Oh man, as much aswe hate AI being used in movies and TV shows, even we have to admit that it has some pretty comical uses, not the least of which is envisioning the crew fromHarry PotterasBaywatchlifeguards.Baywatchis, of course, the hugely successful action-drama TV show that first began in 1989, and featured the likes of David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson running on the beach to save swimmers in peril.Harry Potter, on the other hand, is set at the fictional school for witches and wizards, Hogwarts, and features no beach frolicking whatsoever, so to see the two come together is absolutely hilarious.
In a post shared bypotterzworldon Instagam, AI was used to imagine what characters such as Harry Potter, Hermoine Granger, Snape, Hagrid, Voldemort and yes, even a Dementor,would look like asBaywatchlifeguards. The art shows each one running on the beach, with Snape looking particularly jacked in his portrait. God bless Hagrid for trying, too, as we can’t imagine how hot he’d be with that beard swaying in the wind. Check out the photos below. We can’t stop laughing!
What’s Going on With the Harry Potter TV Show?
Okay, PotterWatch aside,let’s break down what’s going onwith the highly-anticipatedHarry Pottersmallscreen reboot that’s in the works. First announced in April 2023, the series was at first thought to be an original streaming offering for Max, but it turns out that’s not the case. It wasrecently switched to an HBO Original, which means it will air much like shows such asHouse of the Dragondo on the cable network, with episodes being made available on Max the following day. This will certainly attract more eyeballs to the series, as not everyone is willing to fork over the $10 - $20 it costs for Max, depending on the plan you pick. HBO, on the other hand, is included in many cable packages that viewers already have.
As to who’s running the Harry Potter reboot? There’s good news on that front, asSuccessionandHis Dark Materialsproducer Francesca Gardinerhas been tapped to serve as executive producer and showrunnerfor the HBO series. Mark Mylod has also been announced as executive producer and director for several episodes. His past directorial credits also includeSuccession, as well asGame of ThronesandThe Last of Us.
Casting has yet to be announced for the series, so we don’t know at this point who will portray the pivotal Boy Who Lived, but we do know that Daniel Radcliffewon’t be appearing in the reboot.“I think they very wisely want to have a clean break. And I don’t know if it would work to have us do anything in it,“he said earlier this year. That makes perfect sense, as the reboot is just that: a reboot. Why bring back old cast members if you’re trying to do something fresh? Sure, the nostalgia factor is there, but in the grand scheme of things, it makes no sense. It’s best to just move on and let the movies exist on their own, separate from the new series.
Harry Potter TV Reboot Casting Will Be Huge Challenge, says Warner Bros. Exec
The Harry Potter TV show may only be in early development, but it is clear to Warner Bros. that there are many challenges coming.
One thing’s for sure, theHarry Potterreboot won’t see Dobby in a pair of red shorts running on the beach, and if it does,we’ll be the first to tell you we were wrong. For now, we’ll just leave that image as AI fan art, and hope for the best.
All eightHarry Pottermovies are available to stream onMax, whileBaywatchis available to stream onPeacock.
