Summary

HBO has confirmed the first six actors for its upcomingHarry Potteradaptation, which will bring the iconic fantasy story to the world of television for the first time. The confirmed characters are exactly who audiences expected to see involved, as they’re significant parts that were heavily featured throughout the film series.

However,Harry Potterfans want the HBO adaptation to be a little different and unique, which could lead to some other characters being spotlighted. There are a plethora of options that HBO could pick to tick this box, but one character, in particular, was underutilized in the movies and could be fleshed out in more detail in the Harry Potter television show.

Tom Riddle in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter Should Dive Into Tom Riddle In More Detail

Audiences Want To See How Lord Voldemort Reaches That Stage

Tom Riddle is an interesting character in theHarry Pottermovies because he’s someone that audiences technically see a lot of, but he’s also barely exposed at all. Riddle obviously grows to become Lord Voldemort, but once he transforms into that, the Riddle aspect of his personality is effectively gone. That’s why audiences don’t see a lot of Riddle himself; he’s barely showcased in the films, which was a missed opportunity that HBO could exploit. The backstory of how Lord Voldemort becomes the darkest wizard in the world is something that should be explored more in the television series. With the benefit of extra time, HBO should use Riddle to fill in a lot of the space, looking back to when he was at Hogwarts in detail, the impact he had on Moaning Myrtle, or actually showing how he created the Horcruxes, rather than just talking about it. These are all things thatHBO has the opportunity to do, which could be extremely interesting.

While shows like to focus lots of time on the heroes of a story, thedarker witches and wizards in theHarry Potteruniverse are among the most exciting, engaging, and beloved. HBO would also be able to showcase younger versions of other characters, such as Albus Dumbledore, by tapping into Riddle’s history, which would enhance the entire story on the whole. Riddle was underutilized throughout the movies despite being one of the most important characters in the whole story, and HBO needs to address that.

Young Tom Riddle in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (1)

Focusing On Tom Riddle Will Enhance Lord Voldemort

HBO Would Be Able To Make Him An Even Scarier Villain

The idea of showing Lord Voldemort before he reaches his ultimate form might seem pointless, as it’s ultimately not Riddle that Harry Potter is going to be fighting against. But highlighting his descent into darkness and the terrifying decisions he makes at such a young age would arguably make him an even scarier villain. Showing how deranged he was while being a Hogwarts student would likely stun a lot of people because seeing him as a student would seem somewhat more relatable. It would allow fans tostep inside Lord Voldemort’s mindsetand see how it develops to where he ultimately ends up. He’s a character who has a lot of power, but understanding the thought process behind it all would only make him a more complex and interesting villain.

Lord Voldemort is crucial to the story, and while adding nothing to his backstory wouldn’t weaken him in any way, showcasing that would flesh out his character even further. The possibility ofmaking Lord Voldemort even more interestingis something HBO should be looking into, as this feels like a no-brainer of a decision. It helps fill the time throughout each season, and it adds another plot line to tap into, all while enhancing the show’s ultimate bad guy.

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HBO Has The Opportunity To Do Something Unique With Tom Riddle

This Will Help Make Harry Potter Feel Different From The Movies

Another significant reason why HBO should highlight Riddle in more depth is that it would make the television series feel unique. Obviously, fans are going to be tuning in to see the classicHarry Potterstory, and they will receive that. However, that doesn’t mean more details cannot be added to enhance things.Harry Potterfans are often desperate for any form of new content in relation to this world, adding to the lore overall, and HBO needs to be doing that to please them. Riddle is an example of a character that would be easy to improve upon from the films, and hopefully, that’s what happens.

HBO will want its version ofHarry Potterto feel completely uniquefrom the movie series. There’ll be similarities at times in regards to the story, especially, but if HBO wants to succeed, then the show must be different. Fans need to have a reason to continue exploring the wizarding world, and if they can provide storylines and character details that the movies can’t, then that’s one way it can be achieved within theHarry Pottershow.

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