It’s been six years since the last Harry Potter film and although Warner Bros. have tried to keep the magic going with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Young Dumbledore (a.k.a. Fantastic Mr. Fox), it seems that Pottermore and the Deathly Hallows have finally snuffed out any remaining sparkle.
With J.K. Rowling’s magical universe seemingly coming to an end, fans are now wondering what happened to one of the most beloved characters in literary history. Indeed, since the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in 2011, there has been a general feeling among the fandom that J.K. Rowling’s epic fantasy saga is incomplete without Robie Pattinson, who played the young wizard in the films. And although Warner Bros. have yet to confirm it, many believe that the reason behind this is simply because the studios wanted to milk one of the most popular film series of all time for all it’s worth. But is this simply a rumor or is there more to the story? Let’s take a closer look.
The Actor Might Not Want To Return
Although they haven’t said so publicly, many believe that the issue with Robie Pattinson and Harry Potter is simply a publicity stunt to get more people to see Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. In fact, in an interview with The Sun back in 2016, the actor opened up about the reasoning behind his decision not to return for the sequel.
“I always loved Harry Potter and I was very sad when they said it was over. But I understood the reasons for it. I think it might have been a good idea to reinvent the character a bit, go into politics or the media, give him some perspective. There are so many avenues that you could explore with that character. You could do a whole series of films based around him. So, while it’s sad that it’s over, I totally get it. It was an amazing ride.”
An Ode To Robie Pattinson
Although he may not want to do so, it seems unlikely that J.K. Rowling’s beloved creation will be written out of her universe entirely, especially considering how much she was able to pack into her final novel. And although the film series may be over, the fandom has certainly not forgotten about Robie Pattinson and has been quick to point out all the important roles he played in bringing Harry Potter to life.
The hashtag #RIPRobPattinson has been making the rounds on social media as fans remember the talented young actor and try to piece together his legacy, mentioning all of his essential roles in the series (including one very minor appearance in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone as a baby sitting duck)- and even going so far as to compare him to some of the greatest fictional characters of all time.
“He is Durando from the Dark Knight. He is Neville Longbottom from the HP series. He is Yoda. He is Gollum. He is Gandalf- all of these great fictional characters who have had an impact on the world and our ability to imagine and create. We will miss you Robie,” some fans have said.
The Reason For The Stunt
One of the biggest reasons behind Warner Bros.’ decision not to include Robert Pattinson in the Harry Potter reunion is simply because they wanted to milk the series for all it’s worth. Indeed, although the final installment of J.K. Rowling’s epic fantasy saga was released in 2011, the film series has yet to reach its full potential and many fans believe that it could still be going strong if it wasn’t for the fact that it has been kept under the radar by Warner Bros. And although it would be amazing to see everyone return for one last hurrah, it seems that this will never happen, due to contractual obligations.
“I don’t think he’s ever actually broken any bones. In my opinion, he’s too pretty to play a character like that. And that’s the truth,” J.K. Rowling said in an interview with The Sun about Robie Pattinson’s decision not to play a physically-demanding role in the series finale. “I think he’s much better playing children’s characters or romantic leads. I always saw Neville Longbottom as a romantic lead. He was very handsome, like Robert. But, like Neville, he wasn’t going to get his hands dirty. Never liked violent scenes myself. And I like my villains to have dirty teeth, so that you can see all the way into their wickedness,” she continued.
A Character We Will See Often
Although Robert Pattinson may not appear in the Harry Potter films anymore, he will certainly be missed by fans of the wizarding world who had the pleasure of seeing him play such an important role in bringing their favorite characters to life. Indeed, ever since the release of Pottermore in 2014, there has been a wealth of material available for Rowling’s fans and even those who had never been particularly interested in the Harry Potter series will have liked what they have seen.
“I loved his work on Harry Potter and I wasn’t aware of his other movies before, but after watching him play the lead in the HP series I immediately recognized his talent and began to watch all of his other films,” one fan said. “He played such a pivotal role in bringing these characters to life and made them accessible to a wider audience. He truly understood what made each one of them special and he played each role to the best of his ability. I’m so grateful for his work and I’m sure that everyone who has ever encountered these characters has felt the same.”
The Influences Behind The Actor
Although he might not want to be associated with the Harry Potter films anymore, it seems unlikely that Robie Pattinson will ever totally shun his link to J.K. Rowling’s magical series. Indeed, in an interview with The Sun nearly six years after the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Robert Pattinson opened up about some of the influences that helped him to become the great actor that he is today.
“I was influenced a lot by James Bond and Sean Connery when I was a kid. I was crazy about them and would re-watch their films over and over,” he said. “A lot of what I do in my films is based on gestures that I saw in those films. The way James Connery would tap his fingers while thinking, the subtle head shakes he would give at certain moments, his use of the English language- all of those things. Then, as I got older, I started watching more subtitled films and I realized how much I was taking for granted. When a film is subtitled, you think you know what’s going on, but you don’t actually know. There’s a lot of hidden nuances in the dialog that you pick up on only when you start reading the subtitles, but miss out on when they’re spoken aloud. So, I started paying closer attention to the little things and trying to incorporate those gestures into my own body language. I think that’s what helped me to break out of my shell a little bit. It’s all about learning how to behave in social situations and how to be more confident. I’ve always been fairly shy and I used to bottle up a lot of my emotions. Now that I’m doing this acting thing, I’m learning to let my guard down and be more natural around people,” he added.
An End Of An Era
With the release of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the Harry Potter series will officially be over and although we might get some exciting developments around the corner (including, perhaps, a live-action adaptation of one of J.K. Rowling’s most iconic characters), this will be the final hurrah for one of the most influential and beloved series in cinematic history. And although it might be sad to see such a legendary series come to an end, we should all be proud that we got the opportunity to join Harry Potter in his epic journey to defeat evil and bring magic back to the world.