Summary

Bertie Carvel teases potential departure of his character Cornelius Fudge in initial season of HBO's Harry Potter series.
Carvel open to long-term commitment of Harry Potter series, despite hesitation earlier in his career.
HBO introducing slight alterations to Fudge's character from the original story, but future depends on audience reception.

HBO is currently putting together an impressive cast for the upcoming Harry Potter television show, and fans are eagerly awaiting further news on who will be part of the initial season. While many of the actors joining the cast are essentially signing themselves up for the next eight years due to how long their characters are part of the story, that's not the case with everyone.

Some Harry Potter characters are only part of the story for a specific period in JK Rowling's original novels. Of course, HBO could tweak that slightly and make changes, which seems to be the case for one specific character, whose future seems to depend on the audience's reaction.

‘It Suits Me Fine’ HBO Harry Potter Star Admits They Won’t Have Many Lines In The Series

A member of HBO's Harry Potter cast has confirmed that they won't have many lines in the upcoming series.

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By Matthew Wilkinson

Bertie Carvel will be taking on the role of Cornelius Fudge in the Harry Potter TV adaptation, which is a character that Robert Hardy played in the movie series. He has a vital role in the wizarding world as the Minister of Magic, but Carvel teased that Fudge might not be kept around beyond this season if fans don't take to the character during an interview with The Times.

"I am coming at it with a really open mind. Whether I come back [after the first series] probably depends on what the fans think. I mean, I’ll be furious if it’s not an amazing part."

Despite Carvel making it clear that he won't be happy if Fudge isn't kept on past the first season, he also admitted that he wouldn't have taken the role at all earlier in his career. That's because he preferred taking on various projects during his youth, whereas a role in the HBO Harry Potter series could be a lengthy commitment, which he's open to. However, his casting did raise eyebrows because it hints at HBO making a significant change from the original Harry Potter story. Fudge isn't introduced in the books until Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, so HBO will provide some slight alterations to his character and the role that he plays in the overall story. However, given his significance in the political side of Harry Potter, there are a lot of possibilities for HBO to explore with Fudge and the Ministry of Magic generally.

The odds of Fudge not returning to the series do seem slim, regardless of what fans think about Carvel's portrayal, as the character only grows in importance. The original report from Deadline of his casting did claim it to be a recurring role, and that's something that fans would expect, even if Fudge only ends up in a small part of the story as a supporting character, much like the movies. However, it's clear from Carvel's comments that he is hoping to impress the dedicated Harry Potter fans, as he likes what he has read for the part so far.

Filming for the Harry Potter series has already begun for several of the younger cast members, but it will officially kickstart as a full production in the summer. HBO will be using the Warner Bros. Studio in Watford, England, which is the same location where the movies were filmed, connecting the two projects. The first season is expected to air at the start of 2027, and Carvel will be hoping his version of Fudge is enough to impress Harry Potter fans.

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