There is more news today on the decision to make two movies out of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Screenwriter Steve Kloves has given a new interview to the Baltimore Sun, where he discusses the decision to split the book into two films, and says they had been considering to do this originally for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire . In an email to the paper Steve Kloves says “Years ago,” he writes, “we briefly — and seriously — considered doing Goblet of Fire as two films. So this concept is not altogether new.”
Steve Kloves, who is the screenwriter for the upcoming Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and will pen the scripts for both of the “Deathly Hallows” movies, continued on to explain that early after the release of book seven they started thinking of splitting the seventh Harry Potter book for two films. Quotage is as follows: “As for Deathly Hallows, I intuited — almost from the first moments I began reading it and certainly once I’d finished — that to realize the story in a single film was going to be a tall order. Others in ‘the group’ felt similarly. So the idea of two films began to get kicked around as early as late summer of 2007. We didn’t take it lightly. But ultimately everyone felt that despite the challenges it would present, it was the most sound creative decision. I’m sure some will think we’re crazy. My wife looked at me cross-eyed when I first mentioned it. But I’m really excited about it because it should allow us to stretch a bit with the characters and give them the proper send-off. The story is highly emotional and those moments deserve time to breathe. And, personally, I feel we owe it to Jo — in order to preserve the integrity of the work — and the fans — for their loyalty all these years — to give them the best and most complete experience possible. I’d love to do it in three parts!” And for good measure, Kloves adds that working with Order of the Phoenix director David Yates on the currently filming Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince “was a brilliant experience, so this should be a treat!”
As we’ve reported here and here, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” will be made as two films. Starring Dan Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson and under the direction of David Yates, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One will be released in theaters “holiday” 2010, with Part Two due May or Summer of 2011. The sixth film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, is currently in production in England, with a release date set for November 21, 2008.
It won’t. The strike will happen this summer and one section or group has already begun negotiations. If anything, this strike will keep the actors from doing anything new this summer. Filming won’t begin until a year from now, giving them time to work on the script, seeing as how the writers’ strike kept them from working on it before. Dan should be okay to work on broadway because I think that is a different guild.
that’s really cool! it stretches out the ending of harry potter just a little bit longer. i’m just wondering where part 1 will end…when ron leaves, after harry goes to godric’s hollow and meets that lady, after they get the sword, after they get captured….so many parts that are fairly high action enough to be a climax! i can’t believe i’m gonna have to wait like 2 and half years to find out
I’m getting more and more used to the idea of a two part film. I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that everyone on the team is very excited about it. And especially in light of this news, it shows that this isn’t an altruistic move in which they are simply trying to drag the series out so they can make more money – especially if they were going to make Goblet of Fire – the fourth book – a two part film. They are indeed trying to do the best they can with these immense novels that JKR has written so wonderfully (though I have always felt that they were doing their best.)
I know many fans are disappointed by the idea that they would have to wait until 2011 to see the final installment, but I just wanted to reiterate the point that filming isn’t going to begin until February of 2009, which is just under a year away (11 months from now). They then usually take about 7 months to shoot the normal length HP film (Such as HPB which is being shot between October and May) – and that’s longer than most films take (the average is 4 to 5 months for a longish film (aka a really intense Spielberg film) since some can take as little as 2 months. For Deathly Hallows, they are going to be shooting the scripts back to back (like they did with Lord of the Rings and the last two installments of Pirates) but it’s going to take a long time to do so (add on several more months). They also like to give these kids breaks. It’s grueling being in these films.
Then there is all the post-production work. Editing is seriously extensive work. There are always three different cuts every time an editor puts together a sequence (one that they like, one that the director likes and one that the producers like). Its a long long journey. Then all the special effects. As much as those of us in the industry would love to just push a button and have all the effects in there – its just not that simple yet (Though I wish it were – then again my degree isn’t in SFX thank goodness, I’ll leave that to everyone else).
These films take a long time to produce but that just means we are getting a better film out of it. I’d be worried if they were being shot out in a shorter period of time. Though a year and a half between all the previous films (on average) is still a rather short time period considering. I just think we’ve all been spoiled. But the time it’s all said and done, we’ll all be said and wishing we were still waiting for another movie they way I’m sure a lot of us felt after the book came out – glad to read the ending but sad that it was over.
IM SOOOOO HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!CAN’T WAIT FOR THE BIG RON AND HERMIONE KISS!!!!!!!!!!!FINALLY RON AND HERMIONE WILL HAVE SOME ROMANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And people what’s so bad with hermione the superpinkpower girl or wat ever ur calling it???I mean i think hermione deserves everything because if it weren’t for her, harry would be DEAD ages ago….he wouldn’t even survive to be 12 years old!!!!! HERMIONE did most of the work, harry did all the fighting and ron made all the jokes to make the atmosphere feel good!!! So they all had a role of their own to do!!!
