Chris Columbus questions HP TV series after Hagrid costume deja vu

Chris Columbus, the director who opened the Harry Potter film franchise, said he was taken aback after seeing set photos from HBOs longform adaptation showing Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid wearing what he called the same costume he and his team designed for the original films, prompting the filmmaker to question the need for a retelling. Columbus made the remarks this week on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast as production continues in the London area on a series that HBO says will adapt one novel per season and is slated to debut in 2027.

Columbus, who directed Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and produced the third film, said the photographs produced a sense of deja vu. Im seeing these photographs and Nick Frost is wearing the exact same costume that we designed for Hagrid, he said, adding that a part of him wondered, Whats the point? At the same time he called the resemblance flattering. Its very flattering for me, because Im like, thats exactly the Hagrid costume that we designed, and Im excited to see what theyre going to do with it, he said.

The director reiterated he does not want to be involved with the new series. No, Ive...