With Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 getting released next week, Warner Bros. is holding a big press junket today in London and I'm across the pond covering. Before going any further, you're probably wondering if the film is any good. I'm happy to say, it's great. And fans of the books are going to love it because it's the first movie that has the time to tell the entire story, not just the highlights. More of my thoughts here.
Anyway, just a few hours ago I got to sit down with Harry Potter producer David Heyman and we discussed a number of subjects during my ten minute flip cam interview. If you're curious about Deathly Hallows deleted scenes, if there will be more Potter movies, what's up with Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity (Heyman is producing), and a lot more….hit the jump!
While I recommend watching the entire interview (which has been time indexed below), I know many of you just want the highlights…
-- Heyman thinks if J.K. Rowlings were to write more Potter books they'd focus on things in the Potter universe that don't feature Potter. He tells a great story about the 5th movie and what Rowlings gave him and how she has so much other stuff figured out. But he has no idea if she will actually write another book.
-- I asked him if they'd ever thought about making movies out of Tales of Beedle the Bard and other short stories.
-- Talks about the deleted scenes in Deathly Hallows. Talks about a scene from the book that got cut out (Dudley shaking Harry's hand at the beginning of the movie) and one scene that wasn't in the book that got cut (Harry and Ron hunting a rabbit). Goes on to say there is "tons of stuff" that was cut. It'll be on the DVD/Blu-ray.
-- For fans of Alfonso Cuaron and are curious about his next film, Gravity, Heyman says they are figuring out actors schedules right now and within the next week or two they'll know if they start shooting early next year. He says Cuaron is pre-vizing right now.
-- Finally, when I asked about other projects, he talked about James Watkins action thriller Methuselah and Steve Kloves The Curious Incident of the Dog and the Night-Time.
Here's the full interview. The only thing to note is at 4:10 we discuss something in the Deathly Hallows that might be considered a minor spoiler. It concerns the three brothers story. Otherwise, it's spoiler free.
- We started off, before the camera was on, talking about how my flip cam had literally just broken and how things happen at the most inopportune times. He mentions how right before the premiere he got hit with some pain…
- :50 - Did he mess up on the red carpet from taking a pain killer
- 1:10 - When J.K. Rowlings was on Oprah saying the door isn't completely closed on Potter books. What was the first thing that went through his brain when he heard the news. He tells a story about Rowling writing much more than what is in the books and maybe she's talking about other adventures in the Potter universe that don't feature Potter.
- 3:05 - Have they ever thought about bringing Tales of Beedle the Bard or some of the other short stories to the screen. Is there a chance of more Potter movies after Part 2 or is this it?
- 4:10 - The animated sequence of the three brothers in Deathly Hallows - Part 1. How did it come together.
- 5:35 - What did they have to cut out of Deathly Hallows - Part 1 and what can fans expect to see on the DVD/Blu-ray. Talks about a scene from the book that got cut out (Dudley shaking Harry's hand at the beginning of the movie) and one scene that wasn't in the book that got cut (Harry and Ron hunting a rabbit). Goes on to say there is "tons of stuff" that was cut.
- 7:40 - Gravity talk. What's the update on the film. Says they are working on cast schedules right now. Alfonso Cuaron is pre-vizing the film right now. Says if they can work out the schedules then it will all work out in the next week or two and they'd start shooting early next year. Says the movie is really close.
- 8:20 - With Harry Potter ending it'll open his schedule up to other projects. Talks about a project with James Watkins called Methuselah which is an action thriller. Also mentions The Curious Incident of the Dog and the Night-Time with Steve Kloves. Says he is also talking with David Yates about things as well.