Gary Oldman believes that HBO's 'Harry Potter' series could be a more substantial adaptation of J.K. Rowling's books. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the actor who played Sirius Black recalled that when working on the feature films, the creators had to significantly cut down the source material:
“We had to cut so much, and even then, the films were almost three hours long. I think the series will follow the books almost word for word, and viewers will be more satisfied.”
According to Oldman, details that revealed the characters' personalities suffered particularly due to the cuts. The serial format will allow for more storylines to be preserved and more screen time to be given to characters who only had a few scenes in the films.
While these are just the actor's expectations, HBO representatives have previously stated their intention to present a more complete adaptation of the books. Additionally, the series will feature new scenes that were not in the original source material. For example, viewers will see more episodes from the Malfoys' private life, which will delve deeper into Draco's character and his relationship with his parents.
How much the creators will manage to expand the familiar story will be known soon: the premiere of the first season of 'Harry Potter', adapting 'Philosopher's Stone', will take place on December 25, 2026.