Dobby The House Elf
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Dobby is one of the more beloved characters within the Harry Potter universe. Although he suffered a tragic death, the trusty house elf was quite good to Harry — helping him out on multiple occasions when he was in some serious trouble. Dobby did have a penchant for being a bit too involved, yet it only took an old sock strategically placed in Tom Riddle’s old diary for Harry to have a lifelong friend. As for the A.I. interpretation, Dobby has more human characteristics than we’d imagine him to have. In a sense, he looks almost weirdly related to Yoda.
Mrs. Weasley
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What can we say about Mrs. Weasley? The matriarch of the Weasley clan also served as a pseudo-mother for Harry. She’d always welcome him with open arms to the homestead and doted over him wherever the family went. In the process, she was a strong woman — not afraid to protect her family from even the most evil of witches. This recreation does a pretty decent job of capturing what Mrs. Weasley could look like in another life.
Ginny Weasley
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Ginny’s transformation was interesting. She was Ron’s little sister — and then suddenly became a major player in the second book where she was the main player behind opening the famed Chamber of Secrets. While we didn’t get a whole lot after that from a character development standpoint, she did end up getting with Harry Potter. This included marrying him and having a couple of kids. Thus far, A.I. probably has done the best job in recreating an original yet believable version of Ginny.
Ollivander
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When you were of age, you headed down to Ollivander’s to pick up your special wand. Remember, the wand chooses the wizard — whether it’s made with a dragon heartstring or unicorn hair. The wizened wizard could ‘listen’ to any wand and know exactly where it belonged. This reproduction using A.I. does a great job of giving a likeness to John Hurt (the actor who played Ollivander in the films). We even love the detail in his shop — from the cluttered nature of wand boxes to the warm, embracing lamps.
Hogwarts Castle
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Now this is a spectacle. The majesty surrounding this tremendous building is truly felt when the camera does long, sweeping shots over the iconic location. After taking the Hogwarts Express through rolling green hills, you’re left with this picturesque landscape. It’s almost part Scottish Highlands mixed with some Scandinavian fjord action. Either way, A.I. nails it here with a detailed look at the geography of Hogwarts.
Buckbeak
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We remember Buckbeak as one of Hagrid’s magical creatures. In an aim to educate students on this magisterial beast, Hagrid brought a class into the forest — where Draco deliberately disobeyed Hagrid leading to Buckbeak scratching him. Avoiding the executioner with a bit of magic, Buckbeak ended up in the care of Sirius Black. A.I. missed the boat on this one…as Buckbeak the Hippogriff (half-horse/half-eagle) instead resembles a gigantic Bald Eagle with a slightly different color plumage.
Professor McGonagall
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One of the more noteworthy characters throughout the entire franchise, Minerva McGonagall was — in some respects — the glue that bound the school together. She confided in Harry, unlike most other students. She viewed him very much more like a peer than anything. When Voldemort’s reach became more pronounced over their world, McGonagall bravely stood up against him to protect the school and students. This A.I. recreation does a very solid job of capturing the magic brought to the screen by famed actress Maggie Smith.
Moaning Myrtle
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Poor Moaning Myrtle. She suffered the wrath of looking at the basilisk in the face — which led to her ‘haunting’ the girl’s bathroom at Hogwarts. All the while, the tortured soul had a crush on Harry. She also proved to be quite valuable from an information standpoint throughout the series on more than one occasion. In the films, Myrtle had her school uniform on, which included a pair of classes. The recreation does resemble her — though it’s got its own flavor stylistically.
Dudley
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Yikes. This is a bit of a rough look for Dudley — who looks more like Samwell Tarly from The Game of Thrones. Gluttonous as ever, the A.I. image shows Dudley chowing down on an assortment of sweet and other dishes. This is, of course, par for the course when encapsulating the insufferable cousin of protagonist Harry. Even the blank expression with a twinge of unpleasantness really captures Dudley in a nutshell.
Cho Chang
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Cho Chang was the quiet older student whom Harry first had a crush on. As the series went on, the two had a brief romantic fling — resulting in Harry’s first kiss. There wasn’t much in the way of character development here. We didn’t have a sense as to a narrative with Cho and her background (which is a shame). In terms of an A.I. replication of the actress playing Cho, we’d deem this as being merely average.
