The Harry Potter Character Fans Agree Should Have Had A Bigger Role In Goblet Of Fire

"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" is when the universe of Harry Potter takes a dark turn, and that goes for the movies just as much as the books (via Collider). Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) is already dealing with all of the angst of his teen years, which is only exacerbated by his forced participation in the incredibly dangerous Triwizard Tournament. Then, of course, there's the eventual return of Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) at the end of the film, which coincides with Cedric Diggory's (Robert Pattinson) harrowing death.

"Goblet of Fire" also seems to be when Harry learns just how untrustworthy many of the adults in the world of magic can be. Yes, he can always rely on Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) and Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane), but as the eyes of the wizarding world are glued to him, we are introduced to some characters that quite clearly do not have Harry's best interests in mind. In fact, many are more than willing to manipulate him to their own ends.

It makes for an engaging story, adding to an already tense plot. It also allows for some fun performances. Actors enjoy playing devious roles, and we enjoy watching them. Here is why some Harry Potter fans wish they saw more of this character in "Goblet of Fire."

Above a picture of Rita Skeeter (Miranda Richardson) at the r/harrypotter subreddit, u/Dillidolli writes, "She deserved more screen time, we deserved more Rita." Rita, an unscrupulous reporter at The Daily Prophet, is delightfully devious for the few minutes she is seen interviewing Harry, even if we know that it will not end well. "I hated Skeeter almost as much as I hated Umbridge," wrote u/alextheolive, "which speaks volumes to the actresses' talents." Richardson surely gets the most out of her screen time. "No one else could play her apart from Miranda," said Emma Watson in a 2004 interview. "She's brilliant" (via YouTube).

It's little wonder that fans wish they would have seen more of her, particularly because she is given significantly more space in the books. While at first simply causing confusion over whether or not Harry and Hermione are dating, Rita's articles soon do significant harm to Harry. Eventually, her characterizations of the Boy Who Lived serve as the basis for the smear campaign launched by the Ministry of Magic against Harry and Dumbledore in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."

Sadly, very little of this turns up in the movies. There is no mention in the movie version of how Rita is able to dig up such salacious dirt on her subjects. In the book version of "Goblet of Fire," we discover that she is an unregistered Animagus and can turn into a beetle, leaving her more or less undetected as she spies on them. "I wish we got to see her being a beetle in the movies," wrote u/Peskypixie_, "it would've been great." For now, however, "beetle" remains a role that Miranda Richardson has yet to add to her resume.