Gary Oldman has said HBO's upcoming television adaptation of Harry Potter will be "more satisfying" for viewers than the film franchise he starred in, pointing to one key difference between the two versions.
In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, the actor, who played Sirius Black in the films, explained why he believes the television series will have a significant advantage over the movie adaptations.
Oldman said the filmmakers were forced to cut a great deal of material and still struggled to keep each movie to around three hours. He said he believes the television series will follow the books almost word for word, which he thinks will be more satisfying for viewers.
Character details left out of the films
Oldman first appeared in the Harry Potter films in 2004, in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. He said many character details were sacrificed in the movies, details that the series will now have the opportunity to develop more fully.
The film franchise, based on J.K. Rowling's bestselling novels, ran from 2001 to 2011 and became one of the highest-grossing series in cinema history.
Praise for the original cast and Chris Columbus
The actor also said he was grateful to have been part of the film franchise, which he described as a "phenomenon," adding that he does not think anything like it will be seen again.
He said that when thinking about the original cast, one person who does not get enough recognition is Chris Columbus, who built that cinematic world and cast the films. Oldman said the production was extremely lucky that the same actors kept returning film after film and literally grew up in their roles. Columbus directed the first two Harry Potter films before handing the franchise to other directors for the remaining installments.
Oldman's history with the franchise
Oldman returned to the role of Sirius Black with a brief appearance in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005, before appearing again in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in 2007. His final appearance in the franchise was a cameo in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 in 2011.
The new HBO series is expected to premiere at Christmas.
