J.K. Rowling's Only Promise to Daniel Radcliffe Didn't Age Well at All
Back when the famous author was still the world's sweetheart, she made one promise to her golden boy. Rowling kept it for five not-that-long years and then broke it. In 2023, isn't it our fault for believing her in the first place?
In the year 2011, just before the final movie installment was released, Daniel Radcliffe received the disturbing news that another Harry Potter book was brewing. Time to panic, right?
That is exactly the thought that was on Dan's mind, so he immediately texted Joanne to inquire if the rumors were true (remind you of anything from the beginning of the certain Chosen One's life story?).
After an hours-long anxiety attack, Dan finally received a reply from Rowling that no more books were in the works – or ever would be.
Fun fact: the author's then decision was influenced by Radcliffe's performance in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1.
Joanne was reportedly so "pleased" with it that she wanted to "reward" the poor actor – she promised to be done with Harry Potter books for good.
Let's fast-forward a few years. In 2016, J.K. Rowling along with co-authors John Tiffany and Jack Thorne released the truly cursed eighth installment – Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. It only took five years for Joanne to break her promise to Dan!
Sure, one could argue that it is not a book (because it is a play), but that would be getting Rowling off on a pure technicality.
Why did the writer decide to take back her "reward"? Could it be that she was so disappointed with Radcliffe's performance in the last movie?
It could have been a case of "you praise them, you lose them," but Dan's acting in the last movie was as great as ever, so that could not have been it.
Harry Potter is a money-maker – this could be the key reason for the creation of the you-know-which play, no matter how much it is hated by the fans.
We just wish Rowling would write something that people have been craving for years, and there are so many options to choose from, really.
The Marauders book would be fine with us. The Next Gen book (minus whatever sick fanfiction got into the play) would be more than welcome.
Any book about any other era in the Harry Potter universe would give us another reason to enjoy life.
We digress. Well, at least we (and Dan) can be thankful to Joanne for one thing – the author seems to be blocking any kind of movie adaptation of the play.
In a way, she did keep her promise then, right?