The Big Picture
- Daniel Radcliffe didn’t enjoy filming the Quidditch scenes in the
Harry Potter
films, finding them uncomfortable and unpleasant. - The Quidditch scenes in the first two films were some of the most thrilling for fans, showcasing Harry’s skills on a broomstick.
- Tom Felton also expressed relief at leaving the Quidditch scenes behind once the first two films were completed.
What makes the Harry Potter series so magical is its entire fictional culture, from each side of good and evil, to the interactions between magical beings, to all the intricately crafted locations found across the series. Whether it’s the different shops in Diagon Alley or the various wizard schools, the Harry Potter universe feels incredibly fleshed out. One of the most beloved aspects of the Wizarding World is Quidditch, the broomstick-riding competition in which Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) excels. However, when Radcliffe was asked about his experience with the films, it was those scenes that dealt with Quidditch that he absolutely hated.
Imagine you are a young Radcliffe. After countless auditions, you are finally told that the role of a lifetime, the character of Harry Potter himself, is all yours. For the rest of your young childhood, you will be immersed in filming one massive film after another, across the entire series of book adaptations. Sounds amazing, doesn’t it? Well, Radcliffe has confirmed that it truly was, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t have some negative opinions about his experience as well. After all, he’s actually a Muggle himself in real life.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
An orphaned boy enrolls in a school of wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world.
- Release Date
- November 16, 2001
- Runtime
- 152 minutes
How Do Witches and Wizards Play Quidditch in ‘Harry Potter’?
No doubt, fans are well aware that the sport of Quidditch — in which two teams pit against each other, vying for victory while flying on speedy broomsticks — originates from the magical world. The rules stipulate that each team plays with seven players, and they score points by having their Chasers throw a red ball, called the Quaffle, through one of the opponents’ three goal hoops. The three hoops are guarded by a Keeper, aiming to prevent points from being scored against their team. Other than the flying, the sport sounds pretty familiar so far, but it’s the wild cards in Quidditch that elevate it to a whole new level.
Before Harry Potter fans were exposed to betrayals and tragic deaths, things were much simpler. When two teams are fighting to score goals, there are black-colored Bludgers that fly around, aiming to knock the Chasers off their broomsticks. But these offensive players don’t go unprotected, as each team has Beaters who use their clubs to fend off the Bludgers. All of this takes place while one player from each team engages in a separate side competition — catching the Golden Snitch. The Golden Snitch is a lightning-fast, chaotic winged ball that the Seekers compete to catch. Once the Golden Snitch is caught, that team earns an additional 150 points (compared to 10 points for a regular goal) and the game concludes.
One of the Best, Most Divisive ‘Harry Potter’ Scenes Wasn’t in the Books
The addition of this scene split fan opinion, so did it help or hurt the movie?
Right from the start of the first film, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry makes it onto the Gryffindor Quidditch team as a Seeker, becoming the youngest student to do so, and all by accident. During one of his first broomstick lessons, Harry, being the natural hero that he is, defends his new friend Neville’s (Matthew Lewis) honor as Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) swipes a magical trinket from him. Harry’s broomstick skills, flying through the sky and snatching Draco’s stolen prize away, captures the attention of Professor McGonagall (Maggie Smith), who realizes Harry possesses the same Seeker skills that his father had.
How Much Quidditch Is Played in the ‘Harry Potter’ Movies?
It’s evident that director Chris Columbus invested a significant amount of time in producing the Quidditch scenes in Sorcerer’s Stone, as they were some of the most thrilling for fans. In this first film, Harry competes in his inaugural match against the Slytherin House as he zooms against an opponent to seize a tiny object in the sky. Despite broomstick interference by an evil force, which Hermione (Emma Watson) thwarts, Harry catches the Golden Snitch in his mouth to secure victory. This was definitely a light moment compared to the rest of the series, which eventually relied on the rare comic relief from characters like the Weasley twins.
Another extensive Quidditch scene that was filmed occurs in the second movie, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Harry is thrilled to be back on the team, but his excitement swiftly shifts to focus and tension as the first match commences. Once again, external forces attempt to disrupt Harry’s game, and this time, Dobby the Elf interferes by tampering with magic to knock him off his broomstick. By the end of the match, Harry sustains a horribly broken arm and is taken to the hospital wing for treatment. The scene itself is extensive and beautifully shot, delighting the fans watching.
Quidditch makes a few more appearances in subsequent movies in the series, but none of them focus on the sport as much as the first two films do. In the fourth installment, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry joins the Weasleys at the Quidditch World Cup early in the film. Here, we get a glimpse of what professionals in the magical sport look like and how skilled they truly are. This event occurs before the students return to Hogwarts and the confusing Tri-Wizard Tournament begins.
Why Did Daniel Radcliffe Hate Filming the Quidditch Scenes?
It turns out Radcliffe enjoyed watching Quidditch from the sidelines and behind the scenes, rather than being the star of the show, as he explained after the first five movies were completed. At a press conference following the conclusion of the film series, both Radcliffe and Felton concurred that the Quidditch scenes are something they are glad to have left behind. In fact, Radcliffe expressed that it was a mostly uncomfortable experience. “Quidditch is right up there with the least fun things I’ve done on Harry Potter certainly,” he said. “It is not a pleasant experience, it does hurt quite a lot, and it is not something I would be rushing back to do.” Radcliffe had to film Quidditch scenes throughout most of the series, and Felton proudly added, “I’m so glad I haven’t done it since the second film!”
It’s unsurprising that filming these action-packed scenes was unpleasant for the young actors. Like many other action-based productions involving green screens and CGI, performers often need to maintain their positions for extended periods of time and repeat the same takes over and over again. Filmmakers require specific angles to ensure they have enough footage to overlay with CGI and make the scenes more convincing. Of course, being a young actor like Radcliffe only heightened his discomfort.
The enchanting world of Harry Potter certainly conjured up magic, taking the world by storm and forever changing pop culture. Many fans know the ins and outs of Quidditch more than the real sports that are watched in our Muggle world. However, for Radcliffe, despite the sport being fictional, he had to endure its physical challenges nonetheless. Fortunately for him, “the boy who lived” has experienced his final days as a Seeker.
All eight of the Harry Potter films are available to stream on Max in the U.S.
