HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Can Fix Ginny, Ron, and Neville After the Movie’s Mistakes

While the news of HBO rebooting the Harry Potter series has been met with varied opinions, the new show has a huge opportunity to build on the films. It could bring back storylines that were cut, give characters more depth, and explore the magical world in greater detail. Many fans especially hope the series will give Ginny, Neville, and Ron the attention they deserved, as they weren’t featured enough in the movies.

Despite it being almost 20 years since the last Harry Potter book and 15 years since the last movie, the franchise is still incredibly popular. With spin-off films, video games, a Broadway show, and themed areas at Universal Studios, it makes sense that someone would want to revisit the story. A new TV series, aiming to be a close adaptation of all seven books, is planned. Each book will get its own season, and the show is expected to debut on HBO and Max in 2027.

Ginny and Harry’s Romance Needs to be Better Developed


Warner Bros. Pictures

In the Harry Potter movies, Ginny Weasley often feels like a supporting character. She’s typically shown as quiet and shy, without a strong personality of her own. She doesn’t have many interactions with other characters and often feels overshadowed by the main heroes. This makes her romance with Harry Potter, which begins in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, seem rushed and not fully developed. However, the books present a very different Ginny. She’s portrayed as confident, funny, and strong-willed. The books also show a much more detailed and believable development of Harry’s feelings for her, with their relationship built on strong chemistry, understanding, and genuine passion over several stories.

The series is expected to have about eight one-hour episodes per book, which should allow for a more detailed and natural development of the romantic relationships, instead of rushing them into the last few movies. Bonnie Wright, who played Ginny Weasley, has also voiced similar hopes for the show, saying she’d like to see:

We’d love to see more of Harry and Ginny’s relationship develop, especially the subtle moments where their feelings for each other grow. It would be great to explore Ginny’s journey as she becomes a truly supportive and understanding partner for Harry, someone who really knows him and is a perfect match. Hopefully, the story shows that growth for her, and for many other characters as well.

Gracie Cochrane will play Ginny Weasley in the upcoming HBO series, and she faces the challenge of satisfying fans of the original books and films. If the show stays true to the source material, it has a good chance of succeeding. A key part of that success will be showing Ginny’s personality – her wit, confidence, and intelligence – which were underdeveloped in the movies. By showcasing her growth into a strong and capable witch, the series can create a more realistic and compelling relationship between Ginny and Harry. Ginny is a fascinating character with a lot to offer – she’s a talented Quidditch player and a courageous member of Dumbledore’s Army – and it’s important the show highlights these qualities so she’s recognized for who she is, not just as ‘Harry’s girlfriend’.

The Show Should Fully Showcase Neville’s Hero Arc


Warner Bros.

Neville Longbottom quickly became a beloved character, especially after bravely leading the fight against the Death Eaters at Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, even while facing terrible hardship. His courage ultimately played a key role in making Voldemort vulnerable, allowing Harry to finally defeat him. However, the movies only show part of Neville’s heroic journey. To fully appreciate his character, you really need to know his history, which isn’t explored much in the films.

Matthew Lewis’s character, Neville Longbottom, begins his time at Hogwarts as a shy and awkward student, but grows into a brave and determined hero. A significant part of this change, particularly in the books, is his relationship with his strong-willed yet loving grandmother, Augusta. She played a vital role in helping Neville become the hero she believed he could be and even connected with Harry and the Order of the Phoenix – but she’s missing from the movies altogether. Even more importantly, the films don’t explain why Neville lives with his grandmother: his parents are in St. Mungo’s Hospital, suffering from the lasting effects of torture by Bellatrix Lestrange. This tragic loss, combined with the weight of his family’s history, is essential to understanding Neville’s strength, compassion, and ultimate bravery.

The books show a strong connection between Neville and the prophecy that named Harry as the one to defeat Voldemort. Because Neville was also born at the end of July to parents who actively fought against Voldemort, he actually fulfilled the same criteria as Harry – meaning he could have been the ‘Chosen One’ in a different scenario. The films didn’t explore this important part of Neville’s history, which made his eventual heroism feel rushed and less impactful. Hopefully, the new HBO series, with more time to tell the story, will delve into these details and give Neville the complex and satisfying character development he deserves.

Ron Should Be More Than Comic Relief


Warner Bros. Pictures

While Ron Weasley, played by Rupert Grint, appears frequently in the Harry Potter films and is a well-remembered character, his personality is often reduced to simple humor. The movies tend to portray the main trio – Harry, Hermione, and Ron – with very clear roles: Harry as the leader, Hermione as the intelligent one, and Ron as the comic relief. To emphasize these roles, the films sometimes remove Ron’s braver or more intelligent moments, even giving them to Hermione instead, which diminishes his character in comparison.

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The series presents the three friends as more well-rounded individuals, creating more realistic and compelling relationships. To achieve this, Ron’s character needs further development, bringing back the depth that was lost in the films. While flawed, like any person, exploring his past – including his family’s financial struggles, the pressures he faced, and feeling overshadowed by Harry – can explain why he uses humor as a coping mechanism, rather than simply for laughs. To improve Ron’s portrayal, HBO needs to highlight his intelligence and courage by showcasing his strategic thinking and emotional complexity. By including scenes that were cut or given to other characters in the movies, the series can re-establish Ron as more than just the comic relief and demonstrate why he was such a crucial and irreplaceable member of the group in the books.

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2025-12-21 23:04