TheHarry Pottermovies feature a large ensemble cast, and smaller roles outside of the main characters afforded many actors the opportunity to be part of the magical world. For some performers, their first audition for a part in the franchise didn’t lead anywhere, allowing them a more prominent role later on. This was the case withEddie Redmayne, who would take on the leading role of Newt Scamander in the spinoff film seriesFantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. Though theFantastic Beasts 4movie is canceled, this doesn’t make Redmayne’s part of the franchise any less significant.
While Scamander doesn’t play a large role in the original books and movies, his legacy is present in the way magic works in the series. ThoughFantastic Beastsis over, the upcoming HBO TV show that will adapt theHarry Potterbooks has the opportunity to delve even further into the universe’s lore. There are plenty ofmissingHarry Potterbook characters that the HBO show must introduce, asit’s the individuals outside of Harry’s main circle that make the magical universe feel so lived-in.Each installment of Harry’s story sees new and interesting people added to the story.
Eddie Redmayne Originally Auditioned For Tom Riddle In The Harry Potter Movies
Redmayne’s Harry Potter character would have been markedly different
It’s difficult to imagine that Redmayne could take on any part other than the charming and slightly bumbling New Scamander, whose purpose in life is to protect magical creatures. However, if Redmayne had landed the first part he auditioned for, he would have played the series' greatest villain instead.Redmayne originally auditioned for the role of the teenage Tom Riddle,which would have seen him cast as the version of Riddle inThe Chamber of Secrets(viaFandomwire). The actor has discussed how the audition went nowhere since he never got a callback for the part.
However, this was likely for the best, as no one but Redmayne could play Newt. The actor who played Riddle inThe Chamber of Secrets, Christian Coulson, was a great introduction to the young Voldemort. Coulson’s performance made Voldemort seem like a more concrete character after witnessing the nebulous monster who appears inThe Sorcerer’s Stone. However, since Riddle was played by new actors later on in the series inThe Half-Blood Prince, it’s unlikely that Redmayne would have been brought back as Riddle or cast in another role.
Every actor who played a version of Tom Riddle, with Ralph Fiennes’s adult Voldemort being the most famous, brought something unique to the table. Seeing the dark lord at different phases in his life helped Harry and the audience understand him and his motivations better. Unfortunately,Fiennes was the only actor to play Voldemort across multiple filmsbecause he existed in the present timeline of the series, and the others were only memories of a forgotten time. Had Redmayne played young Riddle, this would have changed the trajectory of the series.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Ralph Fiennes
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 & 2
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Eddie Redmayne’s Failed Tom Riddle Audition Gave Us Newt Scamander
Newt Scamander is mentioned briefly in theHarry Potterbooksbecause of his writings about magizoology. The bookFantastic Beasts and Where To Find Themwas published as a companion to theHarry Potterseries in 2001, and it’s here that many of the magical creatures featured in the spinoff series are introduced. There are manymissingHarry Pottermagical creatures the HBO reboot can include, as some are mentioned or even shown in theFantastic Beastsbook and movies. However, Newt remained a mystery until Redmayne was chosen to bring him to life.
Had Redmayne been cast as Riddle inThe Chamber of Secrets, there’s little chance he would have been brought back into the franchise, especially as a character like Newt. If anything, after playing Riddle, Redmayne would have been further typecast in villainous roles, the opposite of Newt.It’s a good thing that Redmayne was passed over,as the casting directors could probably see that a role like Riddle wasn’t right for Redmayne. This also allowed Redmayne to ride to prominence as an actor before joining the franchise.
Afterwinning the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance inThe Theory of Everything,Redmayne’s success and popularity rose, and this only increased after joining the cast ofFantastic Beasts. Whenthe firstFantastic Beastsmovie premiered in 2016,it was an interesting choice for a continuation of the magical world, as it was set in the past with characters that audiences weren’t as familiar with. Due to this, Redmayne was the perfect choice to play Newt. He was an established actor, but he was fresh enough to take on a series with franchise potential.
