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Harry Potter star David Thewlis has had enough of the franchise. The actor played Remus Lupin in the films, introduced in The Prisoner of Azkaban as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher and an old friend of Harry Potter's father.
When asked by Screen Time if he'd like to return in the upcoming HBO reboot TV show, either as Lupin or another character, Thewlis was pretty clear that he's had his fill of the Wizarding World.
"I feel like I'd be far too old to play my original character now. And no, I wouldn't want to go back into it, because I've had quite enough of that, sick of talking about it quite honestly," he said with a laugh.
"It is nice because with Harry Potter it's kids and kids get very kind of impressed and very overawed, and it's very nice to make kids happy," he added. Check out a video of the moment below.
David Thewlis says he wouldn't want to return to the 'HARRY POTTER' series as Professor Remus Lupin"No I wouldn't want to go back into it, because I've had quite enough of that. Sick of talking about it quite honestly." pic.twitter.com/7Pemz1ifHzFebruary 9, 2026
The HBO show is planned to run for 10 years, and it will adapt each novel in the seven-book series. Season 1, which will adapt Harry Potter and the Philosopher's (or Sorcerer's) Stone, is slated for a 2027 release.
John Lithgow will play Albus Dumbledore, with Janet McTeer as Professor McGonagall, Nick Frost as Hagrid, and Paapa Essiedu as Professor Snape. Dominic McLaughlin will play Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton will play Hermione, and Alastair Stout will play Ron Weasley. There's no word yet on who will play Voldermort, though Cillian Murphy has rebuffed rumours that it will be him.
You can fill out your watchlist with our guide to the best shows on HBO Max or our ranking of the best Harry Potter movies.
The upcoming HBO Harry Potter series, on which J.K. Rowling is an executive producer, has been the subject of criticism and debate due to the author's public stance on gender identity, which continues to challenge the inclusivity at the heart of the Harry Potter community. It was a similar situation with the Hogwarts Legacy launch, and you can read more about the Hogwarts Legacy controversy in our explainer.
