Disney+’s New Fantasy Show Bodes Well For HBO’s Harry Potter Remake

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HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter TV series is generating a lot of buzz. Announced in April 2023, it quickly became one of the most eagerly awaited adaptations in television. By telling the story as a series, it has the potential to delve much deeper into the world of Hogwarts than the movies ever could, creating high expectations for HBO’s new take on the beloved books.

I’m incredibly excited about the possibility of a new adaptation, but also a little worried! The Harry Potter stories mean so much to so many of us – they really defined my childhood and the childhoods of a whole generation. It’s scary to think about someone trying to remake something so beloved, because it’s easy to get it wrong and upset fans. But honestly, seeing what Disney+ did with another big franchise recently gives me hope that this could actually work and be something special, even with such a huge legacy to live up to.

The Disney+ series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which premiered in 2023, has been a hit with audiences, and a second season is expected on both Disney+ and Hulu in 2025. Unlike the earlier Percy Jackson movies, the show has been well-received, proving that a book series can work well as a longer-format television show. Its success also suggests that a high-quality TV reboot of Harry Potter could be very popular.

Percy Jackson And The Olympians Is A Hit For Disney+

Disney+ Made Percy Jackson Work By Letting The Books Lead

David Bukach /©Disney+ / Courtesy Everett Collection

The Disney+ series Percy Jackson and the Olympians has been a hit with both critics and viewers. It currently has a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a significant improvement over the previous movies. The first film, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010), received a score of only 48%, and the second, Sea of Monsters (2013), fared even worse at 42%.

The new Disney+ series is a clear improvement, and that’s no coincidence. Author Rick Riordan has been directly involved in the creative process, making sure the show stays true to his original Percy Jackson books. The previous movies, however, changed a lot of the characters, mythology, and overall feel of the story, which disappointed fans and removed much of what made the books so impactful.

One of the show’s strengths is how well it portrays characters for their age. Unlike the movies, which made Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell) seem older, the series lets him act like a typical, confused, and sometimes reckless twelve-year-old hero, capturing the heartwarming coming-of-age story from the books.

The supporting characters are just as well-developed. Annabeth Chase, played by Leah Jeffries, and Aryan Simhadri as Grover Underwood, are given more thoughtful writing and their connections to the story unfold gradually over time, instead of being quickly established during big action scenes.

The television series allows the Percy Jackson story to unfold more fully than the films did. Each episode takes the time to build tension, explain the mythology, and develop the characters’ reasons for acting as they do. The movies rushed through entire storylines, sacrificing emotional depth and a detailed world. The Disney+ show also maintains a consistent tone, successfully blending humor, excitement, and the magic of mythology. The films, on the other hand, often felt uneven, switching between lighthearted comedy and grand fantasy without a clear direction.

Ultimately, Percy Jackson and the Olympians treats its audience with respect. It confidently presents intricate storylines and mythology, trusting viewers to keep up and rewarding their engagement. This approach has been key to revitalizing the franchise and making it a standout success for Disney+.

What HBO’s Harry Potter Can Learn From Disney+’s Percy Jackson

Faithful Storytelling And Patience Are The Real Magic

The popularity of Percy Jackson and the Olympians shows HBO how to approach a Harry Potter series. The key takeaway is staying true to the source material. The show closely follows the Percy Jackson books, respecting the characters’ development and the story’s core ideas.

I think HBO’s new series could really learn something from the approach taken with the Harry Potter films. While those movies are classics, they had to cut a lot to fit everything into a reasonable runtime. With television, though, they have the space to bring back those smaller storylines, develop the supporting characters more fully, and really recapture the emotional depth that made the books so special. It’s about letting the story breathe, and I’m hoping this series does just that.

It’s important to cast actors who are the right age for their roles. Just like how seeing Daniel Radcliffe grow up alongside Harry Potter was key to the films, Percy’s young age is a core part of the show. A TV series, unlike a movie series, has the ability to show a character’s development in a more natural and gradual way.

The Disney+ series shows how important it is to keep a consistent feel throughout a show. Percy Jackson and the Olympians successfully blends darker moments with humor, making it enjoyable for viewers of all ages. The Harry Potter series could benefit from the same approach, particularly when adapting the earlier, more lighthearted books.

Ultimately, Percy Jackson and the Olympians demonstrates that today’s viewers appreciate fantasy stories that stay true to their original source. When adaptations focus on strong characters and meaningful themes rather than just flashy effects, audiences are more forgiving and supportive. This could be a key takeaway for HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter television series.

Percy Jackson And The Olympians Has 1 Huge Advantage Over Harry Potter

A Weaker Movie Legacy Made Reinvention Easier

Surprisingly, the recent success of Percy Jackson and the Olympians is partly due to the disappointing Percy Jackson movies from the 2010s. Those films weren’t very well-received and didn’t capture the spirit of the books, which meant people were eager for a fresh take when the Disney+ series came out.

Since the previous movie adaptations weren’t well-received, there wasn’t much criticism when the Percy Jackson TV show was announced. Fans were excited for an adaptation that would finally be true to the books. Disney+ presented the series as a way to get the story right, rather than simply rebooting it, which helped ease concerns.

As a huge movie fan, I think Harry Potter is in a really unique spot. Those eight films are still everywhere in our culture, and for a lot of us, certain performances – like Emma Watson as Hermione or Alan Rickman as Snape – are those characters. That means any attempt to remake them is going to be judged pretty harshly, because we all have such strong ideas about how those roles should be played.

This history creates a lot of pressure. The new HBO Harry Potter series needs to prove it’s worth making – it has to be both true to the original story and offer something new and special. Even minor changes could cause a big negative reaction from fans.

The Percy Jackson movies took a lot of liberties with the books, which gives the new show a real chance to do better. The Harry Potter films, even though they were shorter than the books, mostly stayed true to the original stories. This means that deciding what needs ‘fixing’ is really a matter of opinion.

The strong sense of nostalgia among fans also makes things tricky. Lots of people grew up watching the Harry Potter movies, creating a deep emotional connection that’s hard for a TV show to match. Percy Jackson didn’t have that existing history, which gave its adaptation more freedom to establish its own identity.

Despite initial challenges, Percy Jackson and the Olympians demonstrates that a show can still become successful. Although HBO’s Harry Potter series has a tougher road ahead, Disney+’s popular fantasy series proves that a well-managed approach can ultimately gain viewers.

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2026-01-04 02:30