Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is an upcoming two-part British-American fantasy film adapted from the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the seventh and final film in the popular Harry Potter film series. Filming began in February 2009.
The film will be split into two separate parts. Part 1 is scheduled for release on November 19, 2010. Part 2 is scheduled for release on July 15, 2011. Both parts will be written by Steve Kloves, who wrote all but the fifth film, and directed by David Yates, who directed the previous two films. David Heyman and David Barron are producing both parts.
Plot
Production
A two-part film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is planned. The film is to be split in two, with David Yates, who directed the preceding two films, directing both parts. Part 1 will be released in November 2010, and Part 2 in July 2011. The films will be shot back to back, and treated as if it were one film. The idea to split the films had been around since the middle of 2007, but only really came into serious consideration after producer David Heyman was able to talk to writer Steve Kloves when the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike ended and Heyman had Rowling's approval. As of April 2009, Kloves is working on the script of second part.
| "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." |
| — Steve Kloves on the decision to split the film. |
According to Warner Bros. executive Alan F. Horn it will allow "an extra hour and a half to celebrate what this franchise has been and do justice to all the words and ideas in the amazing story." Heyman described the workings behind the split: "Deathly Hallows is so rich, the story so dense and there is so much that is resolved that, after discussing it with [Rowling], we came to the conclusion that two parts were needed." Kloves was not able to start work on the script until the WGA strike ended.
Before David Yates was officially chosen to direct the film, others had expressed an interest in the job. Alfonso Cuarón, director of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, had said that he would be "tempted" to return to direct. Guillermo del Toro, who passed on Prisoner of Azkaban, had expressed interest in directing Deathly Hallows, but an increased workload ruled him out of the project.
Heyman noted that the films will be a closer recreation of the books than the previous films because of the length a two-part adaptation entails. Daniel Radcliffe said: "This is a road movie, particularly in Part One of the film. People have been so used to seeing Harry Potter at Hogwarts and we're just not there for the first part of the film. That seems to have really freshened things up, and hopefully will get people seeing the films with fresh eyes again, because its just a totally different look when you're not just sat in the same room the whole time."
Although Yates had retained composer Nicholas Hooper for Half-Blood Prince, Hooper has confirmed he will not be returning for the Deathly Hallows.. In July 2009, John Williams, composer of the first three film's scores, said that he will return as long as it fits with his schedule.
Yates and Heyman have noted that some of the events of this film had effect on the way the sixth film was written.
Filming
Pre-production began on January 26, 2009, and filming began on February 19, 2009 at Leavesden Studios, where the previous six films had been shot, and Pinewood Studios. Eduardo Serra is the cinematographer. Yates said that the film will be shot "with loads of hand-held cameras. I want to shake things up every time I go into this world. I like experimenting as we go along."
During production at Leavesden, Radcliffe's stunt double David Holmes suffered a serious spinal injury during filming of an aerial sequence, which left him paralyzed. Holmes fell to the ground following an explosion which was part of the stunt.
Cast
- Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter
- Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley
- Emma Watson as Hermione Granger
- Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange
- Jim Broadbent as Horace Slughorn
- Jamie Campbell Bower as Gellert Grindelwald
- Robbie Coltrane as Rubeus Hagrid
- Warwick Davis as Filius Flitwick
- Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy
- Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort
- Sir Michael Gambon as Albus Dumbledore
- Brendan Gleeson as Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody
- Domhnall Gleeson as Bill Weasley
- Ciarán Hinds as Aberforth Dumbledore.
- John Hurt as Mr. Ollivander
- Stanislav Ianevski as Victor Krum
- Rhys Ifans as Xenophilius
- Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy
- Dave Legeno as Fenrir Greyback
- Matthew Lewis as Neville Longbottom
- Andy Linden as Mundungus Fletcher
- Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood
- Simon McBurney as the voice of Kreacher
- Helen McCrory as Narcissa Malfoy
- Bill Nighy as Rufus Scrimgeour
- Gary Oldman as Sirius Black
- James Phelps as Fred Weasley
- Oliver Phelps as George Weasley
- Clémence Poésy as Fleur Delacour
- Chris Rankin as Percy Weasley
- Miranda Richardson as Rita Skeeter
- Alan Rickman as Severus Snape
- Timothy Spall as Peter Pettigrew
- Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge.
- Natalia Tena as Nymphadora Tonks
- David Thewlis as Remus Lupin
- Julie Walters as Molly Weasley
- Mark Williams as Arthur Weasley
- Bonnie Wright as Ginny Weasley
David Bradley, Miriam Margoyles, Gemma Jones, Jessie Cave, and Devon Murray will all reprise their roles as Argus Filch, Pomona Sprout, Poppy Pomfrey, Lavender Brown, and Seamus Finnigan respectively. Steffan Rhodri will play Reg Cattermole. Sophie Thompson will play Mafilda Hopkirk. Toby Regbo will play a young Dumbledore. Nick Moran will appear as Scabior, a snatcher in Fenrir Greyback's gang of snatchers. Matyelok Gibbs will appear as Molly Weasley's Auntie Muriel. Rade Šerbedžija is slated to appear in the role of wandmaker Gregorovitch. Joshua Herdman, Louis Cordice, Angelica Mandy and Katie Leung will reprise their roles as Gregory Goyle, Blaise Zabini, Gabrielle Delacour and Cho Chang respectively.
Emma Thompson will not return as Professor Trelawney, opting instead to work on a sequel to Nanny McPhee.
Isaacs considered not returning for the film, before the book was released, as he was worried Malfoy would have very little screen time due to the character's imprisonment in the previous story. Meeting Rowling at an awards dinner he fell to his knees and said "'Get me out of prison, I beg you.' [Rowling] looked over her shoulder and looked back at me mouthing 'You're out. Chapter One.' And that was it, that's all I had to know, and I signed up immediately."
Director David Yates has announced that, for the final scene in the film which is set nineteen years after the film's main story, older actors will not be cast to play the main characters. Special effects will be used to depict the cast members as adults.
