While there are many major inconsistencies between the Harry Potter literature and films, the mistreatment of all nine Weasley characters is nearly impossible for booklovers to ignore. This colorful bunch of redheads essentially become Harry's adoptive family, but they are regularly sidelined in the movies so that others can claim the spotlight.
Apart from leaving out many monuments moments, the very essence of each Weasely's personality is inadequately portrayed; the greatest faux-pas of adaptations! The following content will only reference the original Harry Potter series (the first seven novels and eight films), and therefore exclude the Cursed Child narrative, which has yet to receive a film adaptation.
10 The Absurdity of Arthur
Having very little screen time to work with, Arthur doesn't get much of a chance to highlight his virtues as the father of the household, and is set down a more comedic relief path from the moment the words "Tell me, what exactly is the function of a rubber duck?" leaves his mouth.
Booklovers know that, although the hardworking dad doesn't speak very often, his words hold much authority; Arthur is even highly respected among the incredible members of the Order of the Phoenix. While his fascination with Muggles is cute and quirky, it is not his defining feature, which the movies failed to emphasize.
9 Mitigating Molly
The Harry Potter films downplay how strict Molly could be and rarely shows her even raising her voice (with so many children, shouting is inevitable!) Molly has her flaws just like anyone else and can be a bit harsh, judgemental, and downright terrifying at times, such as her initial disdain towards the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes or her forgetful streak concerning Ron in particular (wrong sandwiches, sweater color, the dress-robe mishap, etc.)
As the major mother figure in Harry's life, Molly has a large role to play, which apparently doesn't have room for any potentially antagonistic qualities, whatsoever. The books, on the other hand, show a more well-rounded, realistic version of the iconic magical mom, faults, and all!
8 The Bland, Baseless Bill
Bill is mostly ignored in the cinematic adaptation of the series, failing to make an appearance in almost half of the films. After unsuccessfully setting the tone as the coolest Weasley, Bill's role in The Goblet of Fire is completely omitted, as is the basis of his relationship with Fleur, which is initially explored in The Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince.
Bill also misses out on his chance to take down the formidable Fenrir in the movies, which left him with slight side effects from the werewolf bite and a scarred face, which suddenly pops up during his wedding in The Deathly Hallows Part 1, with a rather anticlimatic explanation attached.
7 Cold-Shouldering Charlie
Bill's mistreatment by the movie franchise is nothing compared to Charlie, who is barely even mentioned and simply doesn't exist on-screen, besides one photo reference in the Prison of Azkaban, which is only shown because it is vital to Scabbers' story.
Charlie's role as dragon advisor in The Goblet of Fire has vanished, much like his contribution towards Norbert's great escape in the Philosopher's Stone. The fact that Hargid's dragon is actually a girl also never comes to light in the movies, which is not of vital importance but still adds an element of interest. Charlie is also deprived of the honor of serving as Bill's Best Man at the wedding, along with every other contribution he has made to the storyline over the years.
6 The Palliation of Percy
Percy's despicable treachery is relatively glossed over in the movies and is barely a blip on the radar. Hardly any attention is paid to his partnership with Barty Crouch and the Ministry of Magic, who start dragging Harry's name through the mud by refuting his claims of Voldemort's return, causing a massive rift between the Weasleys.
Percy becomes particularly intolerable when he assumes the position of Junior Assistant and eventually cuts all ties with his family. This animosity spans several years (from The Order of the Phoenix until the Deathly Hallows) and is a major, albeit underlying, plot point, concluded with a retribution arc and everything! The whole affair is remarkably unmemorable for most moviegoers.
5 Fred, The Forgotten
The Deathly Hallow movie completely butchers Fred's gut-wrenching death scene by changing the whole narrative, setting him up against a Death Eater during the Battle of Hogwarts instead. To add insult to injury, what most viewers believe to be the moment Fred dies is actually a scene of George battling a Death Eater, while Fred quietly dies off-screen.
In the book, this troublesome twin also shares an especially sweet bonding moment with Percy before his untimely demise (while Percy's reaction to his lifeless brother is almost as harrowing as Geroge's.) Fred's death was so tragic that J.K. Rowling released an official letter of apology to the fandom, but apparently, it was not important enough for Steve Kloves to pay the life-changing moment much attention.
4 George, The Goonish Goofball
Besides omitting the detail that Severus Snape (accidentally) severed George's ear with Sectumsempra, the surviving twin doesn't get snubbed too badly as an individual character; however, alongside Fred, the pair are regularly misrepresented in the movies. A significant portion of the twins' tomfoolery is eliminated from the narrative, which mightn't be terribly important, but would have helped to lighten the tone from time to time.
The films also render the whole mishap with Ludo Bagman at the Quidditch World Cup moot, which is where the brothers first shared their dream of opening a joke shop. Fred and George also don't get many opportunities to show how ingenious they can be, which would help to remove the suggestive "Laurel and Hardy" factor.
3 The Golden Duo... Plus Ron
Ron is severely dumbed down throughout the film franchise and made to look more like the goofball sidekick than a useful ally and loyal friend; Harry might have given up hope long ago if Ron wasn't by his side! The movies leave out many heroic moments but ensure to include his most embarrassing scenes (his arachnophobia, the Slugulus Eructo incident, the Howler, etc.), accompanied by a simplistic dialogue, just to make matters worse.
The books emphasize Harry and Ron's bromance, arguably more than Hermione's contribution (seeing as she doesn't share a room with the boys), but the films tend to emphasize the virtues of Harry and Hermione's friendship. Furthermore, Ron's lifetime exposure to the Wizarding World gives him the upper hand in certain situations, unlike the blubbering wreck movie viewers are faced with. The on-screen development of Hermione and Ron's relationship doesn't seem as seamless as in the books, especially after his harsh comments and public criticisms of the poor girl. "He's got a point, you know.'
2 The Inglorious Ginny
The character mistreatment that fans are arguably the most disappointed by is the incredibly gifted, sharp-tongued, kick-ass little sister, who captures readers' hearts alongside Harry's but comes across as dull and insignificant in the films. Ginny goes through some remarkable personal developments, growing from the much-too-shy kid to a confident Quidditch queen and formidable fighter, which the movie versions practically ignore.
There isn't a heartwarming public kiss between Harry and Ginny after she helped Gryffindor win the Quidditch Championship (props!) in the Half-Blood Prince film, which gets bypassed along with basically all her other accomplishments. Even when taking her crucial role in the Chamber of Secrets into account, Ginny is allocated thirty minutes and fifteen seconds of screentime throughout the entire eight-movie series, which is considered a sin by most die-hard fans' standards.
1 Burning The Burrow
For some odd reason, instead of allocating time toward including more canon material, Steve Kloves decided to add his own fan-fiction to the mix, by burning down the beloved Burrow, of all things! Bellatrix and Fenrir Greyback perform the pyromancy during the Christmas break, after apparently breaking through the protective Fidelius charm without much trouble.
This tragedy has little to no significance in the overall storyline because the Burrow miraculously reappears in the exact same location without any explanation in the following film. Random, unnecessary, and well, a waste of precious time and resources.