Now that HBO’sHarry Potterhas cast their Professor Quirinus Quirrell, hopefully the TV show can expand on his character in a way that the book and movie never did. Set for release in 2026,Harry Potterseason 1will delve into the first book of the series,Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.As readers will remember,this installment sees Harry discovering he is a wizard, going to Hogwarts for the first time, and getting sucked into a conspiracy surrounding the Sorcerer’s Stone, which grants eternal life. In the middle of this scheme is the nervous Professor Quirrell.
Compared toHarry Potter’sother Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, Quirrell may be easily overlooked by audiences. He doesn’t have the sweet charm of Remus Lupin nor the horrifying villainy of Dolores Umbridge. However,Quirrell plays a massive role inHarry Potter,as he is the one who first introduces Harry to Lord Voldemort.The reveal that he has Voldemort on the back of his head is a great one for its shock value and creepiness. With HBO now gearing up to remakeHarry Potter,the show should make an effort to deepen Quirrell’s character even further.
The Harry Potter Remake Should Show Quirrell’s Backstory, Not Just Tell Us About It
Quirrell’s Motives Should Be Clearer
One solid way that HBO’sHarry Pottercan use Quirrell more effectively is by actually showing audiences how he met Voldemort. In the book, Quirrell gives a classic villain monologue, explaining how he first met Voldemort in the forests of Albania. Apparently, he was looking for a mentor, and Voldemort seemed the perfect fit. Rather than just saying this, however,theHarry PotterTV show should bring us back to that night in a flashback so we can see just how Quirrell was convincedto put the Dark Lord on the backside of his head.
In fact,it is imperative thatHarry Pottergive a better explanation as to why Quirrell allied with Voldemort at all. The idea that Quirrell wanted a mentor makes some sense, but for him to submit to one of the most evil wizards of all time seems strange. The show needs to dive a bitdeeper into Quirrell’s character, so audiences can see how Voldemort may have manipulated his weaknesses.Harry Pottercould even hint that Quirrell had bad intentions all along. Either way, his villain origin story needs to be more vivid and more understandable.
Showing Quirrell’s Backstory Would Make Him Feel Like A More Fully Realized Character
Harry Potter Needs Quirrell To Be A More Exciting Character
The benefit of getting deeper into Quirrell’s story is that it will make him feel more important. As previously mentioned, Quirrell can easily be forgotten in the face ofHarry Potter’smore exciting characters, which puts the show at risk of failing their very first villain. Because of this,Harry Potterneeds to make Quirrell more compelling, and the best way to do this is to give him more story and more screentime.Harry Potterseason 1 needs to make us care about Quirrellin a way that we never did during theSorcerer’s Stonebook or movie.
It is imperative that Quirrell becomes a more interesting character, not just for the sake of audience interest, but for the show as a whole. IfHarry Potterwants to start off with a bang, it needs to grab viewers' attention in any way possible. Obviously, season 1 will have plenty of opportunities to dazzle audiences, but Quirrell is a particularly important part of this. As the season’s main villain, Quirrell needs to leave his mark. He is the first taste viewers will get of Voldemort and the evil to come, so it’s vital that he makes a bigger splash.
Harry Potter Season 1 Could Establish Voldemort Earlier With This Book Change
Why Establishing Voldemort Early Is A Good Thing
One last positive of deepening Quirrell’s story is that ithelps establish Voldemortmore strongly from the get-go. It takes several books before Voldemort truly comes back into power, but despite this, he still needs to play an important role in the early books. When theHarry Pottermovies were being made, the book series hadn’t even been completed yet, soit was much harder to make Voldemort feel like a fleshed-out character early on. However, with this hindsight, HBO’sHarry Pottercan fix that.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
It will be good forHarry Potterto lay the foundation for Voldemort sooner because, like Quirrell, it will make him a better villain. Voldemort already has a very interesting arc as he goes from a parasite on Quirrell’s head to a fully resurrected person, yet there is always room for improvement.If audiences can get a closer look at Voldemort’s rise to power, it will create more tensionand more anticipation for future seasons. All in all, the villains ofHarry Potterare just as important as the heroes.
