TheHarry Pottermovies were some of the most popular and commercially successful fantasy movies of all time when they were released in the early 2000s, with the franchise’s young cast immediately shooting to superstardom. While the majority of their teenage years were spent on this long-running project, the cast has since been involved in some truly creative,interesting films that are totally unlikeHarry Potterin every way.Today, theHarry Pottercastfind themselves with varied levels of fame, working on entirely different kinds of projects.
While theHarry Pottermovie serieswas an enormous international hit, several of the young actors found it difficult to shake off this franchise and find success elsewhere. Some have even spoken about how difficult it was to get rid of this image and land roles in other projects, which is surprisingly common with child actors. However, the three main cast members (alongside a handful of others) have since landed some iconic roles that proved their acting capabilities beyondHarry Potter, allowing them to reforge their image in new and exciting ways.
Beauty and the Beast
Cast
Beauty and the Beast is a 2017 live-action adaptation of Disney’s classic animated film. It tells the story of a cursed prince, transformed into a beast, who must earn the love of a beautiful young woman to break the spell. The film blends romance, fantasy, and music in a timeless narrative.
Emma Watson played Hermione Granger in theHarry Pottermovies, and her career was among the first to find its new direction when the franchise came to a close. Undoubtedly her biggest and most well-known role since the end ofHarry PotterwasDisney’sBeauty and the Beastremake, which retold the classic animated story in live-action form. She played the lead role of Belle, a young princess who’s trapped in a castle with the grotesque beast who’s kidnapped her father.
The Lost City
Originally titled The Lost City of D, The Lost City is a romantic comedy starring Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum. Bullock stars as Loretta Sage, a novelist, as well as Dr. Angela Lovemore, the heroine of her successful romance series. Together they attempt to escape from a billionaire who is hell-bent on discovering an ancient burial chamber that is described in one of Sage’s books.
Daniel Radcliffe played the titular role in theHarry Potterfranchise, but since the end of those movies, he’s dedicated his time to some truly unique and unconventional roles to break free of that youthful image. InThe Lost City,Radcliffe plays eccentric billionaire Abigail Fairfax, who’s not afraid to adopt some villainous, mischievous methods to find the hidden treasure of the lost city.Daniel Radcliffe has done plenty of scary rolessince leavingHarry Potter,but this was among his most lighthearted and fun.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
A prequel and reboot to the Planet of the Apes franchise, Rise of the Planet of the Apes stars James Franco as pharmaceutical chemist Will Rodman. While working with apes, Rodman befriends Caesar (Andy Serkis), a particularly intelligent chimpanzee. Not all humans are as gentle with the apes as Rodman, however, and Caesar is destined to start the line of super-intelligent apes that will one day inherit the Earth.
Tom Felton played Draco Malfoy in theHarry Potterfranchise, and his role inRise of the Planet of the Apesisn’t too dissimilar. In Rupert Wyatt’s film, he plays avillainous employee at the zoo where Caesar is taken and integrated with the other apes. It’s only a minor role, but it gave Felton an opportunity to display his acting abilities with an interesting, complex character in another large studio production.
Kill Your Darlings
Kill Your Darlings is a biographical drama directed by John Krokidas. The film stars Daniel Radcliffe as a young Allen Ginsberg, chronicling his time at Columbia University and his involvement in a murder investigation that brings him together with fellow Beat Generation icons, Jack Kerouac and William S. Burroughs.
Another of Radcliffe’s later movies,Kill Your Darlingsfollows Allen Ginsberg and Lucien Carr during their years at college, where they’re pulled into an unresolved murder case that turns their entire dynamic upside-down. It’s agripping story that finally lets Radcliffe get more emotional and mature with his performances, which he only hinted towards in the laterHarry Pottermovies.
Last Night in Soho
In the acclaimed director Edgar Wright’s psychological thriller, Last Night in Soho, Eloise, an aspiring fashion designer, is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s, where she encounters a dazzling wannabe singer, Sandie. However, the glamour is not all it appears to be, and the dreams of the past start to crack and splinter into something far darker.
James and Oliver Phelps played Fred and George Weasleyin theHarry Pottermovies, two of Ron’s older brothers who are known for their trouble-making tendencies. In Edgar Wright’sLast Night in Soho, the twins have a unique role where they play alternate versions of each other’s mirrored image, which helps the film with its stylish perspective changes during one of its dancing set pieces.Last Night in Sohois filled with clever twists, and the twins’ casting helps create this fascinating atmosphere.
Knock at the Cabin
M. Night Shyamalan’s thriller, Knock at the Cabin, tells the story of a family who is approached by four strangers while staying in a remote cabin and given an impossible ultimatum. When Eric (Jonathan Groff) and Andrew (Ben Aldridge) take their daughter Wen (Kristen Cui) to a remote cabin for a family getaway, their stay is interrupted by the arrival of Leonard (Dave Bautista), Redmond (Rupert Grint), Sabrina (Nikki Amuka-Bird), and Adriane (Abby Quinn), who tell them that one of the family must be sacrificed in order to stop the impending apocalypse.
Rupert Grint played Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter movies. Despite his excellent performance inKnock at the Cabin, he’s one of the young actors who’s starred in the fewest projects since the end of his stint in the Wizarding World.M. Night Shyamalan’s apocalyptic thriller was somewhat of a comeback for Grint, and it was a fascinating project for him to get involved in. The story follows a young couple who are taken hostage during their family getaway by a group of intruders who claim the end of the world is just around the corner.
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is a comedy/documentary film featuring Daniel Radcliffe as the accordion-slinging comedic musician. In an exaggerated take on his life, the movie follows Al Yankovic’s early days and critical career points, including a tumultuous affair with a major celebrity, a domineering manager, and the various songs and performances that elevated him to stardom.
Weirdmay beRadcliffe’s strongest performance since endingHarry Potter, and it’s no coincidence that it’s also his funniest and most off-the-wall. The actor has a great sense of humor that allowed him to really get inside Weird Al’s head for this project, fully committing to the silliness of the project and channeling Yankovic’s eccentricity. The film itself is ahalf-true, half-fictional retelling of Weird Al’s career, with a third act that goes totally off the rails.
Swiss Army Man
Starring Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe, the 2016 comedy Swiss Army Man follows Hank, a man who befriends a dead body on a deserted island and uses its unexpected abilities to survive. It is the directed by Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan and also features Mary Elizabeth Winstead in its cast.
Radcliffe stars opposite Paul Dano inSwiss Army Man, a philosophical drama/comedy that follows a depressed man who’s stuck on an island alone, until a half-conscious dead body washes up on the shore to keep him company.Swiss Army Manis an unapologetically goofy and nonsensical comedythat weaves some genuinely touching commentary into its story about loneliness, companionship, and the importance of having friends. Ofeverything Radcliffe has done sinceHarry Potter, this may be his greatest.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Based on the novel by Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower tells the story of Charlie Kelmeckis, a high school freshman with a troubled past and history of mental health issues whose friendship with two seniors comes to define his first year of high school in surprising and dramatic ways. Logan Lerman stars as Charlies, alongside Emma Watson and Ezra Miller.
Based on the book by Stephen Chbosky,The Perks of Being A Wallfloweris a coming-of-age dramathat centers around a high school student named Charlie who has trouble navigating the complex friendships in his life, where Watson plays Sam Button. What begins as a fairly by-the-book drama quickly turns into something much deeper and more mature with its progressive exploration of trauma and mental illness.
Little Women
The seventh film adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel, Greta Gerwig’s Little Women details the coming-of-age story of the March sisters, four young women living in Concord, Massachusetts during the American Civil War. The film stars Saoirse Ronan as Jo March, with Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, and Eliza Scanlen playing Amy, Meg, and Beth respectively. The film received critical acclaim upon its release and garnered six nominations and one win at the 92nd Academy Awards.
Greta Gerwig’sLittle Womenis a stylish, atmospheric, emotional retelling of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel about four sisters trying to find their place in the world. Emma Watson plays Meg, the eldest of the March sisters to whom the responsibility often falls to keep her younger siblings in check. It was one of Watson’s biggest roles since leavingHarry Potter,and she did an excellent job of capturing the character’s quirks and qualities.
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a multimedia franchise about an orphaned boy who enrolls at Hogwarts School of Wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family, and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world. Adapted from the novels, Harry Potter is an eight-episode film saga that follows the journey of Harry Potter and his friends, Hermoine Granger and Ron Weasley, as they navigate the tricky world of growing up, school life, and magic. Starting from year one and moving to their seventh year, the films chronicle the students' time at Hogwarts while unfurling a sinister plot that centers around the unsuspecting Harry. With the return of the dark wizard, Voldemort, the students and professors at Hogwarts will fight to carry on as the world around them may change forever. Harry Potter has expanded beyond the world of its films and novels with several video games, a spin-off film series titled Fantastic Beasts, and even attractions at Universal Studios.
