What would the series have been like with Richard Harris as Dumbledore?

Richard Harris was our original Dumbledore and it is fun to think about what the series would have been like with him as Albus.

When Richard Harris died, many Harry Potter fans wondered what that would mean for Albus Dumbledore. Luckily Sir Michael Gambon came along to take over the role. But that doesn’t mean we have forgotten what it was like with Richard at the helm.

So it is interesting to think about what it would have been like with older Harris as Dumbledore when he and Harry are trying to find the Horcruxes. It is a very active time for Dumbledore. He’s consistently running around and doing active work for a character who is supposed to be around 150 years old.

So to think about Harris, who was very stoic and calm during his reign, playing Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, is interesting to say the least. But then again, he probably would have gotten the “Did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire” line correct. (Don’t worry, we’re still mad about that too.)

I think that we would have gotten a much different relationship between Harry and Albus, one that might have mirrored the books a bit better. The problem with Dumbledore in the movies is that he often comes off as cold towards Harry, which happens in the books but not as consistently as it is in the movies.

Next: Was Voldemort the most powerful wizard in the Harry Potter series?

At the end of the day, I wish we could have seen more of Richard Harris as Dumbledore. He was the calming figure I had always envisioned while reading the books and he made sure to bring the character to life in a way that makes us, as fans, want to be a part of that world.