While Hogwarts Legacy has been delayed to 2023, Potterheads can still, in the meantime, rewatch and reread Harry Potter and enjoy its various incredible characters. In general, these characters made the transition from page to screen pretty well, being as good as they can be with reduced time to shine and have their story told. That said, not every character maintained the same quality, though.
Whether it be because the filmmakers decided to change the character’s story or personality or because chunks of their story were missing from the films, some Harry Potter characters simply are not as good in the films as they are in the books.
Barty Crouch Jr.
Barty Crouch Jr. is a crucial aspect of The Goblet of Fire but does not actually appear too much outside of his impersonating Mad Eye Moody. In the novel, he is not exactly prominent on every page but still has a far more interesting role.
Much of this is down to his confession, which is only a few seconds long in the film, whereas, in the books, it takes up far more real estate. That is a real shame given the awesome talents of David Tenant, who does manage to impress in his limited time as the Death Eater. His scenes in the book make for some fascinating reading that really fleshes out the character and make for one of the book’s best chapters with Veratisium in full effect.
Lee Jordan
Those Potterheads who are solely movie watchers may not even recognize the name Lee Jordan, which is because he is hardly seen in the movies, only really there as the Quidditch commentator for the first two movies. In the books, he is far more of an impressive character.
Perhaps the most entertaining and important aspect of the character is the fact that he is the best friend of the Weasley twins, something audiences would not know just by watching the movies. His absence in the following movies is not massively detrimental to the plot but can be felt during The Deathly Hallows, where his interesting Potterwatch radio program is missing, along with the conversations with his awesome guests.
Fleur Delacour
Fleur Delcour is hardly the most memorable part of the Tri-Wizard tournament in The Goblet of Fire, nor is she the most significant character when engaged to Bill Weasley – a couple that arguably deserves more love. She is wildly entertaining in the books, though, where she veers towards being an antagonist and really sticks in the readers’ minds.
The tension between her and the Weasleys is super fun, and she is, in general, just a snotty, arrogant individual who mocks others and walks around as if she owns Hogwarts. Then, you get to see her change and become more of a likable character after marrying Bill, leading to her getting accepted by the Weasley family..
Viktor Krum
One minor character who could have been far more memorable had they had more time to showcase their personality like in the books is Viktor Krum, whose jock-ish persona was a nonsensical addition to the films. His book counterpart is far more interesting.
The movies present to fans this rather dumb, one-dimensional jock who audiences do not really have a care in the world for, seemingly just being a tool for the Ron/Hermione dynamic and for Tri-Wizard tournament numbers. The book, though, shows Krum as someone with layers, who is rather insecure and a little geeky, someone who actually would gain the affection of Hermione beyond physical attraction. This is one of the many things left out in The Goblet Of Fire.
Percy Weasley
It is safe to say that most of the Weasley clan, like most characters in the franchise, are better and more enjoyable in the books. A couple of them, though, like Percy, are far, far better characters on the page than on-screen where he barely has a role to play.
A character who clearly thinks a lot of himself and sees himself as better than the rest of his family, Percy is by far and away the least likable Weasley in the movies. This is also true in the books, but at least there, he is further explored and gets a redemption story. Readers get to see more of his unlikable personality but also get to see him realize the error of his ways; the movies cut his entire story arc.
Nymphadora Tonks
An Auror, a member of the Order of the Phoenix, a Metamorphmagus, and just a lovable character all around, Nymphadora Tonks is very likable in the movies, with fans happy every time Natalia Tena’s character pops up. She simply does not get highlighted enough in the films, though.
The same could arguably be said for her love, Remus Lupin, but Tonks especially is quite cut and dry, boring compared to her bubbly but guilt-riddled book counterpart, who is supremely friendly but who also blames herself for Sirius’ death. There is an emotional exploration of her character in the books that the movies simply cannot match as well as some awesome moments that make her such a fan favorite.
The Longbottoms
One of the biggest crimes of the Harry Potter movies is their lack of St. Mungos as well as having none of Alice and Frank Longbottom beyond a picture of the Order of the Phoenix. In the books, readers actually get to meet the characters, as well as get more of an emotional, important Neville Longbottom.
Neville is great to watch in the films and so fun to follow in his journey as hopeful hero, he is just simply not as good as his book version, though. A lot of that is down to the absence of his parents and not getting scenes with them t the hospital, but so too is the lack of exploration into his possibly being the Chosen One, his not being in the Slug Club, and how he organized everything in Hogwarts in The Deathly Hallows.
Kreacher & Dobby
Kreacher and Dobby are indicative of a whole storyline from the Potter books that the movies decided to exclude. It’s that of the House Elves, which understandably was cut to save time, but did mean that characters like these two were left with far less to do.
In the films, Kreacher is pretty unlikable and does not get much to do, but with a whole dedicated chapter in the books, fans dive deep into the character and he undergoes an arc that makes him just as important and even as likable as Dobby. Speaking of Dobby, the mere fact he is absent from four films despite being prominent in the books is enough to make his written counterpart superior.
Ron Weasley
For those great many Harry Potter obsessed individuals who rewatch the films annually and who are comforted by them every time, they grew up loving the Golden Trio, including Ron. However, there is no denying he got drawn the short straw compared to the other two when getting adapted to the big screen.
Whereas in the books Ron is consistently shown as intelligent and the person who pretty much teaches Harry about the Wizarding World, that role falls to Hermione in the films. Compared to his hard-working, hilarious book counterpart, movie Ron, while having some truly all-timer moments and scenes as well as occasionally showing great wisdom, became a bit of a buffoon at times, with some of his best lines and moments fed to other characters.
Ginny Weasley
Undoubtedly the most common answer that anyone will receive when questioning a group of Potterheads on the character done most dirty by the movies is Ginny who, in the films, is lifeless with a handful of terrible scenes, far removed from her often brilliant characterization in the books.
The movies basically ripped the character apart and left nothing but a girlfriend, and a girlfriend with frighteningly little chemistry or tension with her partner nonetheless. Whereas book Ginny is up to her nose in humor and personality, movie Ginny is void of all these qualities, having no spunk and being the focal point of some of the movie’s most infamously awkward moments such as the shoelace scene and the kiss in the Room of Requirement.