Although boy wizard Harry Potter is not in Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, some older characters are. Could Robbie Coltrane’s Rubeus Hagrid be appearing in the prequel series?
In the Harry Potter universe, Rubeus Hagrid, known mostly by his surname, is one of the longest-tenured and most beloved characters. He is portrayed in all eight films by Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane, who was author JK Rowling’s personal choice to play the part. Although a half-giant by birth, Hagrid is friendly, compassionate, and a good person overall. One of the central supporting characters in the franchise, Rubeus Hagrid played the pivotal role of returning Harry Potter to the Wizarding World, after spending 11 years living with his Muggle-born relatives, the Dursleys.
While many are quick to notice Hagrid’s height and imposing figure, his age is not often thought about. Being born in 1928, Rubeus Hagrid is 63 years of age when he first collects Harry Potter from his aunt and uncle. By the series’ end, he is 70. Hagrid is also confirmed to still be alive by the time Albus Severus Potter begins attending Hogwarts, making him 89 as of 2017. Considering Hagrid’s long life, the question remains: will he appear in Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them?
According to Digital Spy, the first of the 5 Fantastic Beasts films was set in 1926, two years before Rubeus Hagrid was born to his giant mother and human father. The sequel, Crimes of Grindelwald, was set a year later. In the context of these films, Hagrid is not yet alive. However, since Professor McGonagall seemingly appeared in the second film despite it being set almost a decade before her birth, anything is possible.
Academy Award-winning actor Eddie Redmayne, who plays Newt Scamander in Fantastic Beasts, has previously expressed a desire to see the character appear in the prequel films. When asked in a Reddit AMA about which Harry Potter character he wanted in the prequel films, The Theory Of Everything star responded: “Hagrid Hagrid always Hagrid.”
In April 2020, 5 months after Redmayne’s AMA comment, The Independent reported that Warner Bros was considering the idea of Rubeus Hagrid returning in Fantastic Beasts 3, with Robbie Coltrane reprising the role once again. Should this come to fruition, it would be the ninth time that Coltrane has played the big, friendly half-giant.
Variety has revealed that production on Fantastic Beasts 3 has been delayed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. As a result, the news is scarce on a possible Rubeus Hagrid return to the Wizarding World franchise.
Would you like to see the fan-favourite character interact with Newt Scamander and his allies?
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