Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets promo image with Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy and Tom Felton as Draco MalfoyImage via WB
By
Dhruv Sharma
Published Feb 22, 2026, 11:15 PM EST
Dhruv is a Lead Writer in Screen Rant's New TV division. He has been consistently contributing to the website for over two years and has written thousands of articles covering streaming trends, movie/TV analysis, and pop culture breakdowns.
Before Screen Rant, he was a Senior Writer for The Cinemaholic, covering everything from anime to television, from reality TV to movies.
After high school, he was on his way to become a Civil Engineer. However, he soon realized that writing was his true calling. As a result, he took a leap and never looked back.
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As exciting as HBO's upcoming small-screen take on Harry Potter may seem, its future already seems concerning after one major Malfoy change.
Like most book-to-screen adaptations, HBO's Harry Potter remake is bound to introduce many changes to the original books. However, unlike the movies, the show is not limited by shorter runtimes if it only adapts one book per season. This allows it to remain faithful to the source material and deliver a more accurate small-screen iteration.
Interestingly, though, reports reveal the show is introducing a major Malfoy change in season 1 itself, which could harm it in more ways than one.
Lucius & Draco Malfoy Will Have Bigger Roles In Harry Potter Season 1
Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy and Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy in Deathly Hallows Part 1©2010 Warner Bros. Ent./Courtesy Everett Collection
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Lucius Malfoy barely has a role in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and he does not even appear in the first movie. The first season of HBO's Harry Potter, however, will reportedly (via THQ) feature him in a much bigger role. Similarly, Draco Malfoy will also have a significantly bigger part, where season 1 will also give several glimpses of his life at home (via 1883 Magazine).
By shedding more light on the perspectives of other characters instead of primarily focusing on Harry, the show intends to expand the books' lore and make good use of its long runtime.
Not all book changes are welcome, but it is hard to complain about these because of how they could benefit the entire franchise. A look at Lucius and Draco's perspectives could potentially make Draco seem more conflicted and tragically human rather than simply arrogant and antagonistic.
The show could even pay off these developments in future arcs by showing how Draco was weighed down by familial expectations instead of inherently being a dark character. However, these new additions to the overarching story could compound into a bigger problem in the series.
Expansion Of Books’ Lore Could Increase The HBO Show’s Runtime
Lucius, Narcissa, & Draco Malfoy gathered at the end of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2©2011 Warner Bros. Ent./Courtesy Everett Collection
Most TV shows in the streaming era barely get to last longer than three seasons. Even some of the best fantasy shows barely end up making it to five seasons. A seven-season runtime is now seemingly reserved only for a rare few that keep delivering impressive viewership numbers and critical ratings.
Even if HBO's Harry Potter picks up one book per season, it will have to last for at least seven seasons to complete its run.
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Explore the implications of HBO's expanded Malfoy focus by subscribing to the newsletter for deeper coverage and context. The newsletter unpacks how added perspectives and lore might shape the remake's trajectory. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.If the show keeps adding new lore to the franchise and focusing on new character perspectives, it could potentially further bloat its runtime. As a result, it would require even more seasons to naturally end its run. Considering how quickly shows get canceled these days, it runs the very real risk of being axed before it ever reaches its intended conclusion.
While it is still hard not to be hyped about HBO's take on Harry Potter, the sheer length of its source material could prove to be a major issue. Hopefully, HBO will continue treating it as a long-term investment and not end its run midway.
Harry Potter
Adventure
Family
Fantasy
Showrunner
Francisca Gardiner
Directors
Mark Mylod
Writers
Francesca Gardiner
Harry Potter is HBO's remake of the iconic Wizarding World film series that consisted of eight films between 2001 and 2011. Each season adapts a book from JK Rowling's popular series and provides more book-accurate details than the movies did.
Cast Dominic McLaughlin, Janet McTeer, John Lithgow, Nick Frost, Arabella Stanton, Paapa Essiedu, Paul Whitehouse, Alastair Stout, Luke Thallon, Bertie Carvel, Katherine Parkinson, Bel Powley, Johnny Flynn, Daniel Rigby, Lox Pratt, Leo Earley, Alessia Leoni, Sienna Moosah, Elijah Oshin, Finn Stephens, William Nash, Sirine Saba, Richard Durden, Brid Brennan, Leigh Gill Franchise(s) Harry Potter Main Genre Adventure Executive Producer(s) Francesca Gardiner, Mark Mylod, Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts, David Heyman, J.K. Rowling Seasons 1 Release Window 2026 Story By JK Rowling Streaming Service(s) MAX Powered by
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Explore the implications of HBO's expanded Malfoy focus by subscribing to the newsletter for deeper coverage and context. The newsletter unpacks how added perspectives and lore might shape the remake's trajectory. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. Trending Now
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