From Page to Screen: How Fans Feel About the “Harry Potter” Film Adaptations

by · February 26, 2020

Have you ever wondered what the Harry Potter fandom would be like if the eight-film series had never been made? What if Warner Bros. hadn’t been interested in creating it? What if J.K. Rowling had rejected the idea of making her books into movies? The most obvious question may be this: would the Harry Potter fandom be the same as we know it today?

There are many Harry Potter fans and avid book readers who would typically choose books over their movie adaptations. However, a movie adaptation of a book is not to be undervalued. Movie adaptations can put a face and a voice to a character that has only ever been seen through written description. They can present a spectacular visual for an incomprehensible scene.

As Harry Potter fans, where would we be without seeing visuals such as a corporeal Patronus, the bewitched ceiling of the Hogwarts Great Hall, or a majestic Buckbeak in flight? The films have helped bring the magic of the Harry Potter books to life for both the fan who rereads the series every year and the fan who has never picked up a Potter book before.

The following infographics are a fun way of seeing how audiences have reacted to some of the most well-known page-to-screen adaptations. One of the most interesting tidbits here is that when respondents were asked whether they preferred the Harry Potter books or their movie adaptations better, nearly double the respondents preferred the books.

 

Infographic showing percentages of preferences for common books and their screen adaptations

The first infographic shows the most-watched book-to-screen adaptations and shows which ones people preferred as books.

 

The second infographic shows evidence of something Harry Potter fans have been talking about for a long time – a Harry Potter TV show. The book series most respondents wish was a TV show is the Harry Potter series. The majority of respondents also said that the reason for this was because the movies were not completely book-accurate.

 

Infographic showing survey respondents likes and dislikes concerning movie adaptations of books.

The second infographic shows the respondents’ feelings specifically toward screen adaptations and whether they would have preferred them as TV shows.

 

How do you feel about the Harry Potter film adaptations? Do you wish the series had become a TV show instead? Let us know what you think in the comments below!