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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YESYESYESYESYESYESYESYES! THIS IS AWESOME NEWS! I LOVELOVELOVE YATES! great. they’ll include EVERYTHING! can’t wait for filming to start February! i think they should end at Ron leaving. or dobby’s death! YES YES YES I’M SO HYPED!
YESYESYESYESYESYESYESYES! THIS IS AWESOME NEWS! I LOVELOVELOVE YATES! great. they’ll include EVERYTHING! can’t wait for filming to start February! i think they should end at Ron leaving. or dobby’s death! YES YES YES I’M SO HYPED!
How would it change the mood? Being captured from Xeno’s is little different that being captured by random Death Eaters at some random camp. This way, rather than escape… wander the forest… THEN get caught… they just get caught.
I think this calls for a SQUEEEEE!!!! I was a bit nervous about the whole 2 films thing at first (I voted “No, No, No!” in the poll), but then I thought that if Yates directed both I’d be fine with it. I am SO EXCITED!!!! Oh, and this means Hooper will be back to score, probably! Hooray!!! This is the BEST DAY EVER (except for July 21, 2007, of course…)
@Scarletti
I completely agree. Potterwatch is very important because it gives the trio a renewed hope. they kind of lost some of their hope when they went to see Xeno, who they thought they could trust and then he betrayed them. so Potterwatch is definitely important and plus it will let the audience know that Fred, George, and all the others are safe and still alive.
and that just reminded FRED DIES! Oh no! i forgot about that. that’s going to suck. Of course Potterwatch has to be in there because that’s like the last time we hear Fred before he gets killed.
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!! Squeeeeeeeee!!!!! <<<<jumping>>>>>>
Okay, okay, I’m calm….. sqeee! :o)
@ Celia
PotterWatch would actually be a good way to bring film eight into an opening.
TML,
Yeah it would be kind of cool. If part two came on to the sound of the Potterwatch guys talking. That would be awesome actually. And then it could focus in on the trio listening to it. FREAKIN’ AWESOME!
Can’t say I’m too happy about this. One, I don’t particularly like David Yates’s treatment of Order of the Phoenix, and think different, better Directors deserve a chance. I can’t see why he gets to do three/four HP movies, when nobody else did. Two, I don’t like the idea of it being split into two movies, and having to shell out twice as much money to see them.
Not pleased.
@Celia
Yep. That was the brilliance behind my little idea, there.
Good work. LOL. That is actually a really good idea. I can see it and everything. but i wonder if that’s too far into the film? I guess it’s not because that’s right before they get captured and taken to Malfoy Manor….
Hmmm…so how likely is it that they may show new footage or a new trailer at ShoWest on Thursday?
Is it possible that we might get new photos or footage with the release of all this new info? Possibly by the weekend…?
Oh! It’s all very exciting!
TML, i think i see your point. I think the trio gets captured by snatchers, right before malfoy manor (which might as well be death eaters). It would be easy to switch the two, but I guess my line of thinking had to do with everything in between these two points being lost, and i really don’t want any of it to be cut out. Harry obsesses with the hallows while they’re searching, and Ron gets reacquainted in the group.
After the horror of cutting that was OotP, I’m hugely disappointed that Yates, who refuses to make movies over 2 hours long, is still at the helm of this. His direction and vision of book 5 was awful. It’s the only of the HP movies I haven’t watched more than twice.
I agree that nothing can be cut out of book 7 – but I’m sure Yates will still find a way to do it.
@Celia
The position of PotterWatch could easily be moved to earlier in the film. That’s not really a problem.
I’ve actually written a whole screenplay for Deathly Hallows… I’ve gone over all these dilemmas before; granted, I did do it before the rumour of two parts came to be, but I still did it. All 188 pages of it. X.x If you don’t believe me… well… Melissa, John, or Sue can use the e-mail address I used to send this tip in to chat with me… ‘cause I DID do it. (I wasn’t fond of the screenwriting for the fifth film so vented by writing the seventh.)
I wouldn’t mind guest hosting on PotterCast. (Hint, hint)
I think everyone is forgetting something. David Yates completely rushed Order of the Pheonix so what makes you think hes not gonna rush these last two? PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS CUZ IM CURIOUS AS TO WAT U GUYS THINK
Thanks Celia!
I completely agree. I think in order to keep DH as accurate as possible, they can’t just cut something like that out. It might just make me really mad if they did, because it was SUCH a pivotal aspect that brings the trio together again. This revived hope is essential, and it really helps Harry move on, especially hearing friends voices.
I agree/disagree with a two part movie. But I do agree, if there’s two parts, with Madam Hooch’s idea of breaking it up before Dobby’s funeral. I would love to go to a Harry Potter movie where the entire audience is silent and crying. It will be a highlight of my life.
I’m not saying they SHOULD cut Potterwatch, I’m just saying they might since they might consider a scene with people just listening to the radio to be too slow.
TML, I can’t believe you’re serious about moving the Gringott’s Horcrux to make the story flow better. You’re kidding, right? That would be like deleting the whole Battle of Hogwarts to make it easier for Harry and Voldemort to have their final showdown.
Ah well, if I had my way nothing would be cut but I’m just trying to think like the makers of the movies will be thinking. I do like the idea of the Potterwatch lead-in to the second movie.
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TML:
I think that small change would really affect the whole mood of the movie though. I think it would go in a direction that i wouldn’t really like. I still maintain Potterwatch as a good thing in the movie, though it’s such a small detail i wouldn’t be suprised if the took it out. But if they are going to be more accurate for the 7th book, there’s a hope that they might keep it.