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MARCH 13, 2008 at 9:49 AM
Posted by GERI
Source: Business Wire
Warner Bros. officially announced
this morning that the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows movie will be released in two parts and will be directed by David Yates.
In making the announcement, Warner Bros. Pictures president Jeff Robinov stated:
It has been an honor for our studio to be entrusted with bringing J.K. Rowling’s extraordinary book series to the screen, and we have always felt a great responsibility to be true to her vision. In concluding the film franchise, we recognized that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is packed with vital plot points that complete the story arcs of all of its beloved characters. That said, we feel that the best way to do the book, and its many fans, justice is to expand the screen adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and release the film in two parts. We could not imagine the final chapter of the film franchise being in better hands than those of David Yates.
Part one of the movie will open in November 2010, with part two to be released in quick succession during the summer of 2011.
UPDATE: Screenwriter Steve Kloves adds that the split in the final movie is being done for all the right reasons:
Years ago, we briefly - and seriously - considered doing Goblet of Fire as two films. So this concept is not altogether new. 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!
Thanks to the SnitchSeeker for the link.
UPDATE II: Daniel Radcliffe also gives his thoughts on todays official announcement. Thanks to Magical Menagerie for the news.
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Head Boy
Points: 407
Akademy says:
Consumer: This is typical of the big screen companies, charging us twice and splitting the film, so they can make as much money out of the film as possible...
Fan (me): AWESOME news!
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 10:08 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1301
hmrpotter says:
Bring on the two movies!!!!! Yay!
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 10:09 AM EST
Head Boy
Points: 407
Akademy says:
I wonder where they'll split the film...
After the Ministry of Magic but before Gringots I'll wager...
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 10:10 AM EST
Head Girl
Points: 499
ayashe says:
That is such BS, Warner Bros is so greedy. I'm officially done with this.
Hey I'm a fan too, just because you're a fan doesn't mean you have to support this crap.
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 10:10 AM EST
Witch
Points: 830
Barbarian Black says:
OOOHHHH, but where they end the 1st one . . . ? Any thoughts, other than this is brilliant!
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 10:11 AM EST
Squib
Points: 158
elfyears18 says:
And, how brillant! =D
It is just crazy how old ...
Emma, Rupert, and Daniel are going to be. =P
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 10:19 AM EST
Prof. of Cultural Literacy
Points: 4499
PowerGranger says:
Akademy, well said! I feel like I should be annoyed from a monetary perspective, but I could not be more happy that I won't have the typical "how could they cut that part?!" disappointment with DH.
My husband and I have figured out that a great place to end the first film is just after Harry buries Dobby and resolves that he must abandon the Hallows to search for the Horcruxes. Dobby's death is a very dramatic part to end on and Harry's resolution sends us out of the camping bit and into the resolution to destroy Voldemort.
And I think Yates will do an amazing job. You can't go fooling around with stuff like that at this point!
Excited!!!!
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 10:21 AM EST
Witch
Points: 892
Linakekei says:
Yeah PowerGranger...that is a great part to split it. What chapter was that??
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 10:25 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1789
Veela~Girl says:
This is awesome! I am so excited that there will be two movies. Finally we can see a complete adaptation of the book!
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 10:30 AM EST
Muggle
Points: 92
Serpentess says:
ohmigosh I'm so glad. I was so afraid that they would butcher the plot like they did with Order of the Phoenix. It's great that they decided to actually do the book justice.
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 10:49 AM EST
Mrs. Draco Malfoy
Points: 27909
Arika Granger Malfoy says:
Woot for official announcements!!!!!
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 11:12 AM EST
Queen of the Yarn Ball
Points: 3844
red&gold says:
I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO upset about this.... There is no where near enough content to put in two movies. Harry spends most of the time in the tent anyway!!! How in the WORLD are they going to split it in two? It will be almost impossible to follow a logical plot and stay true to what really happened.
While it is an excuse to break out the old robes... I think this is just a way for them to get you to pay twice over (in the box office... and with the DVD.
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 11:14 AM EST
Keeper of Harry's Fate
Points: 9051
TheOneWhoMustBeNamed says:
Not very genuine. The real reason is to extend the franchise and to make two admissions not one. Also double DVD sales. If it was so important, why didn't they do two films for GOF and OOTP. Really sad to make us wait an additional year.
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 11:25 AM EST
Wizard
Points: 606
DumbledoresRevenge says:
Guarentee it will be split at Godric's Hallow. amazingly emotional scene for harry, crazy suspense, can't do much of a cliff hanger though, we all know what happens. but non the less, kind of a neat twist right near the end for their film making. i'm excitied.
