With theHarry Potterfranchise expanding with a TV series, actors from the movies have shared their feelings about the saga, and I completely agree with Gary Oldman’s complaint about Sirius Black – but that also made the character better. TheHarry Potterbook series was a global phenomenon back in the late 1990s and 2000s, and it didn’t take long for it to make the jump to the big screen.Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stonewas released in 2001 to great success, allowing fans of the books to see the characters, objects, and events they were familiar with come to life.
TheHarry Pottersagaended in 2011 withHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, but the Wizarding World continued to expand. After the failure of theFantastic Beastsfilm trilogy, the Wizarding World is now going back to the story that started it all with a TV series. What’s exciting abouttheHarry PotterTV seriesis that it can explore stories dropped by the movies and give more time to underutilized characters. Of course, some of the actors from the saga have shared their thoughts on this project, and I completely agree with Gary Oldman’s Sirius Black complaint.
Gary Oldman Feels Sirius Black Was Underused In The Harry Potter Movies - & He’s Right
Sirius Black Deserved More Time In The Harry Potter Saga
One of the most memorable and beloved characters in theHarry Potterbooks and movies is Sirius Black, played by Gary Oldman. Speaking toIndieWirewhile attending the 76th Primetime Emmys in September 2024, Oldman was asked if he would be open to returning to the world ofHarry Potterin the upcoming TV series. Oldman isn’t counting on being asked to return in the TV series as Sirius Black, but he did share his love for the character.Oldman added that Sirius “wasn’t in it enough” and pretty much “turned up and then he went through the veil”, and I agree.
Sirius Black made his debut in the saga’s third movie,Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Throughout most of the movie, the audience is led to believe Sirius Black is a villain who betrayed Harry’s parents and returned to hurt the young boy. However, it’s revealed that Black was actually James and Lily’s best friend who was betrayed by another one of their friends and framed. Black goes on to become very close to Harry and a fan favorite thanks to that and more.
Harry Potter: Why Sirius Gave Up Being A Secret Keeper
Sirius Black was one of the most loyal characters in the Harry Potter universe, and his only mistake was giving up being a Secret Keeper. Here’s why.
AfterPrisoner of Azkaban, Black appeared very briefly inHarry Potter and the Goblet of Firein the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room to quickly (and safely) communicate with Harry – however,his role in the books was a lot bigger and more important.A lot of things happen inGoblet of Fireand I understand many characters and scenes had to be cut, but it’s especially unfair when it comes to Sirius Black, the only loving “family” member Harry had left.
By the time of the events ofHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, in which Black had a bigger role, it felt like a good chunk of his and Harry’s story was omitted as they were very close by then, but Oldman’s performance helped make this smoother and more believable.
Less Sirius Black Made Gary Oldman’s Performance Better (& Sirius’ Death More Tragic)
Sirius Black Is One Of The Best Characters In The Harry Potter Movies
The talent of Gary Oldman is undeniable, and he was one of the best additions to theHarry Pottersaga, which is why it’s a shame that Sirius Black was so underused in the movies. However, Oldman’s presence is so strong and he channeled the smoothness and emotional charge of Black so well that,even though his appearances were brief, they were memorable.I can’t imagine any other actor playing Sirius Black as well as Oldman did, and that also made his death a lot more crushing.
As mentioned above, Black was pretty much absent throughoutHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, but he was more present inOrder of the Phoenix. Along with the rest of the Order of the Phoenix, Black battled Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter) and the Death Eaters at the Department of Mysteries. Unfortunately, Bellatrix hit Sirius with a curse, sending him backward into the veil and to his death in front of Harry.
Oldman’s heartwarming and charming performance as Sirius Black made the latter’s death a lot more tragic becauseit truly felt as if the audience had also lost a loved one, as he managed to connect with viewers.Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenixwas the most we saw of Gary Oldman’s Sirius Black, and it was so good it makes me even more frustrated that he wasn’t properly used in the previous movie, but that also made his death so much harder to watch.
The Harry Potter TV Series Must Do Justice To Sirius Black (But Without Gary Oldman)
A New Chance To Give Sirius Black The Place He Deserves
As mentioned above, theHarry PotterTV series is a new opportunity to do justice to characters and events that couldn’t be explored in the movies – and among them is Sirius Black. The format of a TV series will give the project a lot more time to develop specific scenes, storylines, and characters, so it can finally do justice to Sirius Black and his role in the saga. However, and as much as I love Gary Oldman,I think theHarry Potterseries would do better with another actor as Sirius Black.
Recasting Harry Potter’s Original Actors As Grown-Up Characters For HBO’s Reboot
As Harry Potter is being adapted into a HBO series, it’s interesting to imagine which cast members from the films could reappear as older characters.
If all characters are being recast, Sirius Black shouldn’t be the exception, andthis also makes way for another interpretation of this beloved character. No matter who ends up playing Sirius Black in theHarry PotterTV series, I just hope the show will give the character the time and importance he deserves.
Source:IndieWire.
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.
