HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Series Has 1 Forgotten Character It Must Get Right

9 hours ago 6

Hermione and Harry sitting in the Great Hall

Published Mar 3, 2026, 7:18 PM EST

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Carolyn Jenkins is a voracious consumer of film and television. She graduated from Long Island University with an MFA in Screenwriting and Producing where she learned the art of character, plot, and structure. The best teacher is absorbing media and she spends her time reading about different worlds from teen angst to the universe of Stephen King.

HBO Max’s announcement that Harry Potter would be getting an update in 2027 has left many with mixed feelings. The story of a boy wizard accepting his destiny as the Chosen One is timeless, but it has come at a moment when franchise fatigue has officially set in. Why try to reinvent the wheel when the definitive adaptation only concluded 15 years ago?

Daniel Radcliffe’s portrayal of Harry Potter may have been iconic, but his story won’t be the only one that gets an upgrade. Some elements never saw the light of day, including a hallmark character from the original books. Peeves was a familiar character in the books, a poltergeist who was an agent of chaos at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Quick to prank the teachers as much as the students, Peeves’ road to the films was short-lived. He was originally cast in the films, but Christopher Columbus cut the character when the child actors were unable to keep a straight face in the scenes. Since HBO Max’s new Harry Potter series has more time to devote to these fan-favorite characters, Peeves should be one of the first to make it to the final cut.

Peeves the Poltergeist Added Whimsy to the Harry Potter Books

Like many of the ghosts in the Harry Potter feature films, Peeves’ role was significantly cut down. The poltergeist largely filled the role of a troublemaker, which wasn’t strictly necessary. The Weasley twins had those bases covered and functioned as an aid to Harry when it came to the mysteries of the castle. Even so, Peeves' absence was felt as the character still appears in spin-offs from the series. Peeves is present in the Hogwarts Mystery mobile game as well as Hogwarts Legacy.

While not integral to the plot of the books, he offered comedic relief and was a source of ire for the real villain of Hogwarts, Filch, the caretaker. The feature films didn’t have time for a character that didn’t push the plot along, but Peeves was still a valued part of the Hogwarts community. When it mattered most, the character used his tricks for good as he opposed Dolores Umbridge during her reign of terror and aided Hogwarts in the final battle in The Deathly Hallows.

Peeves was just another facet of Hogwarts culture and would be a benefit if the HBO Max series wants to set itself apart from the films that defined the series. The character is arguably one of the hardest to cast. As of this writing, there has been no confirmation of who play the part in the upcoming series. This isn’t necessarily surprising considering what a tough role this could turn out to be. Peeves would have to master obscene humor without making the show a slapstick comedy. If done right, he could offer some laugh-out-loud moments, but if done wrong, he could rub viewers the wrong way. It is a tricky seesaw act, but that is Peeves in a nutshell. Showrunner Francesca Gardiner acknowledged the existence of the character in the upcoming season, one of the many elements that were undercut in the flawed but fan-pleasing movies.