Year celebrations.
Draco Malfoy Might Have Been A Better Fit For Last Year in China
In China, people are decorating their homes with posters featuring good luck messages for the upcoming Year of the Horse. Surprisingly, many are using a picture of a young Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films. While Malfoy’s association with the Year of the Horse is a bit of a coincidence – he would have actually been more fitting for the Year of the Snake, given his character’s house, Slytherin, is symbolized by a snake – it’s simply based on the sound of his name, not anything to do with his character.
China was as captivated by the Harry Potter series as the United States, and the books were a huge success there. Before the final movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, came out in China, nearly 10 million copies of J.K. Rowling’s books had already been sold. While the Harry Potter films earned $2.89 billion in the US, they made an even larger $6.69 billion internationally. Prior to a re-release in Chinese cinemas in 2024, the franchise had already generated 1.26 billion yuan (about $178 million) in mainland China.
Tom Felton continues his involvement with the Harry Potter world by reprising his role as Draco Malfoy in the stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. He made his Broadway debut in the show, performing from November 11, 2025, to May 10, 2026. It’s currently unclear what Felton thinks about the recent honor he received in China. He initially shared a picture of the celebratory banner on Instagram, but the post has since been removed. Additionally, fan-made stickers and magnets featuring Draco Malfoy are being sold, which could potentially create copyright concerns.
Draco Malfoy will be back for the new Harry Potter series coming to HBO Max. The show will explore a side of Draco we didn’t see in the movies, with several scenes taking place at his home. The role of Draco will be played by Lox Pratt, who will soon be seen in the BBC’s version of Lord of the Flies.
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2026-02-07 18:11