After months of rumors, Warner Bros. Pictures has made it official. The final book in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, will be split up and made into two movies. Harry Potter veterans Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint will star in the two movies, which will bring an end to the popular franchise.
Veteran Harry Potter director David Yates (he helmed Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and is working on Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) has signed on to direct the final two movies. Screenwriter Steve Kloves, no stranger to the Harry Potter franchise having adapted every story except Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, will write the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows screenplays.
In a statement released by Warner Bros Pictures, director David Yates stated, “I’ve had great pleasure working with a tremendous cast and crew thus far, on both The Order of the Phoenix and The Half-Blood Prince. It’s a wonderful world to work in and be part of and to create within, and I consider it a great privilege to continue to bring Jo’s extraordinary world to the screen, and to be the director to complete this epic and exhilarating journey.”
Producer David Heyman, who's been with the franchise since the beginning, added, “Over ten years ago, we made a commitment to Jo Rowling that, above all else, we would be faithful and true to the spirit of her books, and ever since we have endeavored never to compromise on the creative ambitions of the films. The Deathly Hallows is so rich, the story so dense and there is so much that is resolved that after discussing it with Jo, we came to the conclusion that two parts were needed to do it justice. I am thrilled that David Yates is returning to direct The Deathly Hallows. He is both inspired and inspiring and is a passionate fan of the remarkable world and characters Jo has created. I know he will lead our incomparable cast and crew—most of whom have been with us since the very beginning—in bringing the series to the unforgettable conclusion it deserves.”
Jeff Robinov, President of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, said, “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.”
Warner Bros Pictures plans on releasing the first half of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows during the 2010 holiday season. The second half will be released in the summer of 2011.
Source: Warner Bros Pictures
