Harry Potter is celebrating its 20th anniversary on the big screen with the HBO Max special, Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: ​​Return to Hogwarts.

By bringing together a large ensemble of British actors, the reunion sheds more light on why one of the main stars wanted to leave the series.

Read more: Hogwarts Legacy – Everything You Need to Know

The main Harry Potter star wants to leave the franchise

The reunion includes an interview with Emma Watson, who wanted to leave the Wizarding World around the time the Order of the Pheonix came out.

Watson explained that the reason behind the situation was the popularity associated with the franchise, as he felt that a “tipping point” could be reached.

I think he’s scared. I don’t know if you ever feel like you hit a tipping point where you say: It’s forever now. It was around the time of the Order of the Phoenix that things started to get excited for everyone.

But the Beauty and the Beast actor decided to make the decision again, and fans convinced him to continue his role as Hermione.

Fame is finally home, in a big way. Nobody has to convince me to do it. The fans really want him to be successful, and everyone is very supportive of each other. How good is that?

Rupert Grint also shares the same anxieties, even though the stars never talk about it directly with each other.

I also have the same feeling as Emma, ​​thinking about what life would be like if I called it a day. We never really talked about it. I think we went through it at our own pace, we were in the moment in that moment. It didn’t occur to us that we might all have the same feelings.

The franchise raised a trio of actors into some of the biggest influencers in the world at one point and this fame can be scary for some. Many stars have discussed the ‘superstar’ status the franchise gives actors, from Twilight to Lord of the Rings. Many have gone far enough to question its continuation, as Watson and Grint did.

The story of the Harry Potter films is probably a Hollywood era that we will never return to. But you can relive the magic on New Year’s Day, where the special will be available to stream on HBO Max (US) and NOW (UK).

Do you think the Harry Potter films would be the same without Emma Watson? Let us know in the comments.

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