Sometimes a favorite book gets turned into a movie and the result is just not that great. But Harry Potter fans have definitely been thrilled with the film franchise, as the eight movies bring these beloved characters to life in an exciting and heartfelt way.
Fans love talking about the ins and outs of the books and movies, from the meaning of Harry Potter's birthday to some of the changes that took place when J.K. Rowling's novels were turned into films. Fans noticed that the character Peeves was missing from the movies and they have lots of questions about it. Keep reading to find out the real reason Peeves wasn't in the Harry Potter movies.
Why Peeves Was Cut From The Harry Potter Movies
Fans love hearing about the Harry Potter cast's current work projects, but not every character from the book series made it to the film franchise.
It turns out that Rik Mayall was cast and even filmed his part of Peeves The Ghost but then Peeves was removed from a Harry Potter movie.
The Independent reported that after Rik Mayall passed away in 2014, people found a video of him talking about shooting Harry Potter & The Philosopher’s Stone. He said, "I did it, I went and f***ing did it. I played the part of Peeves in Harry Potter."
Rik Mayall explained that he didn't think that the movie was any good so he was okay that he wasn't in it: "with respect…no, with no respect at all…the film was s**t." He said that he was given his salary anyway: "I went home, and I got the money – significant. Then a month later they said ‘Rik, sorry about this, you’re not in the film.’ But I still got the money. So that was the most exciting film I ever did" as he didn't end up in the film. He added, "Fantastic.”
While Rik Mayall didn't mind that he wasn't in the movie, some fans wish that Peeves had been included. Reddit user jamieherooftime shared in a thread, "Honestly, I don't think there's any excuse for Peeves being omitted from the movies. He was one of the funniest characters in the books and he really added a depth to the world of Harry Potter."
Chris Colombus wishes Peeves was in the movie: according to The Wrap, the director said that there's a version of the film that is three hours long and he wanted people to see it. The director explained, “I would too. We have to put Peeves back in the movie, who was cut from the movie!”
Who Is The 'Harry Potter' Character Peeves?
Peeves the poltergeist is one of the most interesting Harry Potter characters.
According to Harry Potter Wiki, he began his time at Hogwarts in c. 993. He is famous for being up to no good, which helps add to the drama of the story. Most of all, Peeves stands out because he can be seen but he can also make himself invisible when necessary.
One of his most famous moments happened during the 1994 and 1995 academic year as everyone was enjoying their back-to-school meal and he dumped water balloons on them. Argus Filch told Snape, "It's Peeves, professor! He threw this egg down the stairs."
The next year, Harry was learning Defence Against The Dark Arts, and Harry was annoyed to see Peeves in the hallway.
What Was Rik Mayall's Career Like?
Rik Mayall is best known for appearing in the British sitcom The Young Ones. He played the character Rick over the show's two seasons.
The show is about college students who live together in London.
When Rik was 48 years old, he answered some questions in The Guardian, and he talked about his love for his acting and comedian career. Rik said, "I don't have an outside life. Think of this as pretentious if you like, but I see myself as an artist, like Picasso gets up in the morning and does a bit of painting, so I'm going to be doing what I do until I die."
Rik Mayall became famous for doing standing up at London's The Comedy Store and The Standard reported that he began telling jokes there in 1979. He and Adrian Edmondson were only 21 years old at the time.
Hello Magazine reported that Rik went out for a run and when he got back home, he had a "acute cardiac event." His wife Barbara said, "We always knew that Rik was well loved but we are all overwhelmed by so many joining us in our grief."
While Harry Potter fans were sad to not see Peeves in the movies, at least he is still an important part of the franchise, and fans can read all about him in the books.
