Key Takeaways:
– The time-travel scene in Harry Potter and Prisoner of Azkaban influenced the time-travel storyline in Avengers: Endgame.
– Screenwriters Markus and McFeely were inspired by the seamless implementation of time travel in Harry Potter.
– Despite the influence, MCU added its twist to the concept of time travel.
Inspiration from the Wizarding World
J.K. Rowling's magical franchise, Harry Potter, has had an extensive influence on many aspects of popular culture. One of the most notable impacts involves the scene where Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson travel back in time in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. This sequence ended up serving as an inspiration for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) storyline, particularly for Avengers: Endgame.
Screenwriters Stephen McFeely and Christopher Markus revealed during a ComicBook.com interview that the area of time-travel intrigued and inspired them. The scene where a stone shatters a vase, only to discover later that the characters themselves had caused it while time-traveling, fascinated them. The seamless nature in which time-travel was incorporated into the storyline without creating confusion prompted the writers to integrate the concept into the plot of Endgame.
Differences and Similarities in Time Travel
Despite drawing influence from the Harry Potter sequence, Marvel's screenwriters simultaneously added authenticity to MCU's concept of time travel. While Harry Potter used time travel to fix things from a past perspective without altering the timeline, MCU's Avengers: Endgame introduces the idea of creating parallel universes based on changes in the past.
Notably, both franchises introduced the concept of time travel as a surprise element. In Harry Potter, it was through an interaction between Hermione and Dumbledore. In Avengers: Endgame, it appeared as an anticipated moment from Ant-Man.
Harry Potter: Paving the Way for Avengers: Endgame
Despite the time-travel scene in Harry Potter and Prisoner of Azkaban being a magical diversion, it had a far-reaching impact on later cinematic works. It shaped the narrative techniques in the Marvel Cinematic Universe by providing a framework for dealing with the complex theme of time travel.
The simplicity and clarity with which Rowling presented time travel didn't just arrest audiences; it also laid a potent groundwork, recognized through the adoption within one of the most critical storylines in modern cinematic history—the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
In conclusion, the influence of Harry Potter's time-traveling sequence has far transcended the boundaries of Hogwarts. By offering a blueprint for handling the intriguing concept of time-travel, it enabled Avengers: Endgame to explore this theoretical possibility in an innovative way. Demonstrating that when it comes to fantasy, the possibilities are endless. Harry Potter movies are available on Max, and Avengers: Endgame is available on Disney+, each offering their unique perspectives on the intriguing concept of time-travel.
