Production of ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'', the 2010/2011 two-film finale of the
''Harry Potter'' film series, began in 2009. Both ''
Part 1 Part 1 may refer to:
* ''Part 1'' (Twin Peaks), the first episode of the third season of the TV series Twin Peaks
* ''Part 1'' (EP), a 2016 EP by Guy Sebastian
*''Part 1'', a 2017 EP by O-Town. See O-Town discography
See also
* PART1 In molecular ...
'' and ''
Part 2'' were directed by
David Yates
David Yates (born 8 October 1963) is an English film director, producer and screenwriter, who has directed feature films, short films, and television productions. He is best known for directing the final four films in the ''Harry Potter'' ser ...
, written by
Steve Kloves, and from the screen adaptation of the
2007 novel of the same name by
J. K. Rowling
Joanne Rowling ( "rolling"; born 31 July 1965), also known by her pen name J. K. Rowling, is a British author and philanthropist. She wrote ''Harry Potter'', a seven-volume children's fantasy series published from 1997 to 2007. The ser ...
. The picture was produced by Rowling, alongside
David Heyman and
David Barron. It was originally set to be released as one, but due to its long-running time,
Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures is an American film production and distribution company of the Warner Bros. Pictures Group division of Warner Bros. Entertainment (both ultimately owned by Warner Bros. Discovery). The studio is the flagship producer of li ...
divided the film into two parts.
Both parts were shot simultaneously, principal photography began on and was completed on , with reshoots for the epilogue scene taking place in December 2010. ''Part 1'' was released in 2D and
IMAX
IMAX is a proprietary system of high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (approximately either 1.43:1 or 1.90:1) and steep stadium seating.
Graeme ...
on 19 November 2010, and ''Part 2'' was released in 3D, 2D and IMAX on .
Development
The idea to divide
J. K. Rowling
Joanne Rowling ( "rolling"; born 31 July 1965), also known by her pen name J. K. Rowling, is a British author and philanthropist. She wrote ''Harry Potter'', a seven-volume children's fantasy series published from 1997 to 2007. The ser ...
's final book into two parts came from "creative imperative" and was suggested by executive producer
Lionel Wigram.
David Heyman initially responded negatively, but Wigram asked, "No, David. How are we going to do it?". Having reread the book and discussed it with
Steve Kloves when the
2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike ended, and having Rowling's approval, he agreed with the division.
''Deathly Hallows'' was shot
back to back,
and treated as if it were one film during principal photography.
Heyman said of the project, "Over ten years ago, we made a commitment to Jo Rowling that, above all else, we would be faithful and true to the spirit of her books, and ever since we have endeavored never to compromise on the creative ambitions of the films."
Before
David Yates
David Yates (born 8 October 1963) is an English film director, producer and screenwriter, who has directed feature films, short films, and television productions. He is best known for directing the final four films in the ''Harry Potter'' ser ...
was officially chosen to direct, others had expressed an interest in the job.
Alfonso Cuarón, director of ''
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and is the third in the '' Harry Potter'' series. The book follows Harry Potter, a young wizard, in his third year at Hogwarts School of ...
'', 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 over the production of ''
The Hobbit
''The Hobbit, or There and Back Again'' is a children's fantasy novel by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published in 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the ''N ...
'' ruled him out of the project.
Chris Columbus, director of ''
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' is a 1997 fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling. The first novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series and Rowling's debut novel, it follows Harry Potter (character), Harry Potter, a youn ...
'' and ''
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the second novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. The plot follows Harry's second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, d ...
'', had longed to helm another instalment after just producing ''Prisoner of Azkaban'' and wished to return to direct ''Deathly Hallows'', but Yates was chosen to direct it.
For the first time in the series, Rowling was credited as a film producer alongside David Heyman and
David Barron, however David Yates noted that her participation in the filmmaking process did not change from the previous films.
Heyman stated that the films are a closer recreation of the books than the previous films because of the length a two-part adaptation entails.
Steve Kloves wrote the first part's script before starting his work on the second part in April 2009.
Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Jacob Radcliffe (born 23 July 1989) is an English actor. He rose to fame at age twelve, when he began portraying Harry Potter in the film series of the same name; and has held various other film and theatre roles. Over his career, Rad ...
said, "This is a road movie, particularly in Part 1 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 it's just a totally different look when you're not just sat in the same room the whole time."
He also commented on the relationship between Harry and Voldemort in Part 2 saying that "Voldemort does absolutely kick six bells out of me, and that's what makes it effective, the fact that Harry's a kid having the crap beaten out of him. If it's Voldemort killing an adult – well, he does that loads in the films. To see him brutalising and desperately trying to kill a 17-year-old boy is hopefully going to shake some people up."
As maintained by producer David Heyman and director David Yates, Part 1 and Part 2 were treated as one film during production, but are ultimately two different films with separate tones and styles, connected only by the "linear narrative that runs through the middle".
Yates commented on the contrast between the two parts, saying that Part 1 is a "
road movie
A road movie is a film genre in which the main characters leave home on a road trip, typically altering the perspective from their everyday lives. Road movies often depict travel in the hinterlands, with the films exploring the theme of alienatio ...
" and "quite real", "almost like a
vérité
Kelsey Regina Byrne (born May 6, 1990), known professionally as Vérité (stylized as VÉRITÉ), is an American singer and songwriter based in Brooklyn, New York City. Her first single "Strange Enough" was self-released in July 2014, reaching n ...
documentary", while Part 2 is "much more operatic, colourful and
fantasy-oriented", a "big opera with huge battles."
Yates and Heyman have noted that some of the events of the seventh book had an effect on the way
the sixth film was written.
Filming (2010-2011)
![HPatDH - Panache - Lynch reading](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/HPatDH_-_Panache_-_Lynch_reading.jpg)
Pre-production began on , while filming began on at
Leavesden Studios
Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden is an studio complex in Leavesden in Watford, Hertfordshire, in South East England. Formerly known as Leavesden Film Studios and still colloquially known as Leavesden Studios or simply Leavesden, it is a film an ...
, where the previous six instalments were filmed.
Pinewood Studios became the second studio location for shooting the seventh film.
Bruno Delbonnel
Bruno Delbonnel, , (born 1957) is a French cinematographer. He worked on the films ''Amélie'' (2001), ''A Very Long Engagement'' (2004), ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' (2009), '' Inside Llewyn Davis'' (2013) and '' Darkest Hour'' ( ...
, the
director of photography
The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the photographing or recording of a film, television production, music video or other live action piece. The cinematographer is the ch ...
of the sixth film, opted not to work on ''Deathly Hallows'', as he was afraid of repeating himself.
Eduardo Serra
Eduardo Martins Serra (born 2 October 1943) is a Portuguese cinematographer who has spent most of his career working in European film productions, mostly in French, Portuguese and British films, with frequent collaborations with directors ...
was brought on as director of photography for both Part 1 and Part 2. Director David Yates said that the films would be shot with "loads of
hand-held camera
Hand-held camera or hand-held shooting is a filmmaking and video production technique in which a camera is held in the camera operator's hands as opposed to being mounted on a tripod or other base. Hand-held cameras are used because they are conve ...
s." He stated, "I want to shake things up every time I go into this world. I like experimenting as we go along." In October 2009,
Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes ( ; born 22 December 1962) is an English actor, film producer, and director. A Shakespeare interpreter, he excelled onstage at the Royal National Theatre before having further success at the Royal Shak ...
started filming his role as Lord Voldemort. Many of the adult actors also prepared for filming during that period. The crew also shot on location, with
Swinley Forest
Swinley Forest is a large expanse of Crown Estate woodland managed by Forestry England mainly within the civil parishes of Windlesham in Surrey and Winkfield and Crowthorne in Berkshire, England.
Coverage
Situated to the south-west of Winds ...
being the main outdoor filming area, along with the village of
Lavenham
Lavenham is a village, civil parish and electoral ward in the Babergh district, in the county of Suffolk, England. It is noted for its Guildhall, Little Hall, 15th-century church, half-timbered medieval cottages and circular walks. In the mediev ...
in
Suffolk and the streets of the city of London.
Filming at Pinewood Studios was concluded on . However, Leavesden Studios was still occupied for further filming. Both Part 1 and Part 2 were filmed over a year and a half period throughout the UK, finishing on 12 June 2010. Even though the shooting schedule was set at 250 days, the filming took 478 days to complete. Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson all openly wept on the last day,
[Boucher, Geoff.]
Daniel Radcliffe to Comic-Con fans: 'I apologize for my disappointing non-presence'
''Los Angeles Times'', 26 July 2010. which seemed to end their ten years of work on the films.
[Boucher, Geoff.]
''Los Angeles Times'' 28 July 2010. However, reshoots were confirmed to begin in the winter of 2010 for the film's final scene, "19 Years Later", which originally took place in London at
King's Cross station. The filming was completed in December 2010, marking the franchise's official closure of ten years of filming.
[Ellwood, Gregory.]
Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson confirm 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt 2' ending reshoots
''Hitfix'' 11 November 2010.
During production at Leavesden, Radcliffe's stunt double
David Holmes suffered a serious spinal injury during the filming of an aerial sequence, which left him paralysed. Holmes fell to the ground following an explosion which was part of the stunt.
The ''Deathly Hallows'' documentary
During filming of ''Deathly Hallows'', British filmmaker
Morgan Matthews Morgan Matthews may refer to:
* Morgan Matthews (figure skater), American ice dancer
* Morgan Matthews (filmmaker), English filmmaker
*Morgan Matthews, a character from the TV series ''Boy Meets World''
{{hndis, Matthews, Morgan ...
shot a documentary highlighting the filmmaking process and the lives of the cast and crew on set. Producer
David Heyman said that "
tshows the challenges of making the film – the tolls it takes on the actors and crew. It's not just pure gloss and everybody's happy. It's real. At the same time, it's really, really funny." Matthews had access to various creative departments behind the scenes as well as on set filming.
The Golden Board
Throughout the production of ''Deathly Hallows'', the filmmakers formed a video which showed cast and crew members holding up a board which displayed how many days they were into production and how many days left until the end. Some of the footage included actor
Robbie Coltrane
Anthony Robert McMillan (30 March 195014 October 2022), known professionally as Robbie Coltrane, was a Scottish actor and comedian. He gained worldwide recognition in the 2000s for playing Rubeus Hagrid in the ''Harry Potter'' film series. H ...
playing air guitar, production staff waving goodbye and the final scene of
Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Jacob Radcliffe (born 23 July 1989) is an English actor. He rose to fame at age twelve, when he began portraying Harry Potter in the film series of the same name; and has held various other film and theatre roles. Over his career, Rad ...
,
Rupert Grint
Rupert Alexander Lloyd Grint (; born 24 August 1988) is an English actor. Grint rose to fame for his role as Ron Weasley in the ''Harry Potter'' film series, for which he was cast at age eleven, having previously acted only in school plays a ...
, and
Emma Watson
Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson (born 15 April 1990) is an English actress and activist. Known for her roles in both blockbusters and independent films, as well as for her women's rights work, she has received a selection of accolades, includi ...
. The last shot was of director
David Yates
David Yates (born 8 October 1963) is an English film director, producer and screenwriter, who has directed feature films, short films, and television productions. He is best known for directing the final four films in the ''Harry Potter'' ser ...
"getting into his car and driving away out of Leavesden" as confirmed by David Heyman.
David Heyman: The Golden Board
/ref>
References
{{Harry Potter
2009 in American cinema
2010 in American cinema
Harry Potter (film series)
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows