The Harry Potter movies were helmed by multiple directors over the course of a decade, with that list including Alfonso Cuarón, Mike Newell, and David Yates. But, of course, one can’t forget that the filmmaker who kicked off the box office hit of a franchise was Chris Columbus, who helmed the first two installments. In a sweet turn of events, the American director visited Harry Potter‘s London Studio Tour and, once fans learned of his presence there, they shared some lovely comments.
As the first director to take on a Wizarding World flick, Chris Columbus deserves a lot of credit for setting the tone for the franchise. After helming the first two films, he stuck around for The Prisoner of Azkaban as a co-producer, handing off the directing duties to Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón. Columbus may have left the fantasy franchise over a decade ago, but Potter hasn’t left his heart, it seems. In an Instagram post, he gushed about his time taking in the Warner Bros Studio Tour- The Making of Harry Potter:
I’m truly getting all of these feels seeing the Mrs. Doubtfire helmer outside of the London Studio Tour. In some way, it’s like he’s visiting his baby! I can imagine him having had a real blast by getting the chance to see the breathtaking sets from the films like The Forbidden Forest, The Great Hall and even an expansion of Gringotts Wizarding Bank. A visitor can also get a close-up look at the costumes and props and, if that’s enough to make a fan nostalgic for the franchise, I’d imagine it can do the same to someone who’s closely associated with the series.
If you’re getting a little teary-eyed seeing Chris Columbus standing outside the London Studio Tour, know that you’re not alone. Instagram users were feeling some major emotions, too. Take a look at some of the sweet comments below, which indicate that fans are loving the Home Alone director’s trip:
- Welcome home – @wbtourlondon
- Love you and your movies! You are the best in the Wizaring World! Come back, GOAT! 🔥- @andrea.dallapalma
- Welcome home Chris!- @roguedanhartley
- THE ONE WHO SET THE TONE WENT BACK ❤️❤️❤️- @thenuaraclara
- Thank you for being the one who best understood the Harry Potter books and for creating the most faithful aesthetic to what J.K. Rowling imagined.-@coleccionistaharrypotter
It’s easy to feel emotional when looking over many of these comments, some of which surmise that Chris Columbus is “home.” Personally, he’s my favorite of the Harry Potter directors. That’s because his specific approach, in my opinion, most closely resembles the vision that author J.K. Rowling possessed for the series.
Sure, Chris Columbus faced a lot of pressure while directing The Sorcerer’s Stone, as he was the first filmmaker to help bring the best-selling fantasy book series to life. But, after talking to J.K. Rowling about how he was going to direct the first movie, she felt his vision aligned with hers, which made him all the more confident. Columbus expressed interest in helming an adaptation of The Cursed Child, and I’d personally love to see him do it. However, if he doesn’t return to the franchise, I’m just pleased that he still has so much affection for it and in turn, receives a lot of love.
You can stream the entire Harry Potter series using either a Peacock subscription or a Max subscription. And know that the latter membership will also get you access to the 2022 reunion special.