Released between 2001-2011, the Harry Potter films are a staple of modern pop culture. Here is our official ranking of all the films from eighth place down to first.
Despite making multiple appearances in the books, Gilderoy Lockhart (played by Sir Kenneth Branagh), only features in The Chamber of Secrets. Here’s why the pompous wizard celebrity should have been in more Harry Potter films.
Harry Potter both made household names and revitalized careers for its main stars. However, some of the supporting Harry Potter cast members flew more under the radar. Here are 10 actors from the series that you may have forgotten about.
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?
Adapting JK Rowling’s 7-part Harry Potter series of novels would have been an arduous task for any filmmaker. A film is much more confined with time than a novel. Fans have had to go without classic Harry Potter characters and scenes. This also includes moments that took place in the books, now somewhat non-existent in the movie canon.
Particularly affected were the characters. Each of Rowling’s Harry Potter characters were unique and many had their own sub-storylines, away from Harry in the main plot. Unfortunately, films can only focus on one clear protagonist, that of course being Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe).
Listed below are 10 characters who got the short end of the stick. They were either not featured as much as shown in the books and in some cases, not certain films at all.
The Alex Rider television series features an all-star cast – including a recognisable face from the Harry Potter films. Read on to find out more about the star’s cameo.
Daniel Radcliffe starred in Harry Potter for a decade. What was he in before becoming The Boy Who Lived?
On May 2 in fictional history, a major event occurred in the Harry Potter universe. As of writing in 2020, it has been twenty-two years.
This was the Battle of Hogwarts, which served as both the culmination to Harry’s omnipresent battle against Lord Voldemort as well as the finale to the series as a whole.
In this battle, a great number of witches and wizards on both sides lost their lives.
While it would be impossible without JK Rowling’s help to name all of them, there were a few who had a big role in Harry Potter.
Raise your wands for those lost.
Colin Creevey
Sixth year Colin Creevey, a muggle-born Gryffindor, was one of many fatalities in the Battle of Hogwarts.
One year below Harry Potter, Colin joined Dumbledore’s Army in his fourth year and became a loyal member, sneaking back to battle after previously being turned away because of his age.
Colin’s body was later recovered by Neville Longbottom and Oliver Wood. His killer remains unidentified.
Lavender Brown
Lavender, a seventh-year Gryffindor and classmate to Harry Potter, was mauled by the werewolf Fenrir Greyback during the Battle of Hogwarts.
An ex-girlfriend of Ron Weasley, she shared a dormitory with his future wife Hermione Granger for the six years that the latter attended Hogwarts.
Her best friend was Parvati Patil and favourite teacher was Sybill Trelawney, both of whom survived.
Crabbe/Goyle
Depending on whether you read the Deathly Hallows book or watched Deathly Hallows Part 2, your knowledge of this slot may differ.
While Crabbe died in the book, it was Goyle who perished in the 2011 final film in the eight-part series.
Although neither were very bright and tried to kill the main characters, both were part of the stories since Philosopher’s Stone, the very beginning.
Either way, Draco Malfoy lost one of his longtime henchmen.
Nagini
Known to many as Lord Voldemort’s loyal pet snake. However, Nagini was once a human woman with an affliction (Maledictus) that cursed her to transform into a snake.
Considering she appeared in Crimes Of Grindelwald which takes place in 1927 and the fact that the Battle of Hogwarts is set in 1998, Nagini lives for more than seven decades after the events of the prequel series.
Her long and tortured life came to an end when Neville Longbottom, in his act of heroic glory, slayed Nagini as she was a Horcrux.
Nymphadora Tonks
Wife to Remus John Lupin and mother to newborn Teddy Lupin, Auror Nymphadora Tonks met her end in the Battle of Hogwarts at the hands of her own aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange.
Due to both her profession and membership in the Order of the Phoenix, Tonks was no stranger to putting her life on the line for an honourable cause.
It is a shame that despite Tonks’ heroic actions, her son will grow up without a mother.
Bellatrix Lestrange
Deranged Death Eater, fanatical follower of Lord Voldemort and murderer of beloved characters (Sirius Black, Dobby, Tonks), Bellatrix Lestrange’s reign of terror came to an eventful close during the Battle of Hogwarts.
