Television ‘Please walk away from Harry Potter’: why the stars of HBO’s new TV show are in for decades of social media hell

[Rockhopper1]

Stuart Heritage has scribbled a ridiculous and slightly threatening article for the Guardian today under the above headline Such wilful misrepresentation of JK Rowling’s views after all this time can surely only be fuelled by misogyny?

I wonder if Stuart is going to write about the final series / episode of Good Omens with a similar sneering tone?

Do you think he’s trying to get JKR to notice him and respond? Perhaps he’s got a book out.

I notice Nick Frost thinks girls and women should be forced to undress in front of, share their refuges with etc men.At least he says he doesn't align with JKR's opinions in 'any way, shape or form', thus outing himself as a pretty nasty misogynist. Has he bothered to find out JKR's opinions? Most likely not!

Does K Parkinson even HAVE social media?

Such a weird article. Of course TRAs are trying to bully anyone involved in the new production - that was entirely predictable. The author seems to be of the view that the existence of a baying mob means the production is problematic, rather than the baying mob is problematic.
Does Heritage have form? I'm not aware of his views on trans/gender.

Perfectly put.

Stuart hasn't actually explained what JKR's views ARE. How strange. I expect it was an oversight.

I don't agree with JKR on some things (but agree on others), but I will watch the new HP. It is funny though how Heritage gives Dahl a free pass...

"With the exception of his unforgivable views about Jewish people, Roald Dahl knew what he was doing"

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/sep/23/netflix-roald-dahl-universe

Well I’m in that age group and I’m very much looking forward to the series. Grew up with Harry Potter books /films and still a fan. Looking forward to reading the books to my child too.
agree this is a stupid article though. Why don’t people just leave JKR alone she is entitled to her opinion, pity more celebrities aren’t brave like her.

Stuart Heritage wrote an article entitled’ Why I’m raising my sons to be the very best feminists’ for Marie Claire in 2019 in which he ( ironically) apologises to them for being born in a time when they don’t automatically get to be the top of the pile as white males

I have never seen a Stuart Heritage article that was well argued, sensible, thought provoking, interesting, or otherwise useful. I'm not entirely convinced he isn't some sort of extended parody.

He is a man who does not see which way the wind is blowing.

I do have doubts about the series, although I think a tv series is the ideal medium for a book series like HP. It's just that I find television terribly shit at the moment and some of the casting makes me suspicious of their intentions.

Glad you posted this. It was a mean spirited article.

Whether the series bombs or not JKR is sitting pretty so it really doesn't matter to her.

Personally don't see the need to update it. In terms of the books dating I don't think they do. It's a timeless classic.

I think the cast look ok apart from snape. I’m sure the guy is a great actor but snape is described as white in the books; Harry’s dad will be played by a white man (boy actor playing Harry is white) and it’s not gonna look good him bullying a black boy. Then there’s Hermione who is a POC now trying to free the slaves (house elves)- and being called a mudblood by white Draco.

RE the rest of the marauders i can only see pettigrew being black. With the werewolf HIV connotations it rules Lupin out and Sirius’ surname is black. Can you really see people referring to him as “black” as many do in the books when played by a black man?

Hah, he is jealous that someone is a better writer than him isn't he?

I probably won't watch it (though secretly praying for Andrew Garfield to Lupin). But it is time for a remake and I am glad its going to be on TV.

Is it? Aren’t the books/ films timeless?

The SFX in the movie are quite dated now, and alot of the dialogue is very clunky and both EW and DR are not particuarly great in the first few films which is distracting.

I would have loved an animated series first before any films were made to work out the story telling kinks, but yeah this is a popular (and profitable) IP and its going to be made a lot more while we are alive so get used to it.

Isn’t this a bit of a misrepresentation, though? The line you refer to wasn’t even written by the author, but by someone else who sent it to John Lithgow: “When John Lithgow was announced as Dumbledore, he revealed that a friend had sent him a link to an article entitled: “An open letter to John Lithgow: Please walk away from Harry Potter.”

The article itself isn’t particularly the author’s personal views, either, but an overview of what HP actors might face over the next few years. Do you disagree that this could occur and the reasons for it?

It isn’t ridiculous and it isn’t threatening. It is quite factual - you just don’t like it.

so get used to it?? Very polite

ooooh I see.

Enjoy your bridge.

I would say it is as much as a misrepresentation as calling JK Rowling transphobic for saying that adult human females are women.

????

It’s a shame sometimes there’s people on here who are obvs potterheads/ fans of stuff I like and it’s so disappointing when they end up signing off with a rude or sarcastic comment.

What a vile article. Nasty man. I work with children with complex disabilities. Loads of them love Harry Potter and I'm sure they will love the new series and it will give them loads of joy. That is what JK's work is all about for me.

i dont understand this at all....

ive seen people on this same forum advocate for not watching Dr Who because they dont agree with Juno Dawson... Isnt this the same thing??

Aren't we all able to express views that include not partaking in some tv shows/theatre shows/films etc if we disagree? especially when its explicit that the writer/producer is funding legal challenges where people might not align?

There is nothing in that article calling for it to be banned! Its just putting across a point of view that you dont agree with.

I’m not sure anyone read it properly past the title.