Yesterday, HBO released the first on-set photo of Nick Frost as Hagrid in the upcoming Harry Potter series, and it’s already stirring a lot of opinions online.
Starting with Hagrid: I don’t mind the outfit. The olive-green jacket and striped T-shirt actually suit both Nick Frost and the character quite well. However, his beard and hair are far too clean-cut. Hagrid is supposed to be wild-looking.
His appearance in the books is described as shaggy, tangled, and generally unkempt. Right now, Nick Frost looks more like he’s headed to a Halloween party than stepping into the role of a beloved half-giant gamekeeper. He needs to look much scruffier to really capture the essence of Hagrid. Hopefully, this is something they’ll address as filming continues.
Some fans have also commented that Hagrid should look older. Personally, I don’t mind this aspect just yet. It’s likely that aging effects or prosthetics will be added during post-production, so I’m willing to reserve judgment for now.
As for Harry Potter, played by Dominic McLaughlin, his look is starting to grow on me. At first, I was unsure, but the more I see the first photo, the more I warm up to it. I noticed they’ve made his lightning bolt scar quite subtle, which is an interesting choice. That said, to stay more faithful to the books, I think the scar should be placed in the center of his forehead rather than off to the side. Still, he looks adorable. To make the TV series different from the movies, their version of the costume includes a maroon knit jumper, although the tie appears to be the same colour as in the original films.
As much as I’m a massive Potterhead and literally grew up with the films, considering the first movie came out when I was one I have to admit, I might actually prefer the new Gryffindor uniform design. It feels more traditional, almost as if it’s been pulled directly from a magical boarding school in Britain. It looks cleaner, more timeless, and gives off stronger “back to Hogwarts” vibes.
Overall, while there are things I’d tweak, I’m cautiously optimistic. These are just the first looks, after all and I’m excited to see how the show develops.
“What do you think of Hagrid’s look? Are you excited or skeptical about the reboot?”