There is a new interview online with David Heyman.

It helps, of course, that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is coming at him now as two films, doubling his pleasure all over the place, but finding the precise line of demarcation “was something we wrestled with. I’m not going to reveal where it is just yet, but there are a couple of places. I initially was not in favor of doing two films. Then I went through the book with Steve Kloves, looking at what you omit, always one of the challenges you make. When Alfonso Cuarón [director of the third film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban] came onboard, one of the shifts we took was to tell the story distinctively from Harry Potter’s point of view—and things that didn’t relate to Harry were put aside because there just wasn’t enough room.

“Once we made that decision, the challenge is to find out where you cut it. I think we’ve made a really interesting choice. It’s acknowledging that actually this is one book, and there are two parts to the story, and I think it will be really exciting.  Actually, there’s almost enough material in here to make three films, but I think that would have probably tipped it over the edge. The book is a very rich canvas.”

Clearly, Heyman is keeping the melancholy at bay. “It hasn’t hit yet because it’s a 248-day schedule, and we’re on Day 67 or 68. There’s 180 to go—and then there’s a year of post—so the horizon looms much closer than ever before, but it’s not yet upon me. I suppose there’ll be mixed feelings. I’ve learned a huge amount. I continue to learn. The material continues to inspire and challenge. Being on this adventure, working on the Potters, has been the gift of all gifts.”

Thanks for the tip TLC!

Filed Under: David Heyman