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 11:31 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2363
Nataly says:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is indeed vital! Am glad, and i hope it works.. A bit strange November 2010 and later in 6 months the second part summer of 2011
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 11:36 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2108
phoenix_feathers says:
Holy cow! Excuse me? Quick succession? That is not quick.. oh well, at least DH will be done justice.
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 11:52 AM EST
Prefect
Points: 399
Inamorato says:
That is excellent news :D Double the Harry Potter, double the fun! And I'm not worrying about money XD I've spent so much on HArry Potter stuff already, another £6 to see another movie isn't so bad seeing as I see every movie about 7 times anyway XD..it's so good that they're finally going to do a full movie, it's so dissapointing to have your favourite scenes cut out.. Yay :Dxx
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 11:54 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1279
SlytherinHeiress says:
I know that some of you think that it is just a money scheme, but it doesn't matter to me even if it is- I think this movie will be the closest to the book out of them all. Besides, I don't have enough time to sit for six hours in a movie theater, so I am abseloutely ecstatic about this decision!
Yates did the best he could with OotP. The plot was very easy to follow and was a very accurate abbreviation of the plot in the text. I think Yates is the best director yet. OotP was abseloutly beautiful, and I feel the same way when I watch it as when I read it.
I'm not concerned with them having to stretch the content of the book for the films, because there is just so much that was left out in the other films that will need to be explained.
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 12:27 PM EST
Squib
Points: 155
lunalovegood__x says:
I am actually really happy that it will be split in two, but not so happy about the wait! I will have to start a counddown 3 years and 2 months to harry potter and the deathly hallows part two! Does anyone else think it sounds like a shakespeare play hehe.
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 12:42 PM EST
Auror
Points: 4081
RON's all up in heRmiONe says:
This is great news. I'm so happy that DH is going to be split into 2 separate movies, and that Yates is going to direct them. Even though the book isn't the longest HP book, there's just so much information in there, that one chapter of the book can make for 15 minutes or more of movie time. There's so much crucial information in there, you just can't leave it out. I think the movie's going to be about 4 hours long, maybe even longer.
The only thing that bothers me is the separate release dates. The first part of the movie released in 2010, the 2nd part released in 2011, it seems like such a big gap. But I guess they have to do what they have to do. I'm really happy we have to wait such a long time for the last movie-because after the movie comes out in theaters, and after the DVD comes out, it's the end of the HP hype-officially. Not counting the Encyclopedia that Jo's making. But, she just might make another HP book, remember, she at first said no to an 8th HP book, then she said the 8th one was going to be the encyclopedia. But, after OotP came out, she said she might make another HP book-but not with Harry as the main character. I personally would love to see an 8th HP book about Harry, Hermione and Ron when they're all grown up with their kids, but I doubt she'd make that. But, it would be my dream come true-PLEASE JO!
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 12:47 PM EST
Weird Sisters Bassist
Points: 8451
Paper Cut says:
Part one of the movie will open in November 2010, with part two to be released in quick succession during the summer of 2011.
Am I the ONLY person in the ENTIRE world who is going to be really mad at only seeing half a film and then having to wait 6 MONTHS for the next half?! Quick Succession?! Thats over half a year! I can;'t remember a movie I saw last week, let alone 6 months ago!
Can you imagine buying or renting half of a DVD? And only being able to watch the second half 6 months later? Or watching a play, and the actors deciding that 3 hours of Shakespeare is too tiresome to do in one go, so spreading it out over two dates, 6 months apart? Would you even bother going to the second half?
Oh yes, it's fantastic that it'll be true to the plot, but it is just a movie adaptation. It's SUPPOSED to be slightly different, slightly unique, which I think they managed. If they stop ADDING IN completely pointless scenes, they could get a decent movie done in 2 - 3 hours.
It's a ploy to get more money. I know DH is 'packed full of polt,' but there are hundreds of pages of them wandering around woods! Why not condense that into short clips of the main arguments and discussions? Why not make a 3 hour length film?! We'd sit through it!
My guess is that they'll make two 90 minute films that will be disappointing and unfulfilling.
Actually am very annoyed about this. Where are they going to make the cut off point? The plot flows, you can't suddenly chop and change. It will have to stop before Malfoy Manor, as after this everything happens in quick sucession - Gringotts break in, battle at Hogwarts. But nothing much really happens before Malfoy Manor that they can make into a full lenghted film. They will end up adding in scenes, which obviously isn't necessary. The plot is all there, but obviously no one is sensible enough to realise that not every single sentence has to be included. I think the past 5 films have been fine, maybe a bit too much adding in of dancing lessons (GoF) that could have been replaced with actual plot.
And if they DARE out a 'to be contiuned' thing at the end, like some sort of cheesy sitcom, I will be really mad.
Excuse this long post, but I do think thi is a spectacularly awful idea that will leave us two disappointing and unfinished films, a messy and unfollowable plot, and £20 out of pocket.
(I presume they won't make the further mistake of selling the 2 films separately on DVD. If anything could make this situation worse, it would be that)
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 12:50 PM EST
Squib
Points: 102
ButterflyGinevra says:
Oh. My. God.
First of all the good news: Two parts! Wow! That is very cool and I am so excited! And no, I don't think it is solely for the money (even if it is partially). As for having to wait, we might not have to wait that long. Hopefully it will all be shot at once and we will only have a few months to wait in between the two parts. Just a (hopeful) guess.
Now for the bad news: I am so upset and disappointed that David freaking Yates is directing it. Think about it guys: this is the man that DESTROYED the scene in which Harry was supposed to grieve over Sirius' death! The man who, I'm sorry, but CANNOT direct a fantasy film in the sense that the battle scene at the MOM was OK, but it just wasn't all that. The man who virtually destroyed almost every bit of Rowling's brilliant development of Ginny's character in Order of the Phoenix. The man who likes to shoot scenes so freaking far away from the characters that Harry and his friends look like ants and the movie is almost impossible to enjoy on a screen that's not in either a great big cinema or one of those huge three foot long home someone like Peter Jackson or maybe that Del Toro guy?
I love responses.
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 12:55 PM EST
Squib
Points: 102
ButterflyGinevra says:
OK I need to clarify my mistake above:
*one of those three foot long home televisions. Why couldn't they get a real director like Peter Jackson or maybe even that Del Toro guy?*
There. Sorry guys.
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 12:57 PM EST
Witch
Points: 527
Sylvestergirl12 says:
I'm so happy they've decided to do two films!!!!
yeah its a bit annoying that we have to pay twice at the cinema n for 2 dvds but i would rather have that than them miss out important events.
I bet that if they had only one film they would of cut half the deaths out, like Dobby's for instance.
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 12:58 PM EST
Snape´s Apprentice
Points: 9581
HappyAuriga says:
we recognized that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is packed with vital plot points that complete the story arcs of all of its beloved characters.
Interesting thought after all those story arcs they left out. It will be my pleasure to watch how they´re going to get the missing information back in. I´m ready for a load of flashbacks.
Story arcs:
Dobby...not in the movies after CoS. Sorry. No arc.
Snape...reduced to a minimum of screen time. I´m half expecting him to write Dumbledore a note instead of throwing him off the tower himself in HBP. So, no story arc, sorry.
Kreacher...what was it? Two minutes of screen time? Again sorry, no story arc.
Fred and George...mere extras in the films, no story behind them really.
The list can be continued.
As somebody mentioned before, they´ll get problems with their "young" actors, too. Ever since GoF, whenever I see one of the films I think "Why didn´t they put a No Fitness Studio clause into Redcliffe and Grint´s contracts?"
And last but not least - don´t flame me, I solemnly swear I am a fan - if Alan Rickman passes as a 38 year old in the last film they will definitely get an Academy Award for the best makeup.
Nevertheless I will go and pay two tickets instead of one. Just to see if they actually do a good job or if it´s mere cheek to get my money. (Creative cheek is an art form in my opinion, so neither way I will be dissatisfied.)
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 1:10 PM EST
Squib
Points: 102
ButterflyGinevra says:
*Am I the ONLY person in the ENTIRE world who is going to be really mad at only seeing half a film and then having to wait 6 MONTHS for the next half?! Quick Succession?! Thats over half a year! I can;'t remember a movie I saw last week, let alone 6 months ago!*
Paper Cut: will you calm down. The Lord of the Rings movies didn't exactly stand alone, did they? There were all KINDS of cliffhangers at the end of the first two installments, and they still found a nice way to end those films all the same (and it was a challenge, as Tolkein didn't end the books in a "nice way." When you read those books and you switch from The Two Towers to Return of the King, it's not like reaching the end of an installment and beginning a new one - no, it's more like just turning a page. So in a way, they're only doing the same thing with DH as Peter did with TT and RotK - I'm sure they'll find a way to cut it off nicely and make it smooth).
Posted Mar 13, 2008 at 1:10 PM EST
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