In The News
Official: Two Parts for "Deathly Hallows" Movie, David Yates to Direct Both Films
DH FilmBig News everyone! The L.A Times is reporting an exclusive today: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be made in two films, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" , and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II. Furthermore, the paper cites producer David Heyman confirming the return of David Yates as director for both films, with Steven Kloves to finish out his duties as screenwriter for both Harry Potter movies as well. The movies are to be filmed at the same time, and will be released several months apart, with Part One due November 2010, and Part Two, May 2011.
Update: The article has additional information now, with quotes from producer David Heyman on his conversation with Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling on splitting the book into two films. "Heyman said he approached Rowling with some trepidation about the strategy but found that she signed off on its logic rather quickly. "I went to Jo and she was cool with it," Heyman said, "and that was quite a relief."
The newspaper continues saying "Producer David Heyman said the decision was made with some anxiety and only after considerable deliberations. The producer joked that "while my wife and Warner Brothers were pleased" to hear that the Potter movie magic will continue into the next decade, he himself fretted that the cynical observers would see the decision as a purely mercenary move."I swear to you it was born out of purely creative reasons," Heyman said during an interview in a converted airplane factory outside London that has been home base to all of the "Potter" productions. "Unlike every other book, you cannot remove elements of this book. You can remove scenes of Ron playing quidditch from the fifth book, and you can remove Hermione and S.P.E.W. [Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare] and those subplots . . . but with the seventh, that can't be done."
Actor Dan Radcliffe who portrays Harry Potter in the film is quoted as saying "I think it's the only way you can do it without cutting out a huge portion of the book," Radcliffe said recently during a break on the set of "Half-Blood Prince," the sixth "Potter" film, which is due in theaters on Nov. 21. "There have been compartmentalized subplots in the other books that have made them easier to cut - although those cuts were still to the horror of some fans- but the seventh book doesn't really have any subplots. It's one driving, pounding story from the word go."
Of interest to many fans is the spot in the book where the films will break, and producer David Heyman addresses this as he notes: "The question will be, where do you break it? And how do you make them one but two separate and distinct stories? Do you break it with a moment of suspense or one of resolution? These are the interesting challenges. But each book has presented its challenges."
Warner Bros. Chairman Alan Horn and Jeff Robinov, president of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, are expected to discuss the new plans for "Potter" on Thursday during a presentation at ShoWest, the convention of movie exhibitors in Las Vegas.
UPDATE 2The LA Times has a second story now online, containing new comments from WB Chair Alan Horn on the decision to split and the additional film time for the story "This way, we have an extra hour and a half, at least, to celebrate what this franchise has been and do justice to all the words and ideas that Jo has put in the amazing story," Horn said. "This is the end of the story too. We want to celebrate it. We want to give a full meal." Mr Horn continued on, remarking about the epilogue to "Deathly Hallows" regarding the beloved trio and how that would be translated to the big screen. "Horn said that particular denouement has the filmmakers fretting about how to keep the young familiar stars on the screen just before it goes dark. "That," Horn said, "is something we will need to deal with. People have watched these kids grow up, and it's been very special to do so. That's important to us."
Thanks much to the LA Times, Jimbo, and TML!rate this article
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I didnt know alan rickman had a jaw problem either and I can understand him perfectly. the most actually
@Michy: Uh hello. The wedding is going to be in there. I’m pretty sure they can easily introduce Bill sometime during that. And we’ve already met Fleur so it’s not a big deal. It’s a wedding. The wedding itself isn’t that important anyways, what harry finds out DURING the wedding is what’s important: he sees that symbol the first time, aunt muriel tells him a lot of stuff about dumbledore that turns out to be true, kingsley comes and gives that line that will be awesome in a film, “Scrimgeour is dead. The Ministry has fallen. They’re coming.” That line is going to give everyone in the audience chills. They have to have bill and fleur so that they can have the wedding, just so we can hear Kingsley say that line.
Im so happy about this!! .
Is the best they can do, to close the series with two good movies that honour the books.
I think the best part to cut the first movie is when they arrive to Shell Cottage after Malfoy Manor, when Harry decides not to go after Voldemort for the Elder Wand. The ending scene could be when Voldemort retrieves the Wand from Dumbledore’s tomb. That is at the end of chapter 24.
I can understand Alan rickman most of the time. but i usually can’t. i still love his voice though, it makes me swoon. but like in the occlumency scenes with Harry, when we see the flashback with sirius and harry hugging and then snape is behind them and says something. i could not understand what he said all three times i saw that movie in the theatres. but everytime it got to that part the audience would laugh and had no idea why?! but after i watched it at home with subtitles i figured out that he had been saying, “I may vomit.”
will they have to re negotiate everyones contracts?
Posted by jain on March 12, 2008 @ 07:21 PM
I thought the same thing. If I remeber they get the contracts signed for the trio before DH came out so they would not know that they would be making two films so they would need new contracts. I am sure it is all one film shoot but it will take longer then the other films especally for the trio who will be in 90% (100% for Dan) of the movie. This will get into Dan’s other filming he may have commited too. Maybe that is why it is taking longer to get movie 1 out because they had to work around other commitments.
@celia
But its going to be really weird for people who havent read the books to be introduced to bill. And they havent seen fleur in 2 movies so shes just going to pop up and get married to this random old guy who claims to be the eldest weasley even though we havent seen or heard of him in all movies. Also, they are not going to have a lot of time to introduce him cuz the wedding is at the beggining. Its going to be really weird even for me even though I have read the books. Like is harry just going to be sitting at the wesley table and say: ” Hey, Bill . It is nice to finally see you after like five movies. Just to let you know Hermione, he is the eldest Weasly”
Thats really weird. Bill and Fleurs part is so important but it seems like its too late. If they were smart, they would put bill and Fleur in the sixth movie so that we already know who they are (phew..that was long)
AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! amid a confusion of feelings i seriously DON”T know what to make of this! I’m happy theyre making twoo DH parts, but I’m driving myself nuts to whether David Yates was the right person.. I just don’t know! X@.
About shell cottage and Bill and Fleur not being in HBP movie, for me it is pretty obvious that they will replace Bill/Fleur with Remus/Tonks.
@Sionwitch:
that’s a good idea. I like the image of Voldemort destroying Dumbledore’s tomb and this triumphant music is playing and then he holds up the wand and starts laughing his cold, high pitched laugh and the movie can go off.
But I still like the idea of Part two coming on with the trio listening to Potterwatch.
I guess we’re just gonna have to see what the David Yates, David Heyman, and whoever the film editor decides to do.
I’ll be very happy to see Umbridge again in those wonderful scenes in the Ministry ! I love the work Imelda Staunton did on ootp !
I also hope they’re going to figure out something to avoid the use of the polyjuice potion because if they don’t we won’t see the actors too often. Imagine the scene in the graveyard with out Dan face as Harry.
And one thing I WANT JOHN WILLIAMS FOR THE SCORE !!!
I’ll be very happy to see Umbridge again in those wonderful scenes in the Ministry ! I love the work Imelda Staunton did on ootp !
I also hope they’re going to figure out something to avoid the use of the polyjuice potion because if they don’t we won’t see the actors too often. Imagine the scene in the graveyard with out Dan’s face as Harry.
And one thing I WANT JOHN WILLIAMS FOR THE SCORE !!!
For the contracts thingy, it really depends on the wording of the contract. Maybe they accidently wrote that they have to be in the rest of the harrp potter films or something. If not then i hope all the main characters sign the contract or something or that would REALLY suck if they were not in it
Good idea to end the first part on Voldemort with the elder wand !!!
@ Sionwitch
THAT IS AN EXTREMELY GOOD IDEA. OMG CANT BELIEVE NO ONE THOUGHT OF THAT YET. YOU SHOULD SERIOUSLY EMAIL THE WRITER PPLZ JUST INCASE THEY DONT REALIZE THAT.
Michy, I think the wording in those contracts are very tight and can not be toyed with but I am sure they have all contracts worked out or they would not have released this information.
I am not very happy about David yates but at the same time its really good that he gets to do the last two so now we have the same style for the last 4 movies
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You can’t understand Alan Rickman? He has a jaw problem??
...
I didn’t know that, honestly. Ofcoarse I would understand him. I’m Dutch. We’ve got subtitles.