I have good and bad news for you. The good news is that Goblet of Fire will be hitting theaters this summer. The bad news is that it won’t be the great British novel you’re probably thinking of but a slightly modified American version. Let’s take a closer look.
Not Another Harry Potter
It’s been nearly ten years since the last Harry Potter book was released and the cinematic adaptation was such a massive success that it’s practically impossible for another wizarding world story to top it. Well, if Warner Bros. wants to keep the franchise going, they’re going to have to do something different; but different doesn’t always mean better. Let’s take a closer look at Goblet of Fire and how it stacks up against the books and films that came before it.
Adaptation Is Always A Challenge
When adapting a work for the big screen, there are all sorts of challenges to consider. From making the story fit the budget to coming up with something that can live up to the high standards set by the original text, adapting Goblet of Fire wasn’t easy. It wasn’t hard to find the resources or the locations required to make the story work on the big screen. It was more of a case of finding the right people to bring the story to life.
A Different Take On Dumbledore
If you thought the Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was interesting, just wait until you see what Robert Pattinson’s Dumbledore is like in this year’s Goblet of Fire. While the traditional Dumbledore may still be the headmaster at Hogwarts, in this version he’s more of a mentor to our anti-hero Rupert Giles, a disgraced former priest and amateur sleuth. As powerful and wise as he’s been portrayed in past films, this Dumbledore is a bit more sympathetic, in part, because we see him from a different perspective.
More Than Meets The Eye
One of the unique things about Goblet of Fire is that it treats us to a behind-the-scenes look at a wizarding school. We get to see how the magic works and learn a little bit about how the world of Harry Potter came to be. The novel is chock-full of amazing visuals, so much so that it barely feels like you’re reading. It almost feels like you’re there, watching it all unfold. This is made possible, in part, by J.K. Rowling’s decision to give us 360-degree panoramic views of Hogwarts, putting the reader right in the middle of the action, so to speak.
The Difference In Quality
While Goblet of Fire is a different take on the Harry Potter universe, it’s not necessarily a bad one. The book shares many of the same themes as the originals, exploring the power of friendship, love, and family while also giving us an insight into the darker sides of these themes, as well as magic. The difference, however, is in the details. The prose is more elegant, the characters are more realistic, and the plot is more surprising. It’s not that the books are bad, quite the opposite. It’s just that Goblet of Fire simply feels more like a high-quality product.
What About The Cursed Child?
Now that you’ve had time to process the fact that Goblet of Fire is finally coming to a theater near you, you might be wondering about the “cursed child” in the title. What exactly does that mean and why is it important? Let’s unpack this title a bit. First, the book isn’t actually cursed, at least not in the traditional sense. Let’s call it “occasionally cursed,” if we want to be entirely truthful. What is truly cursed is the fact that time is running out for Diggory’s family. Second, the title “cursed child” was given to the novel because it includes a child, and we all know what happened to the last generation of Hufflepuffs and Potters. The family tree is filled with tragedies and there’s no chance that the line won’t be continued, making every child born into it a “cursed” one.
A Great British Tradition
Finally, let’s not forget that Goblet of Fire is still a great British novel. It was published almost exactly a century ago this year and it still holds up today, despite the fact that it was originally written in the 20th century. This is largely due to its unique blend of magical realism and Gothic horror. It’s a fantastic story that deserves to be told, even if it is on the big screen. What do you think? Should Warner Bros. release the entire Harry Potter series, in order?