What's Inside?
- David Thewlis says he is too old to reprise Remus Lupin and is tired of questions about returning to the franchise.
- The HBO Harry Potter series will adapt one book per season, starting with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in 2027.
- Except for Warwick Davis, the reboot features an entirely new cast, signaling a clear creative shift from the original films.
As HBO moves steadily toward reimagining the wizarding world, the excitement around its upcoming Harry Potter series is colliding with a familiar question. Will any of the original film stars return? For one actor, that question has long worn out its welcome. With production underway and a 2027 release window in sight, the reboot has opened the door to fresh faces and renewed curiosity. Yet it has also stirred constant nostalgia. That pull of the past is exactly what David Thewlis now wants to step away from, even as the franchise enters a bold new phase.
David Thewlis Draws a Clear Line Between Nostalgia and Moving on
David Thewlis, who memorably played Remus Lupin in five films, has made his position clear. While promoting other work in an interview with ScreenTime, he was asked if he would return either as Lupin or in a new role. His answer was blunt and honest, shaped by time and perspective rather than bitterness.
“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. 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.”
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/7Pemz1ifHz
— ScreenTime (@screentime) February 9, 2026
That mix of fatigue and fondness tells a fuller story. Thewlis is not rejecting Harry Potter itself. He is rejecting the idea that his creative life should orbit it forever. Lupin was a defining role, especially in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, where the character carried emotional weight and moral depth. But for Thewlis, that chapter feels complete.
When he first stepped into the role in 2004, he was 41, playing a character written as being in his early thirties. Two decades later, the gap between actor and character has widened. More importantly, so has his career. Thewlis has spent years building a body of work beyond Hogwarts, and the constant questions pull him backward instead of forward.
HBO’s Harry Potter Series Embraces a Fresh Start with New Faces
HBO’s series is designed to do exactly what Thewlis suggests is necessary. Move on. Each season will adapt one book, starting with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. That structure means Lupin will not appear until season three, assuming the story stays faithful. A younger actor, closer in age to both the character and Thewlis at the time, will almost certainly take on the role.
The casting choices already signal a clean slate, with Warwick Davis returning as Professor Flitwick as the lone link to the films. The rest of the ensemble, from John Lithgow’s Albus Dumbledore to the new trio led by Dominic McLaughlin as Harry, reflects HBO’s commitment to reinvention under showrunner Francesca Gardiner.
For fans, Thewlis’ words may sting. But they also offer clarity. The magic of Harry Potter has always been about growth, change, and knowing when to let go. In that sense, his decision feels perfectly in character.
