Last Potter Book Becomes 2 Potter Films

Harry Potter fans throughout the world are rejoicing. After years of complaints that the film adaptations left out too much of the books, Hollywood has responded. The Associated Press recycles a report from the Los Angeles Times, telling us that J. K. Rowlings’ ultimate Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, will become the penultimate and the ultimate Potter films. The first installment should hit screens in November 2010, followed by the conclusion in May 2011.

“It was born out of purely creative reasons,” producer David Heyman told the Times. “Unlike every other book, you cannot remove elements of this book.”

Yeah, I’ll buy that for a dollar! Call me cynical, but this sure seems like a good way to keep a film franchise going for another installment when there are no new books looming on the horizon.
The two films will be shot concurrently, like the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy. Oh well, splitting the final Potter book into two films will give cinema audiences a chance to recuperate, instead of subjecting them to a four-hour marathon, a la RETURN OF THE KING.
The article briefly mentions that the sixth film HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE began filming in September:

“It’s been brilliant,” said star Daniel Radcliffe. “It’s also, I think, the funniest of the films so far.”

Leave a Reply