Summary

  • Harry Potter characters like Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco, among others, become Vikings in gritty AI art.
  • Harry Potter takes place in the 1990s, which contributes to the overall atmosphere of the franchise.
  • Harry's story is arguably best suited to the '90s, but it could also potentially work in the 1800s or early 1900s.

Harry Potter characters look right at home as Vikings in a new batch of AI art. The first Harry Potter movie hit screens in 2001, introducing audiences to Daniel Radcliffe's Harry, Rupert Grint's Ron Weasley, and Emma Watson's Hermione Granger. The trio meet a wide variety of characters over the course of the subsequent seven films, which, in keeping with author J.K. Rowling's novels, all take place during the 1990s.

A new batch of AI-generated images shared by AI Dreams on Instagram imagines what the Harry Potter cast of characters would look like if they were Vikings that lived hundreds of years ago. Check out the art below:

In order from left to right, the carousel of images features Viking versions of Draco Malfoy, Hagrid, Luna Lovegood, Harry, Ginny Weasley, Ron, Hermione, Bellatrix Lestrange, Severus Snape, and a Dementor. For the most part, all the characters look right at home as Vikings, especially Hagrid, though the Dementor also looks particularly creepy.

Voldemort, Dumbledore and Harry Potter.
Related
The Most Powerful Wizards In The Harry Potter Universe, Ranked

There's no shortage of wizard powerhouses in the expansive Harry Potter universe, but some wizards outrank the others when it comes to magic.

Would Harry Potter Work In Any Time Period?

Some Settings Are Better Than Others For Harry's Story

There's an undeniable charm to the world of Harry Potter, and much of this comes from the time period in which it is set. While the movies, in many ways, don't lean into their '90s setting, which helps to give them a timeless quality, there are some reminders that Harry's story doesn't take place in the present. For example, in addition to the fashion senses of the lead characters, there are no cellphones featured in the story, and the movies feel distinctly pre-digital.

The first Harry Potter takes place in 1991 and the last in 1998. The flash-forward epilogue takes place in 2017.

If the Harry Potter saga took place in the 2020s, it's hard to imagine social media not playing some kind of role. This could ultimately detract from the cozy, whimsical, and somewhat old-fashioned atmosphere that the early films so effectively created. Setting Harry Potter in the present, then, might distinctly change some of the movies' core ingredients. It's not difficult, however, to imagine a version of the franchise set further in the past.

While a Viking or medieval take on the franchise would also probably feel quite unrecognizable, a Harry Potter set in the 19th or early 20th century could certainly work. A recent video game, Hogwarts Legacy, actually takes place in 1890, and this setting works surprisingly well for the story. The Fantastic Beasts movies, too, despite not all being well received, feature an interesting 1930s setting. With the announced Harry Potter TV show set to directly adapt Rowling's novels, however, it seems like the franchise will be once again returning to the '90s.

Source: @the_ai_dreams/ Instagram