Hedwig
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Every first year at Hogwarts comes to school with some sort of pet. The snowy owl named Hedwig came to Harry as a present from Hagrid. For years, the bird was Harry’s trusty sidekick — and for long spells the only link he had to the magical world when marooned at his aunt and uncle’s suburban hamlet. Hedwig would deliver mail to Sirius in undisclosed locations, and even aimed to protect Harry when he was attacked mid-air by Death Eaters. A.I. did a fantastic job in replicating the most beloved animal in the Harry Potter universe.
The Great Hall
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The setting for virtually the start of every single movie. We’d often hear beginning-of-the-year announcements made by Professor Dumbledore here. We’d also see all four houses present with their house flags in the background. The unique feel of the hall would change based on the ceiling — which could even emit lightning and rain on occasion. The floating candles here give it a nice touch. We just wish we could’ve seen Ron stuffing his face with toast and sweets. That would’ve added to the authenticity.
Aragog
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The giant spider hiding out in the Forbidden Forest happens to be Hagrid’s friend. The lovable oaf protected Aragog for years. Harry and Ron had a bit of a dodgy experience when willingly wandering into Aragog’s nest…where thousands of his children were willingly going to make them a snack (until Mr. Weasley’s flying car sprung into action). This spider looks far more menacing than the one we saw on the silver screen — particularly as it pertains to his face.
Seamus Finnigan
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The resident pyro at Hogwarts, Seamus often had a tough time completing spells without invariably blowing something up (as we’d often see his face caked in ash and black residue). When Harry was questioned about seeing Voldemort in the wake of Cedric Diggory being murdered, Seamus was not exactly a supportive friend. He questioned the validity of Harry’s statements…although he ultimately came around later. The A.I. version of Seamus bears a slight resemblance to Devon Murray — the actor portraying him in the films.
Bellatrix Lestrange
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Next to Voldemort, there’s a real case to be made that Bellatrix Lestrange is the worst human within the universe of this realm. A nasty person, she was broken out of Azkaban and immediately became one of Voldemort’s most trusted confidants. Her cruelty came when torturing Hermione, taunting those who were transfixed by spells, and — most of all — she killed Sirius Black with one of the unforgivable curses. Picture-wise, A.I. made her far more attractive and normal-looking compared to the hideous portrayal by supremely gifted actress Helena Bonham-Carter.
Luna Lovegood
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On the flip side, A.I. took a rather normal yet spacey-looking girl and turned her into a model. Luna Lovegood ended up being a massive fan favorite. Quirky with a bit of a mysterious side to her, very much ended up as an integral member of the gang as the series progressed. She shared childhood trauma with Harry, as both had parents die at a young age. Her bravery was on full display later when going toe-to-toe with adult Death Eaters.
Sirius Black
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The misunderstood ‘murderer’ who was slated for a lifelong stay at Azkaban. Only — beneath the surface — he was a helpful person to Harry and those around him. Harry was enthralled with his Godfather, who was his father figure. Whether hiding out with Buckbeak or helping to protect Harry, Sirius Black was always there at a moment’s notice. With all of that said, A.I. sort of made Lucius look like Orlando Bloom.
Professor Lupin
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We’re a bit skeptical about this recreation. Portrayed by famed English actor David Thewlis, A.I. essentially makes Professor Lupin look like a drug addict sucking on a gigantic piece of chocolate. Maybe, in all actuality, this character was morphing into Lupin’s alter-ego (a werewolf). He looks far creepier than the former Professor. Lupin’s character proved to be essentially a key cog in the resistance to Voldemort. Sadly, he was killed in the final big battle alongside his partner, Tonks.
Griphook
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Griphook was a leading goblin at Gringotts — the main Wizard World bank. He led Harry, Ron, and Hermione down into the underground caves to seek something from Lestrange’s vault. However, Griphook double-crossed the group, failing to try and get them back to safety. Griphook took this job with the understanding he’d inherit the sword of Godric Gryffindor. Ultimately, that didn’t come to fruition. The A.I. image has Griphook looking far more humanlike — almost like a portrait of Danny DeVito from his days playing the Penguin.
Viktor Krum
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Krum was the hotshot quidditch player leading Bulgaria at the Quidditch World Cup. As fate would have it, he’d enter Hogwarts not as a sports hero — but rather as a student at one of the schools participating in the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Naturally, he was selected to represent Durmstrang. A fierce competitor/a man of few words, he also accompanied Hermione to the Yule Ball (much to the chagrin of Ron). He was bewitched in the final scene involving Diggory, though demonstrated some real sadness in the wake of his passing after the fact.
Lucius Malfoy
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Rotten to the bone — yet sniveling and cowardly all the same — Lucius Malfoy is a loyal supporter to Voldemort. He never truly renounced his ways, secretively plotting and planning with the hopes of him once again rising to power. The human embodiment of a slimy worm, Lucius often had a bone to pick with Harry. Stylistically, this A.I. recreation actually looks quite good. From the robes to the long, white hair, we could envision this to be Lucius without question.
Horace Slughorn
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Professor Slughorn was a complicated person. He loved the company of star pupils — putting together dinner parties filled with ice cream and other accouterments. While he found prestige emanating from Harry, he soon grew skeptical over Harry’s persistence in trying to understand a deep, dark secret Slughorn had been holding. Aesthetically, A.I. does a pretty decent job in capturing the general appearance of the character.
Hogsmeade
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Upon becoming a third year student, those at Hogwarts — with permission — are allowed to travel to the quaint village of Hogsmeade on weekends. It’s here where they can let their hair down and have a tasty butterbeer. There are also various shops strewn about (including a joke shop that’s quite popular with students). Harry never got permission from his aunt and uncle to go…which resulted in him breaking out the trusty invisibility cloak. This image is terrific, as the detail really gives off the vibe of Hogsmeade as seen in the films.
Uncle Vernon
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Uncle Vernon as an A.I. figure is looking more so like a railroad tycoon during the mid-1800s. The portly patriarch of the Dursley family has less of a beard and more so a mustache. He’s also wearing more modern clothing — though the three-piece suit does in fact work. There is a little bit of an Easter egg in here which we do appreciate. He’s holding a piece of mail. Which — as you recall — was quite prevalent when the home was bombarded with letters offering Harry initial admission to Hogwarts upon him turning 11 years of age.
Mad-Eye Moody
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Mad-Eye Moody’s original job included hunting Death Eaters. He then was brought on to teach at Hogwarts — though a bit of Polyjuice Potion and some shrewd finagling from one Barty Crouch Jr. led to the actual Moody being sequestered in a trunk. As the series progressed, the cantankerous figure was tasked with keeping Harry safe at all costs. While he died a noble death, the A.I. animated version of Moody doesn’t exactly do him justice.
The Cupboard Under The Stairs
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The Cupboard Under The Stairs essentially was Harry’s home for the first 11 years of his life. Despite the fact his aunt and uncle had extra bedrooms upstairs, Harry was relegated to a small enclosure — which featured a tiny door with a lock on it from the outside. Sawdust routinely fell upon Harry as family members rumbled down the stairs. We have to say, although it’s not identical to the one from the movie, A.I. did a very solid job here.
Hagrid
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What can we say about Hagrid? The half-human/half-giant caretaker of Hogwarts is one of the more important figures from this ecosystem. He was required to keep Harry safe as a baby. The same thing was requested upon Harry turning 11. He then morphed into a tight-knit support system for Harry, Ron, and Hermione. While he had his trials and tribulations, Hagrid had a prevalent storyline for all of the novels/films. In terms of recreation here, A.I. hit it out of the park.
Quidditch Field
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Now this is an interesting image. We opted for a birds-eye view of the quidditch arena — which can be shown directly south of the campus on what looks like a gigantic field. Interestingly enough to the right, it appears as if A.I. believes Hogwarts to also compete in soccer and/or football. Wouldn’t it be interesting if this was the case all along — though never mentioned by author J.K. Rowling?!
Neville Longbottom
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Talk about a glow-up which mirrors real life. We saw Neville in his awkward phases — something not too surprising for your average teenager. As he grew up and matured, Neville became a beacon of inspiration and bravery. He took out Nagini the horcrux snake, and also willingly took on an entire army en route to trapping them on a falling bridge. This image clearly depicts Neville towards the later end of his journey, and not the beginning.
Diagon Alley
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Now THIS is a terrific recreation! If you were to show this image to any Harry Potter enthusiast, they’d immediately make the connection between this and Diagon Alley. We’re talking about the street where every student goes at the beginning of the year to load up on school supplies. This includes cauldrons, textbooks, brooms, wands, potions, ingredients, and even pets.
Fred and George
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This looks like a model shoot. In all actuality, the identical twins were wild, wacky, fun, and energetic. They were never as serious as the image portrays them to be below. We also don’t know if either demonstrated this pouty face. Most of the time, the twins were aiming to pull pranks on people. It’s no surprise the two opened their own joke shop in the later iterations of the story. It’s not a bad image…but we need a whiff of mischief here.
Professor Umbridge
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Yikes. This woman may look like the human form of cotton candy, but she’s about as sweet as the biggest candy ever created. She HATES children — and for some reason became a professor! Umbridge had unusual methods of punishment, which included a special pen engraving the same sentence over and over into the ‘perpetrator’s’ hand (Harry included). She was duped and eventually taken away by centaurs in the Forbidden Forest. Somehow, later in the story, Umbridge manages to find her way back…further demonstrating her evil nature and pseudo-support for Voldemort.
Professor Snape
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This is our most complicated character. We never knew if Snape was actually a good guy or a bad guy in cahoots with Voldemort. As it turned out, he was a very selfless guy. He looked out for Harry and ultimately sacrificed his life for the greater good. His love for Harry’s mother, Lily, enabled him to secretly have a soft spot for our protagonist. In terms of the image, there’s an undeniable likeness to the late actor Alan Rickman.
Draco Malfoy
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Harry’s biggest rival, Draco shadowed him throughout their academic experience. We thought Draco was a bad kid, but no one ever thought he’d go the extra mile in truly turning evil. Even though there were attempts, Draco ended up not turning Harry into the Death Eaters. The fear of working for/with Voldemort proved to be too much. From a looks standpoint, this recreation is pretty solid — from his slicked-back hair to the dress robes.
Professor Dumbledore
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We could write about Dumbledore for hours. The man was the epitome of wisdom. He often had Harry into his office for debriefing on what was going on with Voldemort — but more so impromptu teaching lessons where Harry learned about the past and present. Dumbledore’s main aim was to keep the children of the school safe. After countless battles with Voldemort, it was ironically Snape who took Dumbledore’s life for the greater good. Looks wise, this is a great job by A.I.
Cedric Diggory
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The biggest ‘what could have been’ exists here with Cedric. Among the more popular people at Hogwarts, the dashing guy (played by Robert Pattinson) was selected to represent Hogwarts at the Tri-Wizard Tournament (ultimately along with Harry). Cedric was a very solid competitor, and the A.I. image shows the shrub maze he had to navigate en route to the cup aka portkey. Sadly, he was taken from us far too soon by Voldemort’s lackey Peter Pettigrew.
Voldemort
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Our tortured antagonist. We were curious as to how A.I. would approach this iconic character. Interestingly enough, A.I. gave us a bald, opaque version of the actor (Ralph Fiennes) who played Voldemort. The movie had a lizard-like person with a far heavier creepy level. This character looks like a gaunt, bald man taking a stroll through the cemetery.
Hermione Granger
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Hermione Granger is the know-it-all who ended up marrying Ron and becoming Harry’s right-hand woman. Her intelligence led the trio to solve more than a handful of puzzles. She was prim and proper — yet always prepared and ultimately a very warm person. A.I. does a very nice job of giving us a figure with somewhat of a resemblance to Hermione — yet one that’s not the same.
Ron Weasley
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Ron isn’t the smartest person. He’s not the most athletic. However, he is loyal — and has proven time and time again to have Harry’s back under any circumstance. That’s all you can ask for from a friend, right? This A.I. image misses the boat a bit. Ron in the films has a bit of a quirky charisma and charm to him. This just looks like an ordinary guy with red hair and a hoodie. It doesn’t ‘scream’ Ron to us.
Harry Potter
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This is one of the most recognizable figures in both literary and film history.
One look at this image, and you automatically know it’s Harry Potter.
