Harry Potter star and Weasley twin Oliver Phelps gives his opinions on the upcoming TV show adaptation and the recasting of the iconic characters. Phelps and his twin brother James shot to fame when they won the roles of the mischievous Weasley twins Fred and George. Phelps portrayed George in all eight Harry Potter movies, while his brother played the role of Fred. The Weasley twins are fan favorites, for both book and film enthusiasts, and are set to be recast in the upcoming HBO Harry Potter TV series.

In an interview with Variety to promote a new Harry Potter-themed baking show, Phelps and his brother reminisce about their time in the franchise, and their experiences playing the iconic twins. Phelps also gave his views on the TV reboot and revealed his thoughts on Fred and George being recast. He claimed that no matter what happens in the show, people will always view him and his brother as those characters before wishing the new actors well. Check out Phelps’ comments below:

Oliver: I think we will always be associated with those characters. Whatever happens in the TV series — which we know as much as anyone else does to be honest with you — I think people will always see us as Fred and George to a point. Obviously, the guys who will go on and take our characters in that adaptation of it, they’ll do their thing and we wish them nothing but the best. Just don’t be as good as us!

What These Comments Mean For The Harry Potter TV Show

It’s A New Format & Fresh Perspective, But The Movie Legacy Looms Large

The Harry Potter TV adaptation represents a fresh and exciting new direction, and it could give new depth and meaning to the books in ways the movies couldn’t. Television indeed provides the perfect platform for longer-form storytelling, and since each season of the show will cover one book, there is plenty of opportunity to explore the novels in more detail and touch on themes that the movies were unable to. This is an exciting opportunity to approach the franchise with a clean slate and explore different plot points that weren’t given time in the movies.

While there’s reason for optimism, the legacy of the movies looms large, and matching the impact of those films is a big ask, no matter how good the series is. In particular, characters like Fred and George are likely to be staples of the show. Other core Harry Potter characters are likely to receive more in-depth arcs as well, as the TV show seeks to go into more depth than the movies, and will have the scope to be able to do so, which may even make viewers connect with the likes of the Weasley twins more deeply.

Our Verdict On Whether What TV Fred & George Could Be Like

The Characters Are Likely To Be More Fleshed Out Than With The Movies

There’s no question that Fred and George are likely to have a prominent role in the show, as they did in the films, but the approaches could take on a darker and more complex tone. Certainly, there will be more heavy lifting involved in fleshing out the characters, with a seven-season run, so the Weasley twins could be very different from their movie counterparts. While I believe their TV arcs will be richer and perhaps more epic, it’s hard to imagine them matching the wit, humor, and likability of Fred and George from the Harry Potter movies.