Gary Oldman believes HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series could be even more satisfying for fans.
As per Variety, the Slow Heroes star, who played Sirius Black in four Harry Potter films, says HBO’s upcoming series could be more satisfying for fans because it will include more of J.K. Rowling’s original book material than the movies.
The British actor said in a recent interview with EW, “We had to cut a lot [for the ‘Harry Potter’ movies], and still we could only get the films down to, like, three hours,” adding that “a lot of character detail was sacrificed” in the process.
He mentioned, “I believe [the HBO series is] gonna do it pretty much word-for-word, which I think, as a viewer, would be more satisfying.”
Oldman shared he is “proud” and “grateful” to have been part of the Harry Potter films “because it is such a phenomenon, the like of which I don’t think you’re ever gonna see again.”
“When you think of that initial cast, someone in the story who doesn’t get a lot of credit anymore is [director] Chris Columbus, who set the world up and cast it,” he said.
The Darkest Hour star shared, “We were extraordinarily lucky to have those people come back again, and again, and again, and literally grow into those roles.”
Oldman has previously shared that his character he loves did not get enough screen time in the movies.
“He wasn’t in it enough. He turned up and then he went through the veil,” Oldman told IndieWire in 2024.
Gary Oldman as Sirius Black in 2004’s Harry Potter
Oldman’s Sirius Black debuted in 2004’s Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, followed by brief appearances in Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix and Deathly Hallows Part 2, before his character was killed off.
Season 1 of HBO’s Harry Potter has wrapped and will premiere on December 25, while Season 2 is in pre-production.
HBO has yet to cast Sirius Black, with Dominic McLaughlin leading the series alongside Arabella Stanton, Alastair Stout, John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, Paapa Essiedu and Nick Frost.
