Daniel Radcliffe on Wolverine, Reboots, and Reinventing Himself in NBC’s ‘The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins’
Daniel Radcliffe’s post–Harry Potter career has been one long argument against typecasting. In a new ComicBook.com exclusive, he opens up about his latest pivot—NBC comedy The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins—while also weighing in on superhero casting rumors, the future of big franchises, and his complicated but affectionate relationship with the wizarding world that made him famous.
Daniel Radcliffe, From Hogwarts to Network Comedy
Having already zigzagged from horror (Horns) to gonzo indie comedy (Swiss Army Man) to Broadway, Radcliffe now headlines a network sitcom that leans into his taste for oddball, high-concept characters—this time opposite Tracey Morgan in a show that mixes heartfelt underdog story with sharp, surreal humor.
What Is ‘The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins’ About?
The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins is NBC’s latest stab at a character-first, slightly weird workplace-adjacent comedy. Radcliffe plays Reggie, a well-meaning disaster magnet whose personal and professional implosions become the engine for a story about starting over in middle age. Tracey Morgan plays the chaotic mentor-figure who simultaneously derails and rescues Reggie’s attempts at self-reinvention.
- Format: Half-hour single-camera comedy
- Network: NBC (with next-day streaming on Peacock)
- Tone: A mix of grounded character comedy, workplace absurdity, and emotional redemption arc
- Cast highlights: Daniel Radcliffe, Tracey Morgan, with a rotating bench of character-actor cameos
Radcliffe’s Performance: Leaning Into the Chaos
Radcliffe has quietly built a brand as “the ex-franchise guy who’ll try anything once,” and Reggie Dinkins continues that streak. His Reggie is anxious, over-apologetic, and just left of reality—a spiritual cousin to the overextended millennials of shows like Barry or Atlanta, but filtered through NBC’s more accessible, joke-forward sensibility.
“I’m drawn to characters who are holding it together with duct tape,” Radcliffe notes in the interview. “Reggie is the kind of guy who thinks a self-help book and a vision board can fix a lifetime of bad decisions.”
The comic energy comes from watching Radcliffe commit—physically and emotionally—to each of Reggie’s spirals. It’s not as unhinged as his turn in Miracle Workers, but the same willingness to look ridiculous in service of the joke is very much alive.
Daniel Radcliffe & Tracey Morgan: Odd-Couple Chemistry
Pairing Radcliffe with Tracey Morgan is a calculated but effective collision of sensibilities: the intensely precise British theatre kid meets the free-associative stand-up legend. According to Radcliffe, that looseness was part of the appeal.
“You don’t predict where Tracey’s going to go,” Radcliffe says. “There are takes where I’m just trying not to laugh because he’s taken the scene somewhere completely new.”
That unpredictability keeps the show from feeling like a formulaic NBC experiment. When it works, the Morgan–Radcliffe dynamic recalls the best mentor-mentee chaos of shows like 30 Rock or Community, where the older, more unhinged character forces the younger lead out of their shell.
Radcliffe on Wolverine, Superhero Rumors, and Franchise Fatigue
For years, the internet has been obsessed with the idea of Daniel Radcliffe as Marvel’s next Wolverine—a piece of fancasting that just won’t die. In the ComicBook.com interview, he addresses that rumor with the mix of amusement and weariness you’d expect from someone who already carried one mega-franchise on his shoulders.
“I feel like I’ve done my time as ‘the guy in a franchise,’” he jokes. “If Wolverine ever happened, it would have to be because there’s a really strange, interesting take on it—otherwise I’m probably better off as a fan.”
That quote neatly summarizes Radcliffe’s current position in the pop-culture ecosystem: franchise-adjacent, but not franchise-hungry. He’s clearly aware of the career gravity that comes with Marvel or DC casting, and he’s politely but firmly resisting being pulled back into that orbit unless there’s a creatively irresistible hook.
His comments also tap into a larger industry conversation. Studios are actively hunting for “the next Wolverine” or “the next Harry Potter,” but actors who’ve lived through that machinery—especially as kids—are increasingly selective about signing on for another decade-long commitment.
Living With Harry Potter in the Age of Reboots
No Daniel Radcliffe interview is complete without some mention of Harry Potter, especially as Warner Bros. develops its new television adaptation. The ComicBook.com conversation doesn’t turn into clickbait nostalgia, but Radcliffe does acknowledge the strange feeling of watching his signature role move on without him.
“I always assumed there’d be another version eventually,” he admits. “My hope is that whoever plays Harry next gets to have as good and as safe an experience as I did. It’s weird, but it’s not mine to protect forever.”
It’s a notably mature stance: neither territorial nor overly sentimental. Radcliffe frames Potter as something he’s grateful for but no longer defined by—an attitude that’s helped him navigate everything from indie cult hits to now carrying an NBC comedy.
Why ‘Reggie Dinkins’ Matters in the 2020s TV Landscape
The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins lands in a transitional moment for TV. Network comedies are fighting for relevance against streaming dramedies, while audiences are burned out on IP yet still crave comfort viewing. Casting someone like Radcliffe—who brings global recognition without being tied to superhero IP—is a strategic middle ground.
- For NBC: It’s a shot at another character-driven, slightly off-center comedy in the lineage of The Good Place and Superstore.
- For Radcliffe: It’s a chance to anchor a mainstream project without surrendering the eccentricity that’s become his calling card.
- For viewers: It scratches the itch for workplace-adjacent humor while flirting with darker, more serialized emotional beats.
The show’s success will depend on whether audiences are willing to follow Radcliffe into yet another new lane. But as his career has shown, betting against his instincts has rarely paid off.
Strengths and Weaknesses of ‘The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins’
Framed through the ComicBook.com conversation and early impressions, the show emerges as a promising, if occasionally uneven, star vehicle.
Where the Series Shines
- Radcliffe’s commitment: He sells both the jokes and the vulnerability, giving Reggie a lived-in sadness beneath the slapstick.
- Chemistry with Tracey Morgan: Their scenes have a spontaneous, slightly dangerous energy that keeps the show from feeling too polished.
- Flexibility of tone: The series can pivot from cringe comedy to sincere emotional beats without losing its identity.
Where It Stumbles
- Network constraints: Sometimes you can feel the show bumping against the limits of broadcast TV—language, subject matter, and structure—when it clearly wants to get weirder.
- Familiar setup: The “man reinvents himself after a life implosion” framework is well-worn, and not every episode escapes cliché.
- Supporting cast depth: Early on, secondary characters feel more like joke delivery systems than fully formed people, though this often improves as seasons progress.
Final Verdict: A Smart Next Move for Radcliffe
As filtered through this ComicBook.com exclusive, The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins looks less like a safe network paycheck and more like the next logical chapter in Daniel Radcliffe’s ongoing experiment: how far can you push against your own mythology while still playing in the mainstream? The show isn’t a revolution, but it is a savvy, engaging platform for a performer who’s earned the right to be picky—and who keeps choosing projects that are just a little stranger than they need to be.
Rating: 4/5 – A sharp, promising comedy anchored by a star who refuses to coast.
Trailer & First Look
NBC typically drops trailers and extended first-look clips via their official YouTube channel and website closer to premiere. Once available, you’ll likely find the The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins trailer here:
