‘Harry Potter’ Director Nixes Cast Reunion Over Rowling’s Trans Stance

“Harry Potter” film director Chris Columbus cast doubt on the possibility of ever having a cast reunion — and suggested that author J.K. Rowling’s stance on the transgender issue was the primary reason such an event could never happen.

Columbus, who directed the first two films in the franchise and produced the third, said that differences of opinion on certain political issues would prevent the whole group from ever working together again — and clearly hinted that Rowling was the odd one out on that score.

The question came up during a recent interview with The Sunday Times, when Columbus said that he’d initially hoped to be able to bring the original cast back together for a film adaptation of the stage show “Harry Porter and the Cursed Child,” but that he’d ruled out such a project for “political” reasons.

“It’s never going to happen. It’s gotten so complicated with all the political stuff. Everyone in the cast has their own opinion, which is different from her opinion, which makes it impossible,” he explained. “I haven’t spoken to Miss Rowling in a decade or so, so I have no idea what’s going on with her, but I keep very close contact with Daniel Radcliffe and I just spoke to him a few days ago. I still have a great relationship with all the kids in the cast.”

Shortly after news of the interview and Columbus’ comments began circulating on social media, Rowling posted a vague response via X.

“As another man who once worked with me declares himself saddened by my beliefs on gender and sex, I thought it might be useful to compile a list for handy reference,” Rowling began, asking, “Which of the following do you imagine makes actors and directors who aren’t involved with the HBO reboot of Harry Potter so miserable?”

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“Is it my belief that women and girls should have their own public changing rooms and bathrooms? That women should retain female-only rape crisis centres? That men don’t belong in women’s sport?” she continued. “That female prisoners shouldn’t be incarcerated with violent men and male sex offenders? That women should remain a protected class in law, because they have sex-specific needs and issues?”

Rowling’s list of questions went on at length as she added, “That language should reflect reality rather than ideological jargon, especially in a medical context? That women shouldn’t be harassed, persecuted or fired for refusing to pretend humans can change sex? That women should not be threatened with violence and rape when they assert their rights? That freedom of speech and belief are essential to a pluralistic democratic society? That troubled minors, especially those who are gay, autistic and trauma-experienced, should be given mental health support instead of irreversible surgeries and drug treatments on non-existent evidence of benefit? That gay people shouldn’t be pressured to include the opposite sex in their dating pools, nor should they be smeared as ‘genital fetishists’ when they don’t? That cross-dressing heterosexual male fetishists aren’t actually oppressed, but having the time of their lives piggybacking off gender identity ideology? That said ideology, and the privileged, blinkered fools pushing it because they suffer zero consequences themselves, have done more damage to the political left’s credibility than Trump and Farage could have achieved in a century? Let me have your thoughts.”

Rowling has often found herself at odds with radical trans activists for her views on keeping private single sex spaces and protecting the sex-based rights of women, and has been labeled a Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist (TERF) on a number of occasions. Several members of the “Harry Potter” original cast, including Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, have spoken out against her views as well.