Daniel Radcliffe Is Not Interested In Playing Harry Potter Again ... At Least, Not Right Now
Ardent "Harry Potter" fans were gifted with a memorable, emotional franchise union via "Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts," which premiered on HBO Max in January 2022. The primary trio (Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson) returned, alongside several cast members, indulging in retrospective highlights during the filming process, and the reunion also included behind-the-scenes footage and many heart-to-hearts.
Radcliffe, who was naturally a core part of the retrospective special, recently said that he is not interested in reprising his titular role, should there be an adaptation of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child," the two-part play by Jack Thorne (via The Hollywood Reporter). Following the 20th anniversary of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," director Chris Columbus expressed interest in recasting the golden trio in a "Cursed Child" film. The play is set after the epilogue to "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2," and features the original trio as adults in a story that's centered on Harry's son, Albus Severus Potter.
Unfortunately for Potter fans, it doesn't look like we'll be seeing Original Flavor Harry on the big screen again any time soon.
Maybe in 30 or 40 years...
Having played Potter since he was a child, Radcliffe spent a large part of his formative years devoting himself completely to the role, which understandably came along with a lot of pressure and personal struggles. The "Harry Potter" HBO Max reunion highlighted this aspect, as Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint opened up about how each of them were on the brink of wanting to quit the franchise at some point, given the heavy burden that comes with playing characters in a critically-acclaimed and widely beloved franchise.
After his "Harry Potter" stint, Radcliffe went on to star in interesting, offbeat roles, the memorable ones being playing a younger version of Beat poet Allen Ginsberg in "Kill Your Darlings," and playing an unfortunate young man who finds himself with guns nailed to his hands in the fun, bonkers "Guns Akimbo." There are a great number of other roles that stand out throughout the course of Radcliffe's still-expanding career, including appearances in films like "Swiss Army Man," "Horns," and "The Woman in Black."
In an interview for his latest film "The Lost City" (via The New York Times), in which he stars alongside Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum, Radcliffe explained why starring in a "Cursed Child" adaptation is not something that appeals to him at the moment:
"This isn't the answer that anybody's going to want, but I think I was so able to go back and enjoy it because it's not a part of my day-to-day life anymore. I'm getting to a point where I feel like I made it out of Potter OK and I'm really happy with where I am now, and to go back would be such a massive change to my life."
Radcliffe went on to clarify that he is "never going to say never," providing an example of the original cast of "Stars Wars" returning to the franchise after "30, 40 years," whereas it has only been 10 years in his case. Emphasizing that it is "not something [he is] really interested in doing right now," Radcliffe wishes to focus on the diverse roles he has been devoted to playing throughout his career, which makes sense for someone who is interested in widening their ambit in terms of the roles they take on.
It is totally up to Radcliffe whether he wishes to return, and the franchise still continues to expand with the "Fantastic Beasts" instalments (even as the marketing is becoming increasingly distanced from original author J.K. Rowling). Hopefully, the franchise can keep growing and become more inclusive by moving on from Rowling altogether, although this still remains to be seen.