Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is dense with information that is crucial to the overall story. It’s definitely too much to stuff into a two hour movie.
There are many challenges in adapting a novel or series of novels into scripts and movies. Plot lines are always reduced and/or eliminated. The work that has been done so far on the Harry Potter series has had reasonable success. The millions of dollars of revenue prove that the Harry Potter Fans will pay for anything HP, but will they pay for two movies made from one book? If the Studio thinks fans will not pay for and sit through one longer than average movie (3 hours plus, a rule broken successfully by the Lord of the Rings movies), will it be possible they’d think fans will happily pay for two films?
So, do you think it’s possible that the final Harry Potter adventure, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, will be made into two movies? And if it is, where would you end movie number one and start movie two?
UPDATE! 3/12/08: Producer David Heyman said last night that It will be officially announced soon that book 7 WILL BE TWO FILMS!
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I hope they either make it a 3-hour+ movie or split it into two; I am annoyed that they didn’t make 3, 4, and 5 longer – why does it need to be under 3 hours?
Hardcore Harry Potter fans will always love more Harry Potter than less – won’t they? I know that, except for movies 1 and 2, which I thought were done well and were the truest to the books, I always wished 3, 4, and 5 were longer.
It would be painful to wait for the second half of the movie, but at the same time, it would keep the Harry Potter world Alive longer, something I try to do within my own world…
Then again, I wonder: if people end up unhappy with the first half, would it prevent them from seeing the second half? I suppose it is not much different from a person disliking an earlier one and not seeing a new one, but…?
Make it into an epic film. Real fans won’t care if it’s 4 hrs long. Just put in a 10 min intermission for people to go to the bathroom and get sodas. But never ever make it into one two hour movie. As an avid fan who wants representation of every detail two hours would be just enough to annoy me. The break point should definitely be when Neville comes back into play because that’s the turning point in the story without a doubt.
I really think it should be split in two, the last film was awful in the sense that the plot was completely rushed. I would pay a thousand dollars to see both the movies, i dont care how much they cost. And i would also sit through 3-4 hours of a longer movie until my bladder explodes, and even then i would stay until it finished. And I think that the 1st movie should end around when Bathilda is revealed as the snake, or, when harry sees the doe, or when they figure out about the hallows. Around that area of the book would be the best finish and start.
So they should definetaly make it into two films and have Chris Columbus as the director, definetaly not David Yates, he was terrible.
Definite YES on two movies! I, too, wonder why they feel the movies have to be kept under two hours ~ the fact that they keep adding deleted scenes when they’re shown on t.v. just proves that folks can’t get enough.
Also, book seven was so complex, the most intense since three.
If it were me, I’d break it after Dobby’s death. Harry buries him, then looks out to sea as he makes his decision to continue to find and destroy the horcruxes. Then the second movie can continue with Gringotts, the battle for Hogwarts, and Harry’s sacrifice. That would seem to make a nice, clean break in the action and in psychological terms.
I think yes on two movies if they don’t squash them to tightly. I also want both to come out at the same time, not like, part 1, one year and part 2 the next.
Two movies makes sense for the length of the thing. I would say the best break would be after seeing Harry’s parents house in Goddrics hollow. Perfect for breaking the action just tragic enough to make for a good ending and the mystery of Batilda inviting Harry to follow will make new people to the books want to see the second one.
I agree with Josh on both points. The last movie was rushed, so much was cut out of the plot that it was disappointing, although I did enjoy the movie. I would pay to see ten movies if it takes that much to play out the series fully. I also like Perdies idea about cutting the first movie after Dobby’s funeral and beginning the next with the quest for the horcruxes. If they insist on one movie per book they should throw out the time limit. I would sit through a 4 hour movie til I busted a gut!
I also agree that Chris Columbus should direct. I feel like he had a better sense of the tone of the books, and he made sure the actors stayed true to the characters. I so wish that Richard Harris was still around to play Dumbledore – he was so much better than Michael Gambon. I think that Harris actually read the books and was a fan, whereas Gambon seems to just be playing a part. Harris was like a living embodiement of the written Dumbledore – the way he took his time and was so delibrate in his speech.
