The Harry Potter movie saga began in 2001. With a total of eight movies, as the final novel, Deathly Hallows, was split into two movies, the Harry Potter movies were a success, but they went through different changes.

One of the most exciting adaptations was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, as it’s the story that sees the Triwizard Tournament. Goblet of Fire was a critical and commercial success, but like the rest of the movies in the saga, it had to make some changes to the books – and some of them, like Dumbledore shouting at Harry, were controversial. However, there’s one often forgotten book character who was cut from the Goblet of Fire movie, and because of that, the movie completely changed one decision from the book.

The Harry Potter Movies Cutting Ludo Bagman Changed Fred & George's Goblet Of Fire Story

Ludo Bagman Is A Key Part Of The Twins' Goblet Of Fire Story

Ludo Bagman took bets, including one with Fred and George Weasley for the result of the final, who bet their life’s savings so they could raise money for their joke shop.

A character from the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire novel that was completely left out of the movie was Ludo Bagman, an English wizard and an employee of the Ministry of Magic. Ludo was the Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, but he was quite dishonest. Ludo had a gambling addiction, and during the 1994 Quidditch World Cup, he took bets, including one with Fred and George Weasley for the result of the final, who bet their life’s savings so they could raise money for their joke shop.

However, Ludo went bankrupt after the Quidditch World Cup and tried to trick his creditors with leprechaun gold, which looks like regular coins but disappears after a few hours. The Weasley twins, being the way they were, stalked Ludo for the entire school year and tried to get their money, but they were unsuccessful. On top of this, Ludo got into trouble with a group of goblins he borrowed a lot of gold from and never paid back.

Given his position at the Ministry of Magic, Ludo, along with Barty Crouch Sr., organized and judged the Triwizard Tournament, and their main goal was to ensure that all contestants wouldn’t find themselves in mortal danger. This gave the Weasley twins a chance to ask for their money, but Bagman made up excuses and later “turned nasty.” The twins considered telling the Ministry about Ludo's activities, but ultimately didn’t.

Without Ludo, the Weasley twins didn’t have this storyline in Goblet of Fire, and it made the opening of their shop two movies later very confusing.

Ludo bet on Harry winning the tournament, but as he was tied with Cedric, the goblins didn’t accept Ludo’s win, and so he went on the run without paying anyone what he owed them. Without Ludo, the Weasley twins didn’t have this storyline in Goblet of Fire, and it made the opening of their shop two movies later, in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, very confusing.

Harry Giving His Winnings To Fred & George Was More Confusing Without Ludo Bagman

Fred & George Made Good Use Of Harry’s Money

Without Ludo in the Goblet of Fire movie, Harry wasn’t shown giving his money to the twins, and they suddenly had their shop in their sixth movie.

In the Goblet of Fire novel, Harry tried to give the money he won at the Triwizard Tournament to Cedric’s parents, but they refused, so he gave it to the Weasley twins. The twins later used that money to open their joke shop, Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes, which, in the movie saga, makes its debut in Half-Blood Prince. However, without Ludo in the Goblet of Fire movie, Harry wasn’t shown giving his money to the twins, and they suddenly had their shop in their sixth movie.

Ludo’s absence in Goblet of Fire takes some of the meaning out of Harry giving the money to the Weasley twins, and raises some questions, such as how the twins got the money to open their shop (this, of course, for those unfamiliar with the books) and why Harry gave it to them and not to the entire Weasley family. Ludo Bagman was a minor character, but not being included in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire had big consequences.