The Harry Potter movies did their best to include as many details and characters from the books as possible, but they completely failed to consider the idea that Neville was the Chosen One in the prophecy. J.K. Rowling presented her very own world of magic in 1997 with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the first entry in what would become a series of seven novels, ending in 2007 with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It didn’t take long for Harry Potter and his friends to make the jump to the big screen, beginning in 2001 and ending ten years later, with Deathly Hallows being split into two parts.

The Harry Potter movies covered as much ground as possible, as the novels are packed with details and characters of all types, but it had to cut some scenes, of which some weren’t exactly relevant to the story. However, it also ignored others that were very important to understand not only Harry Potter but Lord Voldemort and some secondary characters as well. One thing Harry Potter fans will never forgive is how the movies failed to properly explain the “Chosen One” prophecy, as it also ended up ruining a very important part of Neville Longbottom’s arc.

Harry Potter Movies Brushed Over The Chosen One Prophecy (And Neville)

Sybill Trelawney’s prophecy said that the one powerful enough to defeat Lord Voldemort would be that born to those who “thrice defied him”, born as the seventh month dies, and would be marked by Voldemort as his equal. The “chosen one” would also have power the Dark Lord doesn’t, and stated that “either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives” (this part has been interpreted differently among fans). Casual Harry Potter viewers will immediately link the “chosen one” term to Harry Potter, but he wasn’t the only child who could have defeated Lord Voldemort. There is a chance Neville was the Chosen One.

The only reason why it was Harry is that Voldemort thought he was the child the prophecy was talking about. By targeting him and trying to kill him, Voldemort marked him as his equal, while Neville got to live his life without that burden (though that doesn’t mean he had an easy life). The Harry Potter movies failed to explain that part of the prophecy, and Neville was just Harry’s friend who was shy and clumsy but played an important part in the Battle of Hogwarts — that’s something the movies couldn’t take away from him.

Harry Potter Movies Overlooked That Neville Could Have Been The Chosen One

The Harry Potter movies didn't do Neville Longbottom justice for many reasons, but one narrative-defining possibility was overlooked in the movies — that Neville could have been the Chosen One, as he also fits the prophecy. Neville was born on July 30, 1980, and Harry the day after; and the Longbottoms, just like the Potters, defied Voldemort on three occasions. It seemed the movies wanted fans to focus solely on Harry Potter as the Chosen One who would stop Voldemort. That might be why it left out so much about Trelawney's prophecy and its possible proof that Neville was the Chosen One.

Much like Harry, he grew up without his parents, who were driven to insanity by the Dark Eaters after they stood up to Voldemort. There are also some things that Neville did in the movies that showed he could have been worthy. Is there a chance Neville was the Chosen One? He destroyed a Horcrux by killing Nagini in the Battle of Hogwarts. He also stood up to Voldemort in that battle, one of the bravest students who fought the Dark Lord on that day. That showed he was up to the task, even if the movie barely gave fans a reason to care about him that much before it happened. ​​​​​​​

The HBO Harry Potter Show Can Tell Neville's Story Properly

The good news is that there is a chance that Neville Longbottom's story could get a fresh coat of paint when the new Harry Potter series arrives on HBO Max. The one thing that the movies had going against them was telling the entire story in the length of movies that lasted just over two hours each. That meant that a lot of things ended up omitted from the movies, something that always bothered fans of the books. One of the things really short-changed by the movies was Neville. There will be an average of one season per book in this new format, so a lot of things the Harry Potter movies left out could return for the series.

One of the big things could be telling Neville's story properly. This means showing what Bellatrix Lestrange did to Neville's parents Frank and Alice Longbottom, but also allowing him to take his rightful place as the boy who was almost the Boy Who Lived. The HBO Max series could give Sybill Trelawney’s prophecy more respect and actually put a question into the viewers' minds about whether Neville was the Chosen One. His bravery, his tragic backstory, and his ability to do as much as — if not more — than Harry Potter in this war could make for a much different viewing of the series and the story as it leads to the Battle of Hogwarts.