Harry Potter producers David Heyman and David Barron have given a new interview with the Daily Telegraph, where they discuss the film version of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. In regards to the earlier rumors of splitting the final book into two films, David Barron again confirms this is a possibility, saying this is still under discussion and states:
"The only negative of splitting the book into two films, says Barron, "is that people could possibly perceive it as being one last chance at cashing in. But the real positive, if we were to do that, would be that we wouldn't have quite the battle we always have of 'How do you compress all that book into just over two hours of screen time?' It would be brilliant not to have to cut anything. But at the same time, we have to think it through properly. We'd have to be very certain that there were two proper, stand-alone films that could be generated from the source material."
David Heyman continues on to note that filming for "Deathly Hallows" will not start until a year from now, saying "We won't start filming 'til February next year. So it hasn't really gone bananas yet. We've got thoughts, and I'm sure something will be announced in the not-too-distant future."
As to who will take on the pivotal role as director for the final movie, both producers say a few directors are still under consideration, and announcements about this and the status of the film will be made shortly. David Heyman emphasises "A couple of people have expressed interest, people have gotten a few calls and a few emails, but it's still a year away."
Meanwhile production continues through May on Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which is due in theaters November 21, 2008.
WOW it so hard to decide, but if we go for a Vote according to the comments posted I am for the two parts. And if you want my personal opinion I said the two parts would be the best idea, I know all the negative and positive, the pro and cons. But come on if you are a true fan u want everything you want it all, it the last movie and you want it to be the best. And about where to split it. I said when Harry says the dark lord name and the vampire and the others come and catch them and tie them to a tree, to take them to the mansion. It would be a good part; non reader would be like OMG what it going to happen. And I am sure they would grab the book and try to find out because curious. Mean while readers like you and I. can sit back and just wait for the next film excited like never before. I also read how someone said “oh that would change the magical number 7” give me a break inst JK making an 8th book anyways so what the big deal. The 7 mean seven yeah of school that all. So guys get with the program. I am sure that 99.9% here tune into it.
THIS IS BRILLIANT!!! But why on earth didn’t they consider this before? As far as I’m concerned, Goblet of Fire (and Order of the Phoenix) would have been great in two films!!! (I mean, Gof felt so rushed and they skipped so much… And in OotP, they actually cut Quidditch!)
Picazo said: “But come on if you are a true fan u want everything you want it all”
So just because I don’t mind if they cut things down and/or condense them then I must not be a true fan? All it takes to be a “true fan” (I hate that term as it is) is to have some type of enjoyment of the world that JK has created. Someone who thinks the Epilogue is the greatest chapter ever written in the series is not any more or less of a fan than someone who think it was drivel. Someone who thinks Chris Columbus is the greatest filmaker alive is no more or less of fan than someone who thinks he’s not. Just because you would like everything in the film does not make you more or less of a fan than me, who (as I said), is okay with cutting and condensing.
I apologize if I come across as agressive, I just really hate when this “true fan” thing comes up. It just rubs me the wrong way.
YAY! I’m glad that they’re talking about it, confirming that its definitely a possibility, that’s good. I hope they do make it into two, we would get so much more! :)
However, it would be even better if they made a 4 (or even 5) hour movie with an interval halfway through… but I guess it can be quite complicated to screen in the smaller cinemas and honestly, for someone who hasn’t read the books, four hours is a bit too long, don’t you think?
I think if they they would put in the effort they could have a 3.5 hour movie or more for the last movies if Pirates of the Carribean can do y can’t HP? It would be a lot better for the fans who don’t want to see one part of one movie and have it cut off in the middle and have to wait a year to see the end of it.Thats just cruel in my opinion.
WB will not make a 4 or 5 hour DH movie even if “fans” are willing to sit through it. One, from the point of view of profitability, it simply means that they won’t able to show as many showings of the movie per screen each at a movie theater because of the length of the film (i.e., 4 showings per day instead of say, 5 or 6). That translates into less profits for WB (with a movie that we know will be very expensive to produce). Two, the movies you guys have mentioned that include an intermission were from ages ago. Nobody does this anymore primarily for the reason mentioned above. Three, the Harry Potter movies haven’t made the money they’ve made because only hard core fans have watched them. It’s also because casual fans, including fans who’ve never picked up an HP book, have watched as well. If you make a 4-5 hour movie, these people will not sit through them and again, WB makes less money after haivng made a more expensive film. Four, the all-important family audience will stay away from this because parents (even those whose kids may be hard core fans) just won’t sit through a 4-5 hour movie with the entire family in tow. Remember that little kids, mean little bladders too. I think lots of people are talking about WB just making a longer movie as though the only people who WB are making it for are the people that visit TLC regularly, and that’s just not true. WB has to appeal to the wider audience and make sure they get maximum bang for their back. Frankly, I think the only reason they haven’t given the green light to 2 films yet is that they want to make sure the first part (which everyone knows will not have the emotional payoff and action scenes of the second part) will still be as (hugely) profitable as all the others in the series and that a significant number people won’t stay away because (a) they’re turned off by WB’s obvious grab for profits by making a 2-parter and (b) they figure they can see the just second part so they can find out how the series ends (and basically just glean what happened in the first part).