I thought I would love the casting of Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix, however, I thought it was flat. Again, she seems to be playing a role, a “scary witch”, when Bellatrix is so much more than that. She is haughty, proud, cruel, and evil in her very core. I hope Helena reads the books and not just the scripts before the next movies.
So much of the casting is great – Alan Rickman is fantastic, I can’t wait to see how he colors Snape in the next films, now that we know he is actually a hero. And Lucius Malfoy (can’t remember the actors name) really “gets” his charater too. I wonder who will play Narcissa? I hope they don’t completely cut her out. I have been hoping there would be a role for Judi Dench – she is such a great actress, I thought she would be good.
Too bad the “powers that be” don’t ask for our advice. This site is a great resource of ideas from hardcore fans, I always enjoy reading the comments!
interesting point, tina. it is true that the casting of the characters is important to the hardcore fans who have a knowledge of the characters that the average movie goer who doesn’t read the books (hard to believe, i know, but there are some people out there who only watch the movies and don’t read the books)doesn’t have. i guess casting wouldn’t affect their views, because they only know the characters as they are on the screen. i agree that helena bonham carter’s portrayal of bellatrix left a bit to be desired. she was kind of a caricature of bellatrix, although she didn’t have as big a part in the movie as she does in the book. hopefully she will do better next time. i too wish the original dumbledore actor was still around, i always think of this guy as “the imposter dumbledore”. the original guy could have been the real dumbledore himself in looks and mannerisms, or at least the way i always saw him as i read the books. i think the main trio is cast really well, they look like i imangined they would, except that emma is prettier than hermione.
well obviously it should split into two. although i’m also very upset with the making of phoenix there are so many things left behind in this film and most important the last conversation between harry and dumbledore they didn’t show it properly. if you are directing a film on a novel which has 700 pages then you should split it into two or you should make it longer atlest 4 hours. so i wish they split deathly hallows into two.
I’d prefer one, much longer movie, but I suppose two would work – providing they come out within a reasonable time of each other.
I think a good splitting point would be when Ron leaves, yet there isn’t really as much action before that point as there is afterwards, so I don’t see that working too well.
I think a good point would be, as mentioned, Dobby’s funeral, although I can see Ron’s return working as well.
I believe that the movie should be two parts. There is just too much information to fit into a two and a half hour movie. And i believe the first movie should end either before or after godric’s hollow. And yes there should be a new director. So much has been left out of the past three movies that if you don’t remember the books fully you mite not be all that into the movies. I just hope that warner bros. actually listen to the fans and make two movies or Deathly Hallows really won’t be worth watching if they cut out things from the book. It will be an injustice to make one movie and leave every fan wondering what if there would have been two movies…
Well, Tina, I was hoping for Judy Dench to make an appearance too! I think the perfect role for her would be Neville’s grandmother Augusta Longbottom…. just imagine Judy Dench beating a baffled Death Eater who thought he could easily take it up with Granny…
I like Perdie’s idea of cutting the film after Dobby’s death – the scene is very emotional and has a beautiful setting, the cottage, the sea… but this would mean they have to include Bill and Fleur and since they’re not even including them in “Half-Blood Prince” I don’t think there is much of a chance.
There should definately be two films. “The Order of the Phoenix” already suffered from really bad cuttings – the worst of which was the missing out of “Snape’s worst memory” which is such an important part of the story. I already fear for “Half-Blood Prince” that they will mess it up – I’ve read somewhere they are not even planning to film the Gaunt scenes! I mean this is a crucial scene to understand Voldemort’s background and motivations, who is after all, Harry’s most important counterpart! I really hope they’re not cutting out “A sluggish memory” as well – I mean Voldemort’s horcruxes determine Harry’s actions from then on. I really fear they’re missing out on the main storyline and that they’re puitting too much emphasis on trying to make it a “light and funny” film, concentrating on Ron and Lavender and other unimportant sidetracks ( I don’t even these deserve to be called “subplots”)…
As you said, Tina, they’ve got the cream of British actors at hand for their movies…. Helena Bonham-Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Jim Broadbent, Alan Rickman… please, please please “USE” these people for heaven’s sake! and don’t just give them three lines each!
