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.
I’ve always felt that with each new film, they should have increased the length of it. But, they didn’t. In fact they did the exact opposite. OotP is the longest book, yet one of the shortest films of the series to date. I’m def a fan of making DH a 3+ hour movie. I’m more annoyed at the fact of some of the film makers attitudes to certain plots and characters in HBP, when they know what happens in the last one.
Nearly everyone who champions the idea of two movies doesn’t want anything left out. An 800-page book cannot be condensed into even a four-hour movie without leaving things out. Sometimes things translate well cinematically and sometimes they don’t. I for one don’t want to see the Trio wandering around in the forest and bickering for the majority of the movie, but if we’re going to be absolutely faithful to the book …
Sometimes cinema improves upon the original. I’ve said before that I felt the fifth movie surpassed the book in making Sirius’s death seem especially tragic. I credit Gary Oldman’s talent and the chemistry between him and Dan Radcliffe, as well as the director’s sensitivity (as opposed to his ego or his arrogance). In this instance, it wasn’t a matter of leaving things out but adding things in. In other words, a greater effect was achieved by NOT adhering to the book.
Please don’t equate “better” with “nothing left out”. The adaptation of the written word to the screen has absolutely nothing to do with this concept, and may in fact have more of an inverse relationship!
I like the idea of more screen time, but not of two separate films. I’m with you guys who are voting for an intermission. Just my opinion, but I think that would work best for everyone.
Right you are Ginevra, I wouldn’t mind a little less bickering in the woods too, but there is a big difference between DH and the other books. Accept for the bickering in the woods allmost everything is important, while in the other books there was a lot of attending classes and quidditch trainings that were much easier left out.
BellaSnape: Titanic is not a two part movie. It is one movie. I saw it at the movie. It was just split on VHS because it was so long.
i agree with Muddtallica. I perosnally don’t see the need for a two part movie. It is not nocessary. I personally think they can condense it into a nice 3 hour movie. If you just cut out/condense slightly the whole camping sequnece and cut out things like the bar scene and alot of the Burrow stuff and also condense alot of the ministry and Gringotts scenes. It really isn’t impossible because laot of the book hings don’t apply in te movies from the things that have already been cut. Like alot of Dumbledore’s backstory isn’t completely needed, excpt for the Grindewauld.
I just think two movies will be really bad for the overall story cause Deathly Hallows is one final story. Not two, but one. It wouldn’t work well and would be a mistake.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! They can’t split it – I’d go ‘Dementor’ed (pardon the pun) waiting to see what happened next. Can’t they just give the fans what we’ve wanted all along – one 4 hour long film that isn’t hacked to pieces! Please God it’s their last chance to get it right!
Posted by Narcissa's Nemesis on February 13, 2008, 08:20 PM
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The book has too much information and it cannot be made in a two hours movie, they have got to split it to two movies with everything included. After all every body wants an incredible finish to the series and as for me it will be totally PERFECT and so should for the other great fans.
BRING BACK JOHN WILLIAMS
HOGWART FOREVER
Posted by CAST INTO THE FUTURE! on February 13, 2008, 09:25 PM
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Let them make two parts, perhaps they will do the last book justice. Already we are seeing that Half Blood Prince will another short movie as from the article saying just over 2 hrs. Sad that Yates butchered OOTP so badly, so much was left out, very crucial parts that were just cut away. Let Columbus direct the last films as he did the best directing them.
Am I alone in actually loving the camping around and bickering bit? It reminded me of bad camping holidays LOL! I did once wake up in a big puddle because we’d pitched our tent in a dip and it rained in the night (plus our tent blew away in a gale!). I thought the bit with Ron and Hermione arguing about the fish dinner was great and showed up Ron’s character perfectly (lazy, selfish, mollycoddled, .... sorry, I really hated him in DH, and haven’t quite got over it), and Hermione’s rant at Ron when he came back has just GOT to stay in. They could cut out a lot of the wandering about though, as they only need to give the impression of it and change of weather. They could do that with the wide shots introducing some of the important scenes.
It’s all the rest, how they find out about various things, that I’m intrigued about them fitting in. What I liked about the book was the gradual, detective manner in which they found out certain things, the meaning of the DH symbol for instance. I expect the films will have to remove much of that sense of discovery for time reasons.
“Besides, what’s unbelievable about audiences sitting through all of Titanic?” (Mudtallica)
Because it’s a godawful film? Sorry, I had to say that, I’m in a funny mood. I hated it.
Kill Bill’s a good example though. I didn’t realise that it was actually meant to be one film but I really didn’t like the first one as a stand alone film. Together, they do make more sense. There’s plenty they could have cut out to condense it, that stupidly unconvincing fight in Hong Kong for one.
I think there’s a lot they could cut out of DH to reduce it to a reasonably long single film. Did I just read that JK has given the producers a suggested alternative Hogwarts battle to reduce the time that takes?
If you take a close look at the book….a ton can be convincingly cut …and stress put at the end….where the most time and emphasis should be….to wrap up the series. I’m sure that everyone involved will think this through carefully. We must remember that the actors aren’t getting any younger…and there may be a time constraint on doing a 2 film deal.
Emma, they allready had this idea before, during the fourth movie. It’s hardly a new idea. And it’s not just milking the cow, read the book and see. There is much more story to be told than in the other books. Maybe two films won’t be needed, but I think if that’s true, then the producers will come to that conclusion themselfs too.
Harry spotted Uncle Vernon at once. He was standing a good distance from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, eyeing them suspiciously, and when Mrs. Weasley hugged Harry in greeting, his worst suspicions about them seemed confirmed.
I’ve always felt that with each new film, they should have increased the length of it. But, they didn’t. In fact they did the exact opposite. OotP is the longest book, yet one of the shortest films of the series to date. I’m def a fan of making DH a 3+ hour movie. I’m more annoyed at the fact of some of the film makers attitudes to certain plots and characters in HBP, when they know what happens in the last one.