The Harry Potter movies are some of the best films based on books to hit the big screen, but they aren’t perfect. Evanna Lynch, who plays Luna Lovegood, one of the best Harry Potter characters, in the fantasy movies, has shared which scene from JK Rowling’s bestselling books she is “sad” never made it into the final cut of the sixth film in the franchise – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
During an interview with Insider in early 2021, Lynch revealed that there was a key moment from the original books that upset her as it didn’t make it to the big screen. The said moment was none other than Dumbledore‘s funeral in the Half-Blood Prince. In the books, the headmaster of Hogwarts receives a grand and moving ceremony with several powerful creatures and respected figures in the Wizarding World offering their condolences.
The funeral is also the scene where Harry (played by Daniel Radcliffe in the films) decides not to return to Hogwarts, leading into the events of the last two movies in the franchise – The Deathly Hallows part 1 and 2.
Needless to say, it is an important scene but, it wasn’t included in the 2000s movie adaptation – much to Lynch’s dismay. “I’m really sad about Dumbledore’s funeral,” Lynch explained. “I know we had the wands up in tribute. People were very attached to that, but I wanted a big funeral with the centaurs and the mermaids and everything.
Directed by David Yates in 2009, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was a huge commercial success earning over $900 million at the worldwide box-office, making it the fifth highest-grossing film in the magical franchise. However, despite its success, it is considered one of the weaker films among the fandom due to its significant story changes, such as Dumbledore’s funeral.
Although Lynch never got to see the scene in the film as she would have liked, it seems like cutting Dumbledore’s funeral didn’t cause a massive impact or hinder the action movie‘s success. The latest entry to the cinematic Wizarding World is the third Fantastic Beasts movie – the spin-off prequel series to Harry’s main storyline. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is set to drop in theatres on April 2, 2022.