In what can be seen as an unlikely defeat, Bellatrix was bested in battle by Molly Weasley, who showed she was much more than just a housewife and mother.
With her death, the countless people whom she killed as well as those whose lives were ruined by her actions, now have justice.
Fred Weasley
Inseparable from his twin brother George. Fred Weasley, at twenty years of age, fought and died in the Battle of Hogwarts. His other siblings are Bill, Charlie, Percy (with whom he’d reconciled with during the Battle), Ron and Ginny.
Fred was also the future brother-in-law to Harry Potter and Hermione Granger through their marriages to his siblings, though he did not live to see this.
As one of the main sources of comic reliefs in Harry Potter, breaking up the twins permanently was one of the most devastating losses in the Battle of Hogwarts.
Remus Lupin
Werewolf. Marauder. Husband. Father. Former Defence Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts. Remus Lupin was all of these things and more.
A close friend/mentor to Harry Potter, Remus fought alongside his late friends’ son on multiple occasions including at the Department of Mysteries.
Remus’ death sadly leaves Edward ‘Teddy’ Lupin an orphan. However, the boy has Harry Potter watching over him, so he will probably be fine.
Lord Voldemort
Not only did Lord Voldemort die in the Battle of Hogwarts – the last remnants of Tom Marvolo Riddle were destroyed alongside him.
For the previous seventeen years, he had been facing downfall after downfall at the hands of a powerful young man, Harry Potter.
In the end, his quest to kill The Boy Who Lived ultimately failed, with Voldemort’s long life filled with evil came to a dramatic end.
Severus Snape
Perhaps the most complicated character in the entire Harry Potter series, Snape was murdered by Lord Voldemort for control of the Elder Wand, before the final battle between the Dark Lord and Harry Potter.
As revealed in Deathly Hallows, Snape had a long, passionate love for Lily Evans, Harry Potter’s mother, which he retained even in his dying moments.
While Snape was no saint – he was also not as evil or heartless as you may have once believed him to be. He loved someone who didn’t (or couldn’t) love him back.
Of course, we lost Alan Rickman, the actor who played Snape in all eight films, to cancer in 2016. Rest in peace to Rickman most importantly, as the only real person on this list.
Along with Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, Hermione Jean Granger is one of three main characters in the Harry Potter series.
She was played by Emma Watson in all eight films, growing from an 11-year-old Muggle-born first year to a young woman and powerful witch.
Hermione is the favourite character of both author JK Rowling and screenwriter Steve Kloves, who scripted seven of the movies.
One of Hermione’s most defining traits is her intelligence. From very early on, it is clear that she excels when compared to her classmates by quite a mile.
In fact, this intelligence almost led to her being Sorted into Ravenclaw, the Hogwarts House which values this quality.
When she was younger, this intelligence came across as being stuck-up or bossy, which often rubbed people the wrong way. Thus, Hermione found it difficult to make friends.
Although introduced almost immediately after Harry boards the Hogwarts Express for the first time, she enters his life as a friend much later compared to Ron.
As ardent Potter fans will remember, the two boys befriended Hermione after they survived a troll attack together.
From then on, Hermione’s intelligence became a great asset to the group. Whether it was something small to helping with homework… to much later, when it was a matter of life or death.
Although petrified into unconsciousness at the time, it is Hermione’s research that helps Harry figure out that a Basilisk was roaming Hogwarts’ pipes during Chamber of Secrets.
In Prisoner of Azkaban, Hermione’s time-turner helps save two innocent lives; Sirius Black, who had been wrongly imprisoned for murder over a decade earlier and the hippogriff Buckbeak, who was being unfairly sentenced to death.
In Order of the Phoenix, it was Hermione who had the idea for what later became the Dumbledore’s Army, a group that played an important role in the fall of Lord Voldemort.
Finally, in Deathly Hallows, it is clear that Harry and Ron would have struggled on the quest for Horcruxes had Hermione not been there whether it be sourcing shelter, healing splinching or getting out of dangerous situations.
While typically listed third (i.e. Harry, Ron, Hermione), Ms. Granger was ultimately an invaluable part of Harry Potter’s life, on some occasions saving him as well as being a true friend.
While many characters appeared in the Harry Potter books and films, author JK Rowling regards a selected few (and the actors that played them) in a unique way.