Definately two films – I wished they’d do that for “Half-Blood Prince” as well. Godd storytelling needs time and deserves depths!
ahhhhhhhhhhh!
deathly hallows is coming out in two movies!
i just read it here and on another website
the first part will come out in November of 2010 and the second part will come out in the summer of 2011.
this is exciting!
I’m so glad there will be two films, but even so, it’s such a dense plot there will still have to be stuff left out.
As long as they keep the Gringott’s scene, where they fly out on the dragon, I’ll be happy. Oh, and when Dobby saves them at Malfoy Manor. But the scenes at the Lovegood’s house was great! And when — Okay, they may have to make it in three parts!
I think it makes good sense to split the book. However, I hope each movie is a full 2+ hrs. The longer movies will allow more of the book to be included in the movies.
Splitting the movies at the Dobby scene would sure make the second movie action packed.
I agree that it�s a great decision to split the 7th book into two movies. Now the question is where to split it. A lot of people have said that the first part should end after Dobby�s burial, but this way there won�t be much left for the second movie (only the last 12 chapters out of a total of 36). In my opinion the first part should end after Harry and Hermione escape from Voldemort at the ruins of the Potter�s house in Godric�s Hollow (near the end of chapter 17). Another good place to end the first part is after the locket is destroyed (Chapter 19: The Silver Doe).
Allan (from Texas), has a good point that each part should be 2+ hours. Two and a half hours for each movie would be great.
I agree. It’s really important that they have all of this book more than it was for the others, although I also wish that they had made the other movies more in-depth. Hopefully it won’t be too fast and confusing for everybody like 5 was…
That’s a point well made, Adrian! “The Godfather” is another example of three (very long) films telling one story! I think it is because directors like Coppola just didn’t care about the film companies but did what their story material deserved: they gave it time and detail and out came one of the most celebrated films in history..
Yes! This is really exciting! 2 movies for Deathly Hallows!
I am really looking forward to this! I believe Deathly Hallows is the best of the pack and at this point, I cannot allow they make a lot of cuts in this movie. It’s okay if they make one movie as long as the minimum is 4 hours because I really expect every line in the last book to be completely on screen. Can you imagine the Order of the Phoenix movie based on 870 pages of spine in just a little more than 2 hours? It sucked! Nevertheless, the movie was great.
Deathly Hallows is a very important story in the series. I would expect an explosive Battle of Hogwarts to be more than 1 hour, and every encounter with Voldy and the Death Eaters to be in the movie, every search and destruction of a Horcrux likewise be put on screen, every death of a character to be also. Otherwise, I’m calling my lawyer and sue you guys for not fulfilling to my Harry Potter demands…
Yesss! The two movie idea ROCKS. I’m relieved Steve Kloves is doing the screenplay, and as much as I too would like to Chris Columbus direct the last film, David Yates got some stellar performances out of our trio and I trust him to this last movie justice.
As for where a good split in the two movies would be, I think after Ron comes back, the locket is destroyed and they are walking towards Lovegoods house in the country. That way we get Hermione’s reaction to Ron coming back, their thought process at going to see Xeno, and the last movie can start out with their adventure at that wonderfully described house of Luna’s.
Even if i didn’t like the 1st movie, i love HP so much i would definitely go see the 2nd! I don’t know any HP fans that wouldn’t:P
I wonder if the content of fan websites like this one made any difference in their decision to make DH into 2 films. At any rate, it will enable the fimmakers to include all the necessary details from the book. Can anyone recall something omitted from the movies thus far – like Dobby’s absence from OOtP – that might make continuity difficult?
excellent idea of spliting DH into two parts. wonderful.
Deathly Hallows is gonna be split into 2 movies!
okay maybe I’m overexcited but this is great! I hope it turn out to be a sucess. -fingers crossed-
oh wow, that’s so cool!
i also agree, as i believe i have said before, that it should be cut where dobby dies. it just seems like when you leave the theater, you should have a sense of gloom and mourn because when you come back in the summer, you’ll be action packed and all that sad feeling will be gone. but there should be a recap.
