Director Chris Columbus, who directed the original Harry Potter cast in the first two films- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, has made some rather definitive statements about the chances of the OG cast ever reuniting to adapt Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
Originally conceived as a play, Cursed Child picks up where the seventh and last book leaves off, with an adult Harry, Hermione and Ron preparing to send their kids off to Hogwarts on Platform 9-3/4.
The story sees Harry's son Albus embark on his own adventures at Hogwarts, which naturally are connected to Harry's own time at the wizarding school.
Columbus was recently interviewed by The Times and was asked about the chances of the original film cast reuniting to adapt The Cursed Child, now that they're all the right ages.
Surprisingly, Columbs replied, "It’s never going to happen. It’s gotten so complicated with all the political stuff," he explained.
He went on to add, "Everyone in the cast has their own opinion, which is different from her opinion, which makes it impossible. “I haven’t spoken to Miss Rowling in a decade or so, so I have no idea what’s going on with her, but I keep very close contact with Daniel Radcliffe and I just spoke to him a few days ago. I still have a great relationship with all the kids in the cast."
The political stuff Columbus is referring to is author J.K. Rowling's stance on trans rights, which has been the subject of controversy and media attention since 2019.
The successful British author argues that trans women should not be treated as women and given access to the same spaces intended for women only, such as restrooms. She also argues that trans women should not be able to compete against cisgender women in professional sports.
In recent years, Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), and Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) have all come out to take an opposite stance on trans rights and denounce the comments and essays written by Rowling.
As a result, J.K. Rowling’s relationship with the original Harry Potter cast has become somewhat distant in recent years.
"Adventure runs in the family. When Harry Potter’s head-strong son Albus befriends the son of his fiercest rival, Draco Malfoy, it sparks an unbelievable new journey for them all—with the power to change the past and future forever. Prepare for a mind-blowing race through time, spectacular spells, and an epic battle, all brought to life with the most astonishing theatrical magic ever seen on stage."
It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband, and father of three school-age children.
While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son, Albus, must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: Sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.
The playscript for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was originally released as a "special rehearsal edition" alongside the opening of Jack Thorne’s play in London’s West End in summer 2016. Based on an original story by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne, the play opened to rapturous reviews from theatergoers and critics alike, while the official playscript became an immediate global bestseller.