Newt Scamander Is Easily The Best Harry Potter Character Since Half-Blood Prince
The last few years have seen new characters join the Harry Potter world, and Newt is the best
By the latter half of theHarry Pottermovies, there were fewer new characters being introduced as the core group was established.One of the best characters to appear in the last fewHarry Potterbooks was Horace Slughorn,a major part ofThe Halfblood Prince. He’s a complex character who prizes ambition and success above all else, but in a different way from other Slytherins. Slughorn changed how the reader and Harry saw Slytherins, and he was the character who the entire plot hinged on. His memory of Voldemort gave Harry insight into how to hunt Horcruxes.
While the first movie revolves around his evolution as a character, Newt isn’t the typical chosen one, like Harry.
Newt is easily the best character to be included in the wider magical world since Slughorn,as Newt is also from a house besides Gryffindor and has a more complex relationship towards bravery and honor. While the first movie revolves around his evolution as a character, Newt isn’t the typical chosen one, like Harry. He seeks to fight for what’s right but never compromises his beliefs about the importance of caring for magical creatures. Newt is a foil to the traditional hero archetype and this works well for the prequels.
Some of the characters who were part of theFantastic Beastsseries as it progressed were younger versions of people from the main series, like Grindelwald or Dumbledore. Additionally,none of the new characters felt as fleshed out as Newt,whose characterization felt like a natural progression of theHarry Potteruniverse. It’s hard to say goodbye to Newt now that his films are over, but Redmayne making a cameo in the upcoming HBO series would mean he doesn’t needFantastic Beasts 4to make anotherHarry Potterappearance.
The Potterverse: All The Wizarding World Films In Chronological Order
The Fantastic Beasts franchise came after the Harry Potter movies wrapped, making the chronological order a bit confusing for Wizarding World fans.
The Fantastic Beasts Movies Would Have Been So Much Worse Without Eddie Redmayne
He brings an essential warmth and reliability to the movies
None of theFantastic Beastsmovies lived up to the success of the originalHarry Potterseries, butRedmayne was consistently a standout in the prequels.The last two movies,The Crimes of GrindelwaldandThe Secrets of Dumbledoreattempted to make the series as far-reaching and epic as the main series, but this was never whatFantastic Beastswas all about. It would have been equally compelling to see a series of films about Newt’s travels and adventures across the globe, exposing the audience to new magical creatures and cultures.
There are many reasonswhy theFantastic Beastsprequel saga failed, but Redmayne’s performance was not one of them.It’s difficult to imagine how the series could have progressed if a different actor had portrayed Newt,as Redmayne has become inextricable from the role. He balances the charisma and awkwardness of Newt with the heroism that pushes him to step in and do what’s right no matter the cost. Redmayne also has an openness as an actor that lends itself to a character like Newt, especially in theHarry Potterseries.
Harry Potterthrives on heroes with strong convictions and empathy, and Newt embodies both of these traits. Though Jude Law’s Dumbledore stepped into the spotlight inThe Secrets of Dumbledore,Newt remained a key part of the story, and it’s Newt who serves as the central throughlineof the three movies. If any character is chosen to be part of the HBO TV remake, it should be Newt, and Redmayne should be tapped to reprise his role.
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a multimedia franchise about an orphaned boy who enrolls at Hogwarts School of Wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family, and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world. Adapted from the novels, Harry Potter is an eight-episode film saga that follows the journey of Harry Potter and his friends, Hermoine Granger and Ron Weasley, as they navigate the tricky world of growing up, school life, and magic. Starting from year one and moving to their seventh year, the films chronicle the students' time at Hogwarts while unfurling a sinister plot that centers around the unsuspecting Harry. With the return of the dark wizard, Voldemort, the students and professors at Hogwarts will fight to carry on as the world around them may change forever. Harry Potter has expanded beyond the world of its films and novels with several video games, a spin-off film series titled Fantastic Beasts, and even attractions at Universal Studios.