For those fans who were doubting on the length of both movies, here might be an answer from HP producer David Heyman:
“There�s always been difficulty making sure that the ones that are two hours, two and a half hours long � making sure that those are the right length. I think by having two films that are two and a half hours � although we�re not sure of the length � then it will be a richer experience.”
Although nothing is confirmed, it seems to be a thumbs-up!
i think the first movie should end when ron comeback and if the half blood prince movie sucks like ootp del toro should direct Dh
I love HP, but I’m kinda ready for the phenom of it all to be over.
I guess I’d be more enthusiastic, but I’ve been dissappointed by the last 2 films…they should have been longer and more epic and now, they are adding etxtra wait time to just get it out. Makes me sad that they didn’t do justice to the earlier works and now are dragging the ending out…seems like just another way for J.K. to not wanna give up the HP universe, so she’s letting them make it longer…they’ll probably add in a bunch of ‘Dumledore was Gay’ propaganda while they are at it.
I love the idea of two films, but not sure Dobby or Shell Cottage will be in the film. IN THE FILMS We have not seen the older Weasley brothers except in a photo, and Fleur Delacourt is not in Half Blood Prince. We do not know that there are house elves at Hogwarts and Dobby has not been seen since Chamber of Secrets. The essence of the story will be there, but be prepared for changes.
Dana from Monkeyhead:
Please don’t think I want Dobby excluded by any means. He has been the most loyal to Harry aside from Ron and Hermione. He has played an integral part in all the books since being introducedin CoS. But he hasn’t been that lucky to be on screen.
Everyone seems to agree that each movie should be at least 2 hours+ in length. Now comes the hard part for the screenwriter,director and producer. Where to end the first and begin the second? Most people seem to agree between Dobby’s death or the Godric’s Hollow visit. I could see the first movie possibly ending as Harry and Hermione go out the window before disapparating. The second could start with the last few minutes of the first movie and go from there. We have never seen Bill or Charlie Weasley in the movies except in the picture in PoA. Are they really going to be in this last film or are they going to be alluded to but not seen.
Stephanie from Maryland:
That�s exactly the way I pictured the ending of the first part: Harry and Hermione disapparating out of the window, and then there could be a flashback of how Voldemort tried to kill the baby Harry the first time.
All the characters must be included also (in Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows). Specially Dobby because he saves Harry�s life. Kreacher has an equally important role too as he tells the trio about Regulus Black. I hope the movie makers don�t remove or change too many characters and events this time.
I suppose the term “cliffhanger” is not exactly appropriate given that the entire audience will probably have some idea of what happens, but… in terms of story and leaving the audience on a knife edge, I’d chop it in the drawing room of Malfoy Manor just as Bellatrix throws the knife when Harry and Dobby disapparate. Focus on Bellatrix and you see the knife leave her hand. Okay, everyone here knows what happens, but there might be a couple of people in the world who don’t! That’s just in terms of story. It also gives a really powerful and heartbreaking entry to the second part. It will all depend on how they decide to handle the various parts of the book on film. I think quite a bit of the camping section could be handled fairly swiftly, focusing on very brief episodes showing Ron falling into despair – rather like poor Boromir and the Ring actually. (Bit off topic, but I wonder if the effect the Horcrux had on Ron was part of the reason he was able to use Parseltongue later? And can Ginny speak it too?) Anyway, the whole thing changes after Malfoy Manor. Harry has found out what he needs to do and then it’s a nonstop charge to the end of the book. I am SOOOO looking forward to seeing Neville take out Nagini!
My bet is that Charlie will not be seen ~ he’s not in any of DH except the final battle, and then only a mention.
If they use Shell Cottage, and I don’t see how they could get around that, then they’ll just cast Bill for the first time. No big deal.
I do hope we see the scene with the Dursley’s going into hiding. There needs to be some sort of final closure bit with Petunia not saying anything, but Dudley offering his (unspoken) apologies to Harry.
Someone made the comment earlier that they would stop the 1st movie after poor Dobby dies. I’m afraid they may not even have Dobby in the movie. He has only ever shown up in one movie. To me, Dobby is a very important character, and for the life of me I can’t figure out why he wasn’t in the others. I cried when he died in DH. I just can’t see them putting him in the last movie, which is a crying shame!
A lot of interesting points brought to light here. Would a 4 hour movie really bring in the crowd? Of course it will. But, from the movie world, why only bring in 250 million once, when you can do it twice with the same film?
If they really want to make this movie into 2 parts, I’m all for it. But…Wouldn’t it be nice if Jo turned around and made the second part worth watching? Perhaps with a bit more detail in the epilogue. Something that she originally wrote specifically for the final part of the last film?
The biggest gripe regarding the closing of 7 is people wanted more. If they are going to split the movie into 2, all we can do is Hope that the more people wanted in the book comes to the screen.
Food for thought.
i would love to see bill and charlie in DH. ofcourse they have to cast bill as his wedding cermony is an important scene of DH. about the parting of DH, i think first part should end when harry and hermione escaped from voldemort in godric’s hollow.
thumbs-up to heyman’s statement. if each part is gonna be 2 and half hour long, we might be entertained by all the scenes that cover DH.
You know what Perdie, i’d not even thought about that in terms of the film… Your absolutely right… they must put some kind of closure to the whole Dursley – Harry situation. Saying that, they didn’t put Dumbledore’s howler in OotP. The idiot film makers should have done the job properly i.e Dumbledore’s explanation to Harry after Sirius’ death, explanation of the fidius charm and how it protected/protects Harry, who made the prophecy, the prophecy could have applied to Neville… the list goes on, i cant keep going because my lunch is over. They need to get DH right, or it will kill all the hopes and dreams we had for Harry and the gang…
Elizabeth, when I read the passage where Neville beheads Nagini I cheered aloud with joy! For me it was the apex of the series – more than Harry’s revlations from the dying Snape, more than laying down his life before Voldemort in the woods and the ensuing conversation with Dumbledore in King’s Cross, when Neville kills the giant snake, we know that this struggle between good and evil is not just Harry’s. Everyone has a crucial role to play – remember the vagueness surrounding the prophecy in OotP? Maybe Trelawney WAS talking about Neville to some degree, instead of exclusively about Harry.
i don’t think charley’s going to show up in dh. considering how many characters they’ve excluded in the past movies, i wouldn’t be surprised. it’s less people for them to pay. bill will have to be included because it’s his wedding that the death eaters crashed. if he doesn’t show up, how else are they going to do it? and plus, they can’t leave out aunt muriel and everyone at the party that harry meets. but in my opinion, dobby will have to be there, because it is small big moment when dobby dies. he was one of the few elves that wanted to be payed, to be different. harry has a lot in common from him. somewhere in goblet of fire or prisoner of azkaban maybe, there was a moment in the movie that hagrid says something like, “i remember you in your first year. biggest bunch of misfits i’ve ever seen. reminded me of myself.”
it’s totally true, though. harry, ron and hermione are a bunch of misfits and they always be: )
but think about it:
the trio are misfits. dobby is too. so are part of the weasleys. hagrid, some of the order, and the dursleys are misfits as well. it seems eenteresting. very eenteresting.
About Dobby ~ I don’t honestly know how they couldn’t have him in the movie. The whole scene after his death is so important from a psychological standpoint. It’s Dobby’s death and Harry’s reaction to it which results in his decision to go after the Horcruxes instead of the Hallows, and is what causes the goblin (name?) to agree to help them break into Gringott’s. It’s also what brings Aberforth into the story for the first time.
I guess it would be possible to skate around him, but for me, a Dobby-less D.H. would be pretty sterile.
On the other hand, it was pretty funny the way they had Neville act as the human Dobby in the fourth and fifth movies ~ he was the one who provided the gillyweed, not Dobby, and in O.O.T.P. Neville found the Room of Requirement instead of the house elf.
On the subject of Dobby… He has to go in the film, i cried, literally cried out loud while reading DH for about 20mins when he died… it was so hard to read… it will be a huge part of the movie, watching Harry dig Dobby’s grave without magic, if Radcliffe can pull it off, it will be one of the most powerfully emotional scene’s in any of the movies. It just has to go in.
On a different subject…
Can’t believe no-one has mentioned it yet…
What about ‘Nineteen Years Later’… Will it go in? Who will play who? Oh my god were going to see an older Trio, kids and the works… Its exicting stuff!
They’ll have to include Dobby! And they shouldn’t miss out on the wedding either really ( I mean, who would want to miss out on Great Auntie Muriel, maybe another role for Judi Dench would master perfectly..); I think it is a very powerful image; the contrast of the joyful wedding, then Kingsley’s Patronus arrives and everything turns into chaos, the three disapparate to London..it’s the moment when I felt that the real war has broken out. I am listening to the audio version of the book again currently, after I’ve been listening to “Half-Blood Prince” for quite some time and it made me realise how dark “Deathly Hallows” really is, and so many fascinating diversions… Kreacher’s Tale among the best, as the reader finally understands his past.. I hope they’ll do it justice in the films. Another interesting point is Regulus Black’s story; thinking about it he was a hero really ( sorry about the use of this word, but I can’t find a better one here) – sacrificing his life to bring Voldemort down, sparing Kreacher. In fact this action puts him on the same level as Snape; both felt remorse and acted accordingly. I hope they’ll include these subplots.
As for the cutting, another idea might be to do it after Gringotts; with the trio flying out of the building on the dragon; flying across the sky. It seems a very powerful image and they could cut it after they jumped into the water and rescued themselves to the shore, drinking pumpkin juice and contemplating about what lies ahead.
Yeah, I am looking forward to a lot of scenes in “Deathly Hallows” really! As you mentioned Neville, I’d like to mention Mrs Weasley. She will be fighting Bellatrix; the good housewife and mother Mrs Weasley turning into a powerful warrior, I think this is great!
I think the film should be split into two, and that Part One should end when Dobby is killed. I also think that NOTHING should be left out. DH was all so perfect, it would be a crime to cut out bits of the story.
Well, the decision it’s already made, but I think it’s really unffair to ALL the other movies!. I find outrageous that, the 5th part, being like 1000 pages long, it’s the world’s shortest movie! It’s JUST 2 hours long! What is the point of making the 7th part complete, if all of the other books are incomplete! If you didn’t read the other books it will make no sense, no matter how long the 7th movie is.
I figure they should make two movies, and cut the first one right after the Trio gets captured by Greyback and the other Snatchers. The movie can end with someone saying that they’re going to take them to Malfoy Manor, or else have them walk through the gates to the aforementioned place. It would be an excellent suspenseful ending. I kind of like Ron coming back or something to be the end point, but it leaving much to be desired in terms of a sense of finality, or suspense. Seems an awkward place to stop.
Regarding Dobby: It would be possible to give that role to Kreacher. And don’t scream at me – I’m only trying to figure it from the point of view of the film makers who will try as hard as they can to keep character numbers down. Harry would have been just as horrified at Kreacher dying like that as he was by Dobby’s death. I’d prefer to see Dobby back myself.
I’m really glad that the book will be produced in 2 seperate movies. The final book had soooo much momentum to it that they would need to extend the movies to show all the important scenes that fans will want to see. So why not make two movies and the save the trouble of bathroom breaks in a really long film?:)
They’ll do what they want. I enjoy HP, so I’ll see whatever they put out, a 2-3 hr movie or 2. I’ve been happy with all movies, they’ve done a good job and can’t please everyone. My only complaint is movies 5 and 6. It seems a little silly splitting 7 to fit in all the details, if the others aren’t. I thought 1-4 were all well done considering what the task of book-movie is. 5 on reflection was ok. I’d say 4/5, giving the others 5. I think had you not read 5, the movie would confuse you. My Dad hadn’t and said he was just waiting for something to happen, and it didn’t. Hopefully 6 is a little longer. Who knows, we’ll find out soon: )
Yes, Peter, I’d love to see the epilogue filmed, too! The main story ends a bit abruptly without it.
I think making it into two movies is a mistake. The 5th movie was my favourite of all of them, mainly because it had an amazing momentum to it. Don’t get me wrong, I love the other movies too, but I think “milking it for all it’s worth” or whatever the director said is wrong. Although it will be difficult to do Deathly Hallows justice in one movie, I think it can be done.