Of course, the three main characters are the Boy Wizard Harry Potter and his friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. These are undoubtedly the most familiar to fans of the series, whether readers or viewers.
That being said, several others have featured prominently alongside the trio, a point which JK Rowling herself has acknowledged.
At the London premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 in 2011, Rowling referred to seven cast members as the ‘Big 7’ of the series.
They are Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson , Matthew Lewis, Evanna Lynch, Bonnie Wright and Tom Felton.
What have the seven gotten up to since leaving the world of Potter behind?Read on to find out.
Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter)
Immediately after leaving Hogwarts and the Boy Who Lived behind, Radcliffe followed up the eight-part series with 2012’s The Woman In Black, a horror film on which he reunited with Potter co-star Ciaran Hinds (Aberforth Dumbledore).
Other films that Radcliffe has appeared in since include Horns, Imperium, Now You See Me 2, Kill Your Darlings and Swiss Army Man.
He has also played young Dr. Vladimir Bomgard and Craig/Prince Chauncley respectively on the television series A Young Doctor’s Notebook and Miracle Workers.
Additionally, Radcliffe has also appeared on Broadway in How To Succeed Without Really Trying. He also starred in other plays such as The Cripple of Inishmaan, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and Lifespan Of A Fact.
Speaking to Variety in February 2020, Radcliffe stated that he was not interested in reprising the role of Harry Potter in the Fantastic Beasts films.
Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley)
Grint’s post-Potter projects have encompassed film, theatre and TV. He appeared with late co-star Alan Rickman (Severus Snape) in 2013’s CBGB.
His other film projects include Into The White and Postman Pat: The Movie.
On the television front, Grint has starred in the series Sick Note, Servant and Snatch, also serving as a producer on the latter.
In 2013, Grint made his stage debut in Jez Butterworth’s Mojo.
More recently, it was announced that Grint is expecting his first child with his girlfriend Georgia Groome.
Emma Watson (Hermione Granger)
Once known as bookworm Hermione Granger in the Potter series, Emma Watson has played many other roles in the years since leaving her behind.
Most notably, she appeared as the lead in films such as Beauty and the Beast, The Bling Ring and Circle.
Watson also had co-starring roles in The Perks Of Being A Wallflower, Noah and Little Women.
In 2015, she appeared in British sitcom The Vicar Of Dibley, playing a character named “Reverend Iris”.
Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy)
Felton has also experimented with both film and TV projects since moving on from Draco Malfoy and his pure-blood beliefs.
In the same year that Deathly Hallows Part 2 was released, Felton appeared in Rise of the Planet Of The Apes as Dodge Landon.
His other feature film projects include Ophelia, Feed, Against The Sun, Megan Leavey and Risen.
Felton has also starred in US network television with starring roles as Erich Blunt on the first season of Murder In The First and as Julian Albert on season three of The Flash.
In 2018, he appeared in the YouTube Premium series Origin in the main role of Logan.
Matthew Lewis
Lewis starred alongside Timothy Spall and his real-life brother Anthony Lewis in BBC drama The Syndicate. Also for BBC, he appeared in Bluestone 42.
In 2016, Lewis starred in the series Ripper Street as DS Samuel Drummond.
Other TV roles include a guest stint in Death In Paradise and a main role on Girlfriends in 2017.
Lewis married his girlfriend Angela Jones in 2018.
Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley)
Since walking-off camera after Harry Potter, Wright has opted to stay behind it by pursuing directing. Between 2012 and 2019, she has directed various short films and music videos.
Wright has also acted in films such as After the Dark, Before I Sleep and Who Killed Nelson Nutmeg?
In 2012, Wright graduated from the London College of Communication with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film and Television Production.
Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood)
Like her former co-stars, Lynch also continued acting after Harry Potter came to an end.
She had a cameo appearance in 2019’s Madness In The Method while also starring in GBF, My Name Is Emily and the BBC television film, Danny and the Human Zoo.
In 2018, Lynch participated in Dancing With The Stars, being partnered with Keo Motsepe and finishing third in the competition.
Since November 2017, Lynch has also had a podcast called TheChickPeeps, which is co-hosted by Potter co-star Robbie Jarvis (who played young James Potter).
- 1
- 2