HBO Max’s Harry Potter: Return to Hogwarts special, which premiered on New Years Day 2022, was a very emotional viewing experience for Potterheads. It immediately took us back to our childhood when Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone Premiere in November 2001. But all the memories make us wonder why things changed so much between the first and eighth films. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and the amazing adventures of the other kids at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were undoubtedly shaped by the great first director of the franchise, Chris Columbus, who wrote the first two episodes (Philosopher’s Stone and Chamber of Secrets) before he left the series, but why did he leave?
Why did Chris Columbus leave the Harry Potter films?
After retiring from the Harry Potter series as a director after Chamber of Secrets, Columbus served as executive producer on the third film, Azkaban prisonerbefore he leaves the wizarding world entirely.
According to a November 2011 interview with The Hollywood ReporterColumbus resigned because he was “emotionally and physically exhausted”.
“Philosopher’s Stone took 160 days of shooting, which is ridiculously long, ”said Columbus. “And then immediately after we stopped shooting, we started shooting Chamber of Secrets, that was another 160 days. That’s about 320 days – not counting the second session – shot in a row. ”He added that he“ could barely speak ”and felt“ emotionally and physically exhausted. ”It was good that he recognized his limits and knew when to give up had to.
Columbus also wanted to see his four children more. “I didn’t see my children, who were young then, growing up. I missed dinner with them. I thought, ‘I can’t do another six, seven, eight years of it. My children are growing up.” and I’ll never get to know her. ‘”His four children (Eleanor, 32; Brendan, 30; Violet, 28; and Isabella, 26), whom he shares with his wife, Monica Devereux, are all grown up now.
Who directed the Harry Potter films after Chris Columbus left?
Alfonso Cuarón was used as a director Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and Columbus stayed on as a producer to continue to be a part of the project while hanging out with his children. “As a producer, I don’t have to be there all the time,” he said THR. “I can be on set for a few hours a day. I can attend certain visual effects meetings, but that means I can get home in time for dinner to see my kids at school in the morning.”
When filming finished, Columbus said his family was ready to return to the United States. “They missed their friends and so it was the logical time to say goodbye.”
Directed by Mike Newell Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and directed by David Yates Order of the Phoenix, Half-blood prince, and the two-part deathly Hallows.
Would Chris Columbus direct any future Harry Potter films?
Just because Columbus said goodbye to Harry Potter doesn’t mean his love for the franchise and its characters has waned. In fact, he said he would be ready to come back to do a movie adaptation of. To direct Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
“A version of Cursed child with Dan, Rupert and Emma of the right age, it’s cinematic luck, “he said THR. “To actually see these adult actors in these roles again? Oh yeah. It would be incredibly fun to make this film – or two films. “
Did you hear that, Warner Brothers? Because Potterheads are definitely on board!
Image source: placeholder