Key Takeaways
- Daniel Radcliffe revealed he, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint were once pitched a Wizard of Oz remake.
- Watson was reportedly set to play Dorothy, while Radcliffe would have been a karate-trained Cowardly Lion.
- Radcliffe said he knew as a teenager that the idea “should not be made.”
- The trio have never reunited for a major film project outside of Harry Potter.
Daniel Radcliffe is looking back at one of the “worst ideas” he says he ever heard during his Harry Potter years — a proposed remake of The Wizard of Oz starring himself, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint.
Appearing on an episode of Hot Ones, the actor revealed that while they were still filming the eight-movie Harry Potter franchise, someone pitched the trio on reuniting for a reimagined version of the beloved 1939 classic.
“One of the worst ideas I’ve ever heard,” Radcliffe said. “Somebody came to us and wanted to cast all three of us in a remake of Wizard of Oz, where Emma was Dorothy.”
A Karate-Kicking Lion?
While Watson would have played Dorothy, Radcliffe shared that he was slated to take on the role of the Cowardly Lion — with a twist.
“I just remember that I was gonna be the lion, but also he knew karate,” Radcliffe joked.
Even as a teenager, Radcliffe said he instinctively knew the concept didn’t work.
“I was like 14 or 15 and I was like, ‘I don’t know a lot about the world, but this is a bad idea and it should not be made.’”
No Post-Potter Reunion (Yet)
Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint famously played Harry, Hermione, and Ron between 2001 and 2011, becoming one of the most iconic trios in film history. Despite ongoing fan hopes, they’ve never reunited for another major movie project.
Their only significant reunion came in 2022 for the HBO Max special Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts.
The Legacy of Oz
While The Wizard of Oz itself has never received a direct remake, the story has inspired multiple adaptations and reimaginings over the years. Films like Return to Oz (1985) and Oz the Great and Powerful (2013) explored different corners of the magical world. Meanwhile, the stage musical Wicked — recently adapted into a two-part film starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo — tells the story from the witches’ perspective.
As for a karate-trained Cowardly Lion? That version, thankfully, never made it to the yellow brick road.
