Yeah the extended interview makes it clear he approves of the new TV series and thinks it will be great to include more scenes to adapt from the book. So he is still a huge HP fan and wants way more of it. So ANYTHING else he says has been taken in the context that he is fine with JKR making another 100 million or more from the TV series.
“The great thing about it is that with the first and second and third book, we wanted to do it all. We wanted to bring all of that onto the screen, and we didn’t have the opportunity,” he says.
Columbus references the character Peeves from the first Harry Potter novel that “never made it into the film — we just didn’t have time to develop the character,” plus a storyline where Harry and Hermione have to drink potions and worry they may be poisoned.
“We could never get that incredible scene into the film, and I’m sure it’ll be in the HBO series. So for me, it’s an opportunity to bring all those scenes to life,” he says.
With JKR so he said the blandest thing he could to avoid being blacklisted in Hollywood. He could mean it, or he could be just saying the expected thing. However note he didn't say anything back in 2020. So I think this there is a chance this is just performative. More to the point though this sad statement is being covered in a lot of articles they are not emphasising the key element from the interview which is not what he said about JKR's opinions. They just are latching on that for clickbait because they now it will enrage some and upset others. The key point is that Columbus wants a huge HP tv series which will make JKR become more successful and wealthy than ever because her books are great.
Also this is the director of Mrs Doubtfire regarded by some as "transphobic." A good interviewer would have confronted him with that.