This Is Who Robin Williams Wanted To Play In The Harry Potter Series

It appears that Robin Williams would very much have liked to play a werewolf wizard. In a new interview with Total Film Magazine (via Games Radar) in October 2021, Chris Columbus — who directed 2001's "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" and 2002's "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" — revealed that Williams approached him about the role of Remus Lupin: the lycanthrope wizard who is a staunch ally of the Potter family. "I had a conversation with Robin Williams, who wanted to play Lupin," Columbus revealed. "It was very difficult for me to say 'It's all British. There's nothing I can do.'"

The key "Harry Potter" cast members are indeed all of British descent, so Williams was tragically unable to land the role he so wanted to play. Still, while it would no doubt have been interesting to see Williams' take on the tragic character that is Remus Lupin, the wizard was in good hands all the same. Lupin was portrayed by actor David Thewlis of "Fargo" and "Wonder Woman" fame, who did a great job with the intense role and helped make the character the fan favorite he is today.