McFarlane made a major announcement earlier this year with the declaration that they had acquired the license for Harry Potter figures and would produce a 7 inch scale line of action figures based around the eight movies, along with the films in the Fantastic Beasts saga. I am a huge Harry Potter fan and for a long time have wanted a line of larger scale figures from the wizarding world, and it is finally happening! Wave 1 consists of Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Voldemort all from the Deathy Hallows which is a very strong lineup to start with; not to mention that McFarlane stated that series 2 is currently slated to be focused on the Chamber of Secrets! There are a plethora of characters from the Harry Potter films that are waiting to be translated into figure form, and here are my top ten most wanted!
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(Note: a complementary line producing the creatures from the world is also happening, with Buckbeak and a dementor coming first. To see my list chronicling the creatures I want most, click here:
Most wanted McFarlane Harry Potter Wizarding World creature figures)
10. Newt
The Fantastic Beasts films haven't captured me quite as much as that first saga did, but I'm still really enjoying the characters that we are meeting and getting to know. Front and center is the animal lover Newt Scamander, who is quirky, antisocial, and as flawed as heroes can get. Just like Harry, Newt doesn't get along with absolutely everybody, and that makes him more real, more relatable, not to mention that he is a walking launch pad for dozens of different creatures! We still have three more movies to watch him do his thing, and with McFarlane saying that they will hit the Fantastic Beasts films as well this figure seems very likely. Include the briefcase, a Bowtruckle, and definitely the Niffler, and we'll have a winner.
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9. Quidditch Harry
I'm not particularly advocating for variations on the main character very soon in the line, as there are other characters I want first that I'll go into soon, but this is a version of Harry I wouldn't mind showing up soon. Quidditch is one of the most iconic parts of the Harry Potter world, and aside from just likely the aesthetic of the uniforms, I think a figure of Harry in his Quidditch uniform has a lot of potential. Include the broom, a golden snitch, a bludger, a quaffel, and it becomes possible for head swappers to buy a few of the figures and make their own Quidditch team! Hanging some Quidditch figures on their brooms from my ceiling would make for an extra staple of any Harry Potter display so McFarlane please make this happen. I'd also take Ron and Ginny in Quidditch uniform, along with Draco!
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8. Gilderoy Lockhart
When I heard that wave 2 would go into the second film in the series, my mind immediately went to Gilderoy Lockhart. While he easily represents one of the more kid friendly parts of the series, he was a fun new addition to the world, very cheesy, and had a neat plot twist in which he turned out to be a total fraud. I also love the second film, so I might be a little biased. His character could come with a few good accessories, such as a signed copy of his book, along with a freshly caught cornish pixie or two.
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7. Draco Malfoy
Preferably, it'd be the older version of the character that arrives first to fit in with the older, more mature aesthetic the later films took on. Draco moved from an annoying bully, to an actual villainous threat in the later films, to a reluctant foe who happily abandoned Voldemort in the final confrontation. As annoying, awful, and repugnant as he was in those first few films, Draco provided a good nemesis for Harry and resonated very well with fans who didn't disregard his presence, they all out abhorred him as any good villain should make the audience do. It would be nice to also get figures of Crabbe and Goyle (and maybe even Pansy and Blaise) to go along with him, but I'm not sure right now how deep into the universe McFarlane is planning on diving.
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6. Sirius Black
Initially, he was introduced as a crazy serial killer who had somehow escaped from Azakaban, slipped past dementors, and broke into Hogwarts. That alone made him a stand out element of the third movie, but he got even more compelling when it turned out that he was actually the good guy, and his tragic arc of being an innocent man on the run made him a fan favorite, especially with how nice and loving he was. Being one of my favorite characters, I would love to get a character of him, and with the first wave of characters all coming with smaller creatures (The main trio with each of their patronus, and Voldemort with Nagini) it would be neat for Sirius to come with his dog form.
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5. Snape
This was a character that appeared throughout every film in the saga and made a very impactful stamp on the memories of fans. For seven films he was portrayed as a straight up villain, only for the final half of the final film to reveal that he was actually one of the greatest heroes of the series! No Harry Potter toyline should be without this major character who is instantly recognizable to the series, and one of the most popular of those characters! His patronus would be a good addition, as it was also one of the most touching parts of his character.
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3. Credence and Nagini
Out of all of the Fantastic Beast saga the character that most resonated with we was Credence. He was abused, quiet, and at the end of the first film has the big plot twist of himself being the Obscuris, leading him on a rampage after being pushed to the breaking point. The second film saw him on a quest to uncover his heritage, with the end of the film revealing it in another big plot twist! I love watching Credence as a character, and seeing how he evolves and makes his place in the world. The obscuris form would be a welcome accessory for him. I would also really enjoy a figure of Nagini, who I loved as a partner for Credence, though like Crabbe and Goyle, I think the toyline would have to run deep for her to appear.
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2. Luna Lovegood
One of my favorite heroes of the franchise wasn't introduced until it was about halfway over. Luna Lovegood was seen as a weirdo by all of the other characters until they got to know her, but I was team Luna from the start. I loved her quirkiness, her oddness, and the outlandish energy she brought to the franchise. Her father ended up playing a big role in the seventh film, and through her we got the introduction of the Thestrals who are among my favorite Harry Potter creatures. I also immensely love the story behind her actress and how she ended up with the role of Luna in the films, it is something I think all Harry Potter fans should know about, and I think McFarlane should get a figure of her out ASAP.
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2. Bellatrix
Just like Luna, the fifth movie also gave me one of my favorite villains in the franchise. Bellatrix was introduced as a crazy, murderous, cousin of Sirius who eventually saw to his death in the end of the film. Her mane of frizzy black hair was a unique design choice for her character as well as the flowing black dress; I also felt that she worked as a great secondary villain for the franchise when before the closest we had was Peter Pettigrew. Her inclusion also gave Molly Weasley a big moment to shine in the final movie, after the villain had done the most evil act in the whole series by murdering poor Dobby. Just like Draco, Bellatrix makes fans hate her, but not for being annoying and a bully, but for being evil and killing major characters.
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1. Dumbledore
Aside from Harry, the character that all fans seem to remember the most and associate with the franchise is the grand wizard himself: Dumbledore. While at first he was a soft spoken, quiet mentor, he fast became a hardcore wizard who aided Harry in the fight against the dark lord. He has been toted as the strongest wizard in the whole series, even frightening Voldemort and their showdown in the fifth film was very entertaining. As characters so far seem to come with smaller animals, a figure of Dumbledore would be perfectly complimented by Fawkes the phoenix! In the words of Kingsley in the fifth film, "You cannot deny he has style," and that style would be great in plastic form.
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