This will give him room “to stretch a bit with the characters”? No thanks, Kloves, you’ve stretched them enough.
What kills me is reading all these comments and seeing people blame the directors for the faults of the writers-people, Hermione and Ron being so completely and totally out of character is 75% Kloves fault, 25% director’s fault. And I seriously doubt that giving him more room to write is going to fix his character deficiencies-it’ll just just Hermione more time to steal Ron’s lines and more time for Ron to look like a complete and utter fool. I’ve always loved Ron, and unfortunately have had to defend him countless times, but I know I wouldn’t have to defend him nearly as much had not the movies completely twisted people’s ideas of who Ron is. It kills me, literally KILLS me—Yates will only be able to do so much with the HBP script, and I have no doubt that they abused Ron’s character horribly. We’ll see.
I’m sorry to rant, but nothing really breaks my heart more than thinking about Steve Kloves and the fandom-we were supposed to be this massive thing that could inflict change and speak out-but all I feel is repeatedly hushed in the presence of fellow Potters whenever I dare to doom Kloves—even here on the Leaky Cauldron, its as though I’m being told to hush, or the big, bad Warner Bros. will come to get the Leaky.
Goldenburg was the only writer to pay any attention to the characters-and call me crazy, but to me, they’re the most important part of the Potter stories. Not how much money they’ll make or whether there’s enough “super-girl power,” but whether the heart, the beating, thriving heart of the Potter books and characters that we love exists. OotP did that-it was the only one that captured that feel-the very FEEL of the book-people are bickering about how much was left out, but that’s not the point! The point is, was is Potter. And it was the first one that was.
So now, with this news, I look forward to seeing what Yates can do, but dread two movies that will break my heart.
I do like the fact that Deathly Hallows is being split into too films. It will do the book justice. I also like the movies for what they are. These movies are better than other movies out there regardless of what is cut or not. GOF was very good. Im 28 and Im a huge Harry Potter fan. I have posters in my room that you can find on posterplanet.net or on ebay. I work at the movies now so I saw the last 2 movies free and as many times as I wanted. I read the books after GOF came out. OOTP was done well so I do think the other movies will be good as well.
Well Personally I think they should have done GoF, OotP and HBP in two parts and I like the concept of doing DH in three. PoA was the last book that was short enough to do in one movie, especially considering that they kept making the movies shorter and shorter, wasn’t the last one the shortest? That is to much.
They mention that they could not make DH into one movie because there were so few sub plots, but when you think of it, there have been very few sub plots in the entire series, and they kept most of them in. Ya something looked like a sub plot in one book, but then in the next book, or the book after that it became a really big deal.
Oh well, hind sight is always 20/20 but you would think that professionals looking at this kind of thing, especially considering how popular not only the books were but also the first three movies, would have figured that out way back when.
that is big news
but i would suggest the movie makers to lessen the gap between the release of deathly hallows part 1 and 2 say 6 to 7 months.
that will be very exciting.
a true harry potter fan signing off….....
I think they’ll do a brilliant job now, I was dreading that DH was going to be hacked and chopped like OOTP and GOF . I’ll be terribly upset if the don’t almost follow it to the letter of the book…Of course they’ll have to bring back all the proper current actors and introduce Bill Weasley because his and Fleur’s house are so important in poor Dobby’s burial. I can’t wait to see who plays Ron’s Aunt and Bathelda Bagshot (sp)
Oh, sInce I’m an older HP fan at 47 I can be patient but wish I didn’t have to be.
Posted by unregistered_animagus on March 14, 2008, 11:15 AM
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It was a huge loss the fact that they didn’t go ahead and did split GoF…. In my opinion is the worst movie, the story was so damaged, even thought they did a great job with the last sequence… The Goblet of Fire was the most disappointing movie so far.
First, Sue, thank you for bringing this happy and welcome news! This is an event that will eclipse all others. I also would like to echo Tara’s comments:
It is SO important to hear this come from the screenwriter After our dear JKR, it will be in his hands, to mold it into the masterpiece it deserves.Also, it IS a good day to be a Harry Potter Fan!
well that’s very nice of you mr. Steve. I wonder why you didn’t consider splitting OOTP though. I’m looking forward for DH.And it’s sooo 3 years from now!!!
"I am considered something of a Potter authority; it is widely known that we are friendly. I have assured the spirit community that I will not pester you for information, however. 'Harry Potter knows that he can confide in me with complete confidence,' I
I wonder how the potential SAG strike will affect the shooting of this movie.