Professor Flitwick looks very different in the third Harry Potter movie and, while it seems like his role was recast, the actor remained the same. Instead of the old, grey-bearded professor from the first two movies, the version of the character we see in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is younger and sporting a mustache. This radical change in appearance came out of nowhere and caused some confusion amongst viewers. Of course, this wasn’t the only thing that was different between movies. After all, the eight Harry Potter movies took a decade to make, and in that time, many actors were recast, including Dumbledore, and four different directors brought their own unique vision to the series.
The first two Harry Potter movies, The Philosopher’s Stone and The Chamber of Secrets, were directed by Chris Columbus. Known for Home Alone and Mrs. Doubtfire, Columbus was chosen for his experience dealing with child actors. Right away, Columbus and Warner Bros assured fans they were determined to be as loyal to the book as they could, and that included the casting. In the books, Flitwick is said to be a small, old wizard with a white beard, who needed to stand on a pile of books to teach. Respecting that description, Columbus picked actor Warwick Davis and used makeup and prosthetics to age him, placing a large beard and a pointy hat on the Charms professor. Of course, adapting a book to the big screen requires some changes, resulting in differences between book and movie versions of characters. But, overall, the first two movies were considered faithful adaptations.
However, after directing two movies back to back, Columbus decided not to return for the third. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban could then pass to director Alfonso Cuarón. Unlike Columbus, Cuarón had a unique directing style and a specific vision for the movie. He also hadn’t read the books and clearly didn’t feel constricted by J.K. Rowling’s descriptions of places and characters. Not only did his movie cut a lot of moments from the book, but it also had a very distinct look. The result is a dramatically different Hogwarts. The school was darker, the shots were more dynamic and open, and characters abandoned their wizard-styled robes for more traditional Muggle clothing.
These visual changes weren’t limited to the main cast, bleeding to sets and the Wizarding World in general. They would also eventually end up affecting Professor Flitwick. Although the character did not appear or play a part in the third movie, producers offered a cameo to Warwick Davis. This means Davis isn’t playing Flitwick in The Prisoner of Azkaban. Instead, he’s credited in the film as merely “Wizard.” This explains why his appearance is so different from the first two movies and why he’s conducting the school choir, which wasn’t a role Flitwick had in the books. But the new, younger look pleased Michael Newell, the director of The Globet of Fire, and so it became Flitwick’s official appearance for the following movies.
Cuarón’s directing and visual style influenced the rest of the Harry Potter adaptations, transitioning the movies into a more mature and realistic style, without losing its magical appeal. While the changes created confusion at the time of its release, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is still a favorite among fans.
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