All The Ways The Harry Potter Movies Ruined The Weasleys

Summary

• Ron Weasley was underwritten in the Harry Potter movies, portrayed as goofy and unintelligent compared to the books.
• Ginny Weasley's depth was not captured in the films - a strong, witty character evolved into a flat love interest.
• The Harry Potter movies failed to fully represent the Weasley family, altering key traits and omitting important storylines from the novels.

It's almost impossible to adapt a popular book series to the big screen without upsetting the fans. With so many characters, subplots, and twists, it was extremely difficult for the eight Harry Potter movies to address everything in J. K. Rowling's seven novel series.

One regular complaint in the iconic book-to-movie adaptation is how the Weasley family was portrayed. Harry Potter met Ron Weasley and his family in Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone on Platform 9¾ as he set off to Hogwarts in his first year.

After Harry befriends the youngest Weasley son, Ron, on the train to Hogwarts, Harry Potter becomes an unofficial member of the large family. Throughout Harry Potter's time at Hogwarts, each member of the Weasley family has an important role in Harry's journey. However, the Weasley's role in Harry Potter's story is hugely minimized in the Harry Potter movies.

In the following, we take a closer look at how the Harry Potter movies changed Ron Weasley from the books. We also discuss why Ginny Weasley wasn't given the same importance she had in the "Harry Potter" books and what else the Harry Potter movies messed up about the Weasleys.

How Harry Potter Movies Botched Ron Weasley's Character

Ron Weasley's character is hugely changed in the films. The beloved character, played by Rupert Grint, helped Harry defeat the evil Lord Voldemort, yet was substantially underwritten in the eight films.

The Harry Potter films turned Ron Weasley into nothing more than Harry’s goofy and empty-headed sidekick. While he had daft moments, Ron and Harry were on the same academic level. Yet, in the movies, he was portrayed as being ditsy and incapable of matching the intelligence levels of his friends.

In the first Harry Potter book, Ron helps the trio survive their near-miss with Fluffy the three-headed dog. Ron tells Hermione how to create fire with magic, helping to save Hermione and Harry. In the film, he simply panics in the situation. Another skill of Ron's that is dismissed is his talent at playing Quidditch. In the books, he has been riding brooms and playing Quidditch since he was a kid, yet in the first film, he is hit in the face during their first riding lesson.

The change in Ron's character also affected his relationship with Hermione. Their romance appears suddenly in the last two movies, unlike in the book, where it slowly blossoms as the duo grows up together. He is always fiercely protective of Hermione, something that isn't portrayed in the movies. For example, when Snape calls her a “know-it-all” in the book, Ron stands up for her, whereas elsewhere in the film, he says, “He’s got a point, you know.”

Ginny Weasley Was So Much More In The Harry Potter Books

Ginny Weasley was one of the most beloved Harry Potter book characters, but many fans felt the writers and directors didn't do her justice in the film series. While the movie version of Ginny added little to the plot, the Ginny Weasley written in JK Rowling's books brought humor, intelligence and skill to the story.

In the seven books, the youngest Weasley is very sassy and always has a comeback. However, the movie does not portray this quick-witted attitude, which comes from having six older brothers.

This flat character was less about Bonnie Wright's talents as an actress and more about the way Ginny was written.

Ginny loves to prank people as much as Fred and George and isn't scared to stand up for herself. It's hard to imagine the woman who fought Bellatrix Lestrange and signed up for Dumbledore's Army as the same shy schoolgirl portrayed in the eight-series film franchise.

Ginny ends up marrying Harry and having a child together. This feels much more sudden in the movies than in the books. While both portray Ginny's teenage crush on Harry, the books allow their friendship to turn into love slowly. In the film franchise, they make a terrible couple as their romance seemingly comes out of nowhere, and the pair have nothing in common.

Although book Ginny fell in love with Harry Potter, she didn't like to sit in his shadow. Unlike the film version who sat around daydreaming over "The Boy Who Lived," book Ginny dated other people, and seemed to lose her giddy schoolgirl crush on him.

It's not just her relationship with Harry that the film series botched. Ginny is a funny and likable girl who has lots of friends, including Hermione. The duo would share a room in the Weasley family home, sharing gossip and talking about their crushes.

What The Harry Potter Movies Got Wrong About The Weasleys

Arthur Weasley

Arthur Weasley is portrayed as being a quirky wizard with a fascination with Muggles. Although he loves the non-wizard world in the novels, this is not his defining feature. In the books, Arthur is a loving father and fiercely protective of his family. He is so much more than a comedic relief.

Charlie Weasley

Charlie only appears in photos in the movie. In the novel, he acts as a dragon advisor in The Goblet of Fire and helps Norbert's escape in the Philosopher's Stone. He doesn't even appear in his brother's wedding, despite being his Best Man in the book.

Bill Weasley

Bill Weasley appears in less than half of the Harry Potter movies. His relationship with Fleur and his role in The Goblet of Fire is largely ignored despite moving the plot along in the novel. In the movie, his battle with Fenrir is ignored, and the scarred face is explained in an anticlimactic way.

Percy Weasley

The film franchise largely glosses over Percy's treachery. He partners with Barty Crouch and the Ministry of Magic, who start dragging Harry's name, which causes a rift between the Weasley clan. He later becomes Junior Assistant and falls out with his family. Ultimately, he gets a redemption arc, but none of this makes the film's final cut.

Fred and George Weasley

The Harry Potter movies made several huge changes to the Weasley twins' characters and storylines, changing significant moments and some of the funniest scenes. The biggest omittance in the Harry Potter film franchise is how Fred's tragic death actually happened.

The twins were inseparable, and one was never seen without the other. One of the most tragic moments in the Harry Potter books is when Fred is killed during the Battle of Hogwarts. George never recovered from his twin's death and even named his son after him. The sadness of this moment is diminished in the movie when the emotional impact of the scene is diminished.

In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, Fred Weasley's death isn't shown on-screen, instead cutting to his family mourning over his body at the Great Hall.