I’m crossing my fingers for two parts DH movie.i’m reading now the book again and can’t see a way they could do it justice in one movie.i mean it’ll be a heart-break if thye cut anything out from DH(and thye will#sigh#)
Well look at this way, if they are considering making it into 2 films, maybe they were impacted by the endless amounts of emails from fans all over the world who were ticked off at the sheer weight of cuts made in the earlier films… Maybe they just want more money. I would love for the story to be made into one 3 and a half or perhaps 4 hour long film with a 20 minute intermission ( Look at 2001: A Space Odyssey!... anyone who has seen Kubrick’s / Clarke’s masterpiece will notice the intense music during the intermission that leaves you with desperation to get back into the story….) So a long epic with a very well done intermission will be very smart and artistic move on the one hand. But if it were to be split into 2 films it will still be Deathly Hallows, but just as parts 1 and 2, which is also an artistic move only if the films were to be released at the same time and giving fans the satisfaction of the final book being still one long story…. and if it were to be a two parter, it will no doubt give them a chance to focus on the very little things that make deathly hallows such a beautiful and dark story…Thats what we as fans really want,and as long as The integrity of JKR’s epic is not compromised i think we will all be happy to have it either way..
@CrazyCat re: my earlier comment on LOTR working well as 3 movies despite Tolkien seeing it as one story, I just wanted to clarify that I did not think it was any problem that the movies ended in slightly different places than the book. I guess since it had to be published in three parts, we were used to seeing it in three parts, and three movies was just expected and didn’t seem weird inthe slightest, despite Tolkien’s objections to a 3-part story. I guess it’s just what we’re used to. And since we’re used to seeing DH as one book, my instinct is just that it should be one movie (again, so long as horrible cuts don’t have to be made).
@Neil: conflicted is a great way to put how I feel too! I want it done right and do not want to see some of my favorite scenes/lines cut as they have been in movies 3-5 (and most likely 6), but it just doesn’t feel right to split it up. My hope is that they’re just waiting on Kloves to write the script and see if he can condense it acceptably (i.e. just skim over some of the slower parts such as cleaning the Burrow for the wedding or some of the camping) and see if it’s possible to do it properly in under 3.5 hours. If it is, I say just leave it as one movie. But otherwise, do it right with two. But I do fear that two full-length movies would be stretching it TOO thin and that they might drag a bit, particularly the first one.
@Ladycake: I too had a great time watching the LOTR trilogy when ROTK was released! I love the idea of re-releasing the previous Potters before this, maybe even a marathon like they did for LOTR. I don’t know how possible it would be to do the 7 movies in one day, but maybe they could figure out some type of special event. Can’t wait!
I’m starting to kinda of like the idea of two movies. And to people wondering why they’re thinking of doing this with DH and not the other longer books (like OOTP, the longest book): DH has the most real necessary ‘stuff’- the other books have more plot fluff, I think, that allowed one movie to be possible. DH could definitely be one movie if they wanted it to be, but I think something pivotal would probably have to change. We’ll see! :)
I think the right place to break it might be just before “Shell Cottage”.
The big battle with the Black / Malfoy’s and Dobby appearing to rescue everybody, including Olivander and Luna, then
SPOILER
Dobby dies… huge climax at the end… then the denoument of Harry at Shell Cottage, with Bill, Fleur, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna, Olivander and even Griphook all mourning Dobby… a few words from Harry on his resolve to finish the job, but at this point, not knowing whether it’s going to be “Horcruxes or Hallows”... its a point in the book where the action slows down a bit (which is a good spot to start the next film: setting up the story and interviewing Olivander and Griphook, and developing their plan.
There are quite a few big set pieces after that: Gringotts incl Dragon, the whole battle of hogwarts, Hogsmeade / Aberforth / the RoR, meeting all the characters again, Luna and Harry sneaking to Ravenclaw tower… so much going on after that point, it would be fantastic.
I think splitting exactly in the middle as mentioned on Pottercast, after Ron leaves, is not really “suspenseful” enough, personally…
I dont understand what the big deal is for them to make the movie longer then 2, 2and a half hours..look at titanic…gone with the wind..all epic movies and certainly more than 2 hours long..something to think about, becaus a s a potter fan..i have no problem sittin there..could even put a little intermission in there..who knows..this is just one fans oppinion..whatever they do, Im sure it will be great!
If they are worrying about being accused of cashing in if they split Hallows into two movies, I say LET THEM CASH IN!!!! Oh my goodness. You cannot do justice to Hallows in roughly 2 1/2 hours!!
They should split it right after Ron comes back with the Silver Doe—and Hermoine beating on him MUST be in the film!! At that point, with Ron back, Godric’s Hallow behind them, a Horcrus destroyed, and the sword in their hands, they have a lot of hope. The movie can end with this hopefulness, and the second film can pick up with them hearing Potter Watch, and then on to Malfoy Manor, etc. We would then be talking roughly 5 hours of film versus 2 1/2, and I would happily pay to see two movies done correctly!
"You [i]fainted,[/i] Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually [i]fainted?"[/i][br]"Shove off, Malfoy," said Ron, whose jaw was clenched.[br]"Did you faint as well, Weasley?" said Malfoy loudly. "Did the scary old dementor frighten you too, We
WOW it so hard to decide, but if we go for a Vote according to the comments posted I am for the two parts. And if you want my personal opinion I said the two parts would be the best idea, I know all the negative and positive, the pro and cons. But come on if you are a true fan u want everything you want it all, it the last movie and you want it to be the best. And about where to split it. I said when Harry says the dark lord name and the vampire and the others come and catch them and tie them to a tree, to take them to the mansion. It would be a good part; non reader would be like OMG what it going to happen. And I am sure they would grab the book and try to find out because curious. Mean while readers like you and I. can sit back and just wait for the next film excited like never before. I also read how someone said “oh that would change the magical number 7” give me a break inst JK making an 8th book anyways so what the big deal. The 7 mean seven yeah of school that all. So guys get with the program. I am sure that 99.9% here tune into it.