Summary
The 2025 science fiction movieAlteredwill feature a belovedHarry Potteractor in the lead, and it’s about time. Many of the stars from the hit fantasy movie series have gone on to play prominent roles in movies and TV shows, while others have either stayed out of the spotlight or occupied supporting roles. In all, it’s been wonderful to see the young cast ofHarry Pottergrow their careers, butone of their most talented has yet to get the attention he deserves. Thankfully, the upcoming sci-fiAlteredis the opportunity for this to finally change, assuming it performs well with audiences.
Altered, which will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and release sometime in 2025, is described as an action sci-fi movie set during an alternate present where most of humanity has undergone genetic alteration. The two lead characters will be outliers in this and will “battle for justice in a society fractured by genetic disparity” (viaScreen Rant). Directed by Timo Vuorensola ( who is best known for 2012’sIron Sky),Altered’s cast will include Richard Brake, Igor Jijikine, Aggy Adams, Liza Bugulova, and, of course, another exciting household name—Tom Felton.
Tom Felton Is Starring In The Upcoming Sci-Fi, Altered
Altered Is Tom Felton’s First Leading Role
The leading role of Leon inAlteredhad gone to Tom Felton, who playedDraco Malfoy in the belovedHarry Pottermoviesfrom 2001 to 2011, when he wrapped up this villain role withHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. The role shoved Felton into the spotlight, and he has remained a beloved public figure ever since. However, whilehe has played supporting roles in movies likeBraking for WhalesandRise of the Planet of the Apes, as well as TV shows such asThe FlashandOrigin, he has yet to have a leading role. Given his performance inHarry Potter, this is truly surprising.
Tom Felton Was One Of The Strongest Child Performers In Harry Potter
The Cast Of Harry Potter Struggled In The Early Years, But Tom Felton Always Looked Comfortable
Thekids ofHarry Potterstarted their roles as early as nine or ten years old, so their performances inHarry Potter and the Philosopher’s StoneandHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secretsweren’t anywhere near the quality of later films likeDeathly Hallows. Though these earlier installments are a nostalgic joy to watch, the story is carried by more experienced actors, like Alan Rickman, Richard Harris, Maggie Smith, and Robbie Coltrane. Child stars likeDaniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint had an understandably harder time with their roles, but Felton stood out.
The kids of Harry Potter started their roles as early as nine or ten years old, so their performances in earlier movies weren’t anywhere near the quality of later films like Deathly Hallows.
Felton’s portrayal of Draco Malfoy was among the strongest in the earlierHarry Pottermovies. He was entirely believable as the snobby Slytherin, andhis expressiveness and delivery were far beyond his years. This was especially true inHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, where Felton got more screen time during the Polyjuice potion sequence. By the timeHarry Potter and the Half-Blood Princecame around and Draco had a far more compelling story arc, Felton was well-equipped to handle it. This makes his lack of leading roles afterHarry Pottersurprising.
Could Altered Get Tom Felton More Leading Movie Roles?
Without the actor explaining for himself, there’s no way to know for certain whyFelton didn’t nab any leading roles afterHarry Potter. It’s possible that he simply wasn’t going for them. and that he has been comfortable in supporting roles Or, maybe Draco Malfoy placed Felton in a supporting actor box that he couldn’t escape. Regardless of the answer,Alteredis a chance to turn this around. If Felton can prove himself as a leading man, then more roles could certainly follow if that’s what he wants. Of course, there’s no guarantee of this, since it would depend entirely on the sci-fi movie’s performance.
Alteredhas a relatively low budget for a sci-fi movie ($14 million), which makes it harder to qualify for large-scale success. Additionally, it’s still unclear how it will be distributed. A theatrical release may be a tough sell and would likely be limited if it did happen. The majority of audiences will probably seeAlteredthrough a streaming platform, and this can be hit or miss for lesser-known projects. In all, there’s certainly a chance that this won’t be the last we see Felton in a leading role. Given his talent inHarry Potterand his other supporting roles over the years, it would be a shame if it was.
Altered (2025)
Cast
Directed by Timo Vuorensola, Altered is a sci-fi action film starring Tom Felton and Liza Bugulova as two outliers in a futuristic society where humanity has been genetically engineered. The film sees the two work together to fight to free their society from a group of corrupt politicians.
