Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to be split into two volumes

[tb4000]

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/35978

[Ragebot]

Two feature-length films is an awful lot for a book that's not the longest (or even the most complex) book in the series. I'm also not sure at what point that Part One should end. (Although, as long as they leave in Umbridge then I'm good.)

I just hope that the script for Part Two undergoes massive revisions though.

[mookie75]

Way to rake a few hundred million more out of the moviegoing public Warner Brothers. I still think the idea is entirely unnecessary, but that's just me.........

[Wounded_Dragon]

Completely unnecessary. They've already shaved so much from the other novel to movie transfers that I don't see how they can justify the finale being two whole movies alone.

[Rolling Cloud]

http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=204026

Does this one still count?

[The Clown Prince]

http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=204026

Does this one still count?

You know, I thought that thread was familar.

My opinion on the whole thing has changed a little since the idea came up in January. While I am a little excited by the prospect of seeing pretty much everything out of Deathly Hallows adapted (hopefully the Snape reveal chapter will be properly done), I'm also kind of annoyed at Warner Brothers, Steve Kloves, and J.K. Rowling.

Out of all of her books that needed a two movie treatment it was Goblet of Fire. And the idea was presented then too but wasn't taken seriously I think. And it's the Goblet of Fire movie that is my least favorite of them all because of the massive hack job that the screen play did to the book.

I liked Order of the Phoenix the movie, but really it could have been 3 hours. People would have sat for it and ate it up. It possibly could have been two movies, but 3 hours would haven been a proper length for the adaptation of OotP. And Prisoner of Azkaban, while not requiring two movies, really could have been longer as well. Too many edits made to the screen play for that one.

[HG Revolution]

If they couldn't get Del Toro or someone really cool and new like that, I'd have hoped that Cuaron would return. Ah, well. David Yates seems to be what the series wants (someone with tons of talent and minimal original vision).

The only sensible dividing place would be Godric's Hollow, since it's right around the middle of the book and the Bathilda/snake scene would make a pretty good climax for Part 1.

On another note, let me guess that these will be entirely in 3D, given the way mainstream cinema looks to be moving as of late. The 3D in the IMAX version of Order was both flat and distracting, so I hope if they must take this route, they're smarter about it from a visual standpoint.

[The Clown Prince]

I guess the good news about this is the ending shouldn't be compromised. Snape's chapter should be there in all it's glory as well as the Harry/Dumbdore chapter. Also, all of the wizard fights and battles at the end can be equally as long and detailed as it was in the book. They can even draw out and make more dramatic the Harry/Voldemort duel.

The problem with all of what I just mentioned is it won't be until Part 2 in May of 2011.

EDIT: Comingsoon.net adds...

Some cynics will see the move as simply doubling the box-office payday, but Daniel Radcliffe told the newspaper (L.A. Times) that the split is purely in service of the story.

Producer David Heyman said he approached Rowling with some trepidation about the strategy but found that she signed off on its logic rather quickly. "I went to Jo and she was cool with it," Heyman said, "and that was quite a relief."

Heyman said now that the "Potter" team knows they can split "Deathly Hollows" in half, the next challenge is figuring out the division.

As Heyman put it: "The question will be, where do you break it? And how do you make them one but two separate and distinct stories? Do you break it with a moment of suspense or one of resolution? These are the interesting challenges. But each book has presented its challenges."

[The Guitar Slayer]

I recall that people were upset that a lot of the story chains, such as Kreacher's, was glossed over. This may be a huge project to basically fill in everything via flashback or what have you.

And as long as all of Snape's story is preserved, I predict Alan Rickman for the Oscar.

[Lord Dalek]

They're still using Yates? Why? He's so... mediocre.

[Wounded_Dragon]

I recall that people were upset that a lot of the story chains, such as Kreacher's, was glossed over. This may be a huge project to basically fill in everything via flashback or what have you.

It's too late. Half-Blood Prince will already be replete with flashbacks. Shoehorning flashbacks into the last two movies to try and reinsert lost story chains will be both awkward (pacing will be all wrong) and painful (three flashback heavy movies in a row).

I know the spin is that they want to preserve scenes, but frankly there were much more deserving scenes that could've been saved in previous books. In addition, the hype for scenes to be retained seems to be centered around the final battle (press statements) and Snape (fan statements). Neither of those should require adding more than an hour, much less a whole new movie.

These last two will feel bloated next to the rest of the series.

[Ragebot]

And as long as all of Snape's story is preserved, I predict Alan Rickman for the Oscar.

You're overestimating the amount of screen time he'll likely have. Even if they leave in every line of dialouge he has from the book, I don't think there's enough for even ten minutes worth of material.

[bigddan11]

Two feature-length films is an awful lot for a book that's not the longest (or even the most complex) book in the series. I'm also not sure at what point that Part One should end. (Although, as long as they leave in Umbridge then I'm good.)

I just hope that the script for Part Two undergoes massive revisions though.

Deathly Hallows is the second longest book in the series with 759 pages, behind only The Order of the Phoenix. Part 1 should end with Harry and Hermoine escaping Voldemort's snake at Godric's Hollow. The story of Dumbledore and Snape should also take up the majority of the two separate movies, so I like this move.

[The Guitar Slayer]

You're overestimating the amount of screen time he'll likely have. Even if they leave in every line of dialouge he has from the book, I don't think there's enough for even ten minutes worth of material.

....did you miss the entire Prince's Tale chapter?

[HG Revolution]

You're overestimating the amount of screen time he'll likely have. Even if they leave in every line of dialouge he has from the book, I don't think there's enough for even ten minutes worth of material.

Didn't stop Ruby Dee from a nomination.

[halinar]

Hopefully they shoot it all together and get the 2nd part out qiuckly after part 1. The only problme I see is that the first movie will be Harry Potter goes camping for most of the movie.

[dth1971]

Maybe it was the 100 day WGA Writers Strike and maybe soon the SAG Actors Strike that is spliting the final Harry Potter book movie adaption into two.

[TKnHappyNess]

Rowling's just trying to milk Harry Potter for all he's worth by having Deathly Hallows as 2 movies instead of one.

[Azrael24]

Out of all the movies, this one could have been easily cut into an actual movie. Why didnt they do this with the 4th or 5th one? the ones that need it

[Lord Dalek]

Maybe it was the 100 day WGA Writers Strike and maybe soon the SAG Actors Strike that is spliting the final Harry Potter book movie adaption into two.

Harry Potter flicks use Brittish writers and the Brittish actors equity. There should be no reason at all for the recent strike to have any effect on them.