Harry Potter director Chris Columbus has revealed that Robin Williams was rejected for the role of Remus Lupin.
It’s been twenty years since the first Harry Potter film was released and the franchise’s legacy has since been left a bit muddy. Between writer J.K. Rowling’s political views and the lackluster performance of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, the legacy of the franchise has been called into question. One cannot argue, however, that the impact that the original films and their cast left on an entire generation.
The first two Harry Potter films were directed by Chris Columbus who also produced the third film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. For some time it had been rumored that Robin Williams wanted to play a part in the films but was rejected. In a recent interview with CinemaBlend, Columbus revealed that this was true. The two had previously worked together on Mrs. Doubtfire and Bicentennial Man and the actor wanted to take the role of Remus Lupin but was rejected for one key reason:
“That was the goal. No American actors in this film I had a conversation with Robin Williams, who wanted to play Lupin. It was very difficult for me to say ‘It’s all British. There’s nothing I can do.'”
Here is the official synopsis for the latest film in the Harry Potter franchise,’ Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald:
At the end of the first film, the powerful dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald was captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander. But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escaped custody and has set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise wizards and witches up to rule over all non-magical beings.
Directed by David Yates from a script written by J. K. Rowling, the second film stars Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Zoë Kravitz, Callum Turner, Claudia Kim, William Nadylam, Kevin Guthrie, Jude Law, and Johnny Depp.
The latest film in the franchise, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is currently scheduled for an April 15, 2022 release. Stay tuned for all the latest news on the Harry Potter franchise, Warner Bros., and be sure to subscribe to Heroic Hollywood’s YouTube channel for more video content!
Source: CinemaBlend