Alan Rickman’s diary reveals he wanted to quit ‘Harry Potter’

Alan Rickman had a career full of eclectic characters, however, probably one of his most memorable ones was playing professor Severus Snape in the “Harry Potter” series.

Six years after the British actor’s death from pancreatic cancer, excerpts from his journals are set to be published in a book titled “Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman.”

In the book — out Oct. 4 — Rickman noted how he wanted to leave the wizarding franchise after the release of “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” back in 2002.

Rickman went on to play the part in six subsequent films in the series, ending in 2011.

Parts of the diary were published recently by the Guardian.

In an entry dated Dec. 4, 2002, the “Dogma” star wrote: “Talking to [agent] Paul Lyon-Maris about HP exit, which he thinks will happen. But here we are in the project-collision area again. Reiterating no more HP. They don’t want to hear it.”

He reluctantly stayed on to do more films in 2006, following his treatment for prostate cancer.

His Jan. 30, 2006 entry said: “Finally, yes to HP 5. The sensation is neither up nor down. The argument that wins is the one that says: ‘See it through. It’s your story.’”

Rickman also described how he felt about Professor Snape’s demise, even penning his thoughts about the wizard’s passion for Harry Potter’s mom Lily.

“I have finished reading the last Harry Potter book,” a July 2007 entry said. “Snape dies heroically, Potter describes him to his children as one of the bravest men he ever knew and calls his son Albus Severus.”

“This was a genuine rite of passage. One small piece of information from [JK] Rowling seven years ago – Snape loved Lily – gave me a cliff edge to hang on to,” he added.

Elsewhere in his diary, he wrote how the first “Harry Potter” film in 2001 should “only be seen on a big screen. It acquires a scale and depth that matches the hideous score by John Williams.”

“Arriving at Radio City was like being a Beatle,” he wrote about attending the third film’s debut in 2004. “Thousands of fans screamed as we got out of cars. Mostly for Daniel Radcliffe but a rush for everyone. Not to mention walking out on to the stage to 6,000.”

In 2018, letters written by producer David Heyman to Rickman were unearthed, stating how the “Die Hard” alum was “frustrated” with his Snape role.