There's no challenge.' In the Rubbish Bin section of her website, Rowling maintains that she has no role in choosing directors for the films, writing 'Anyone who thinks I could (or would) have 'veto-ed' him needs their Quick-Quotes Quill serviced.' After Spielberg left, talks began with other directors, including: Chris Columbus, Terry Gilliam, Jonathan Demme, Mike Newell, Alan Parker, Wolfgang Petersen, Rob Reiner, Tim Robbins, Brad Silberling, and Peter Weir.

It's just like withdrawing a billion dollars and putting it into your personal bank accounts. Spielberg contended that, in his opinion, there was every expectation of profit in making the film, and that making money would have been like 'shooting ducks in a barrel.

Spielberg wanted the adaptation to be an animated film, with American actor Haley Joel Osment to provide Harry Potter's voice. Rowling was hesitant to sell the rights because she 'didn't want to give them control over the rest of the story' by selling the rights to the characters, which would have enabled WB to make non-author-written sequels.Īlthough Steven Spielberg initially negotiated to direct the first film, he declined the offer. A demand Rowling made was that the principal cast be kept strictly British, allowing nevertheless for the inclusion of many Irish actors such as the late Richard Harris as Albus Dumbledore, and for casting of French and Eastern European actors in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire where characters from the book are specified as such. Rowling sold the film rights for the first four Harry Potter books to Warner Bros. Logos in Harry Potter films (minus Deathly Hallows Part 2) 4 Harry Potter games (with