Fans are convinced 'Harry Potter' and 'Matilda' are set in the same universe

Publish date: 2024-08-01

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Online, Harry Potter fans are known for sharing crazy theories about their favorite magical characters.

Earlier this week, a Redditor posted a screenshot of a friend's Facebook status, suggesting that children's story character Matilda would have the same story as J.K. Rowling's Hermione Granger, if Matilda had been raised by Harry Potter's notoriously cruel aunt and uncle, Vernon and Petunia Dursley. 

Here's the post. It has already been viewed more than 500,000 times on Imgur. 

View post on imgur.com

Other Redditors began commenting in agreement. 

"That's so funny. As a kid, when reading 'Harry Potter' before the movies came out, I always pictured Vernon and Petunia as Danny Devito and Rhea Perlman [the actors who played Matilda's parents] in the 'Matilda' movie," one Redditor wrote

In case you're not familiar with Hermione or Matilda, here's what you need to know. Matilda Wormwood is a clever, young girl with magical powers being raised by a pair of unloving parents. She is ultimately adopted by a kind teacher. Hermione Granger is a whip-smart wizard and one of Harry Potter's best friends. 

A quick Google search shows that many people online believe Hermione Granger and Matilda live in the same universe, or even crazier, are the same person. 

Here's one detailed fan theory from Reddit. In this theory, Matilda changes her name to Hermione after her adoption. The theory ends with Minerva McGonagall arriving to tell Matilda, now Hermione, about her acceptance into Hogwarts. 

Both British, both love to read, both are brilliant both have magical powers. Here's how it goes:

Matilda Hermione Wormwood displays her magical abilities when she's under great stress at Miss Trunchbull's academy. Like Harry's blowing up of his aunt and disappearing of the glass at the zoo, it just kind of happens. Of course Hermione being Hermione, she's able to control her telekinesis much better (ever wonder how she mastered Wingardium Leviosa so quickly? She was actually using her telekinesis)

Eventually, her family leaves and she's adopted by Miss Jenny Honey. In order to escape her family's criminal past and to honor her new mother, Matilda renames herself Hermione Jean Honey.

Under the care of a teacher, Hermione learns to respect good teachers and gives up her pranks, even becoming somewhat of a stick in the mud. Miss Honey does some growing as well. She goes to night school to become a dentist, where she meets a fellow older learner, Mr. Granger. They fall in love and eventually marry.

Soon after, a witch by the name of Professor McGonagall arrives...

On Twitter, Mara Wilson, the actress who played Matilda in the 1996 film has even weighed in on the theory. 

"I can see it," the actress tweeted in agreement, noting that she believes Matilda would have joined Gryffindor.

—Mara Wilson (@MaraWritesStuff) September 29, 2015 A picture of a switch and lightbulb Sign up for notifications from Insider! Stay up to date with what you want to know. Subscribe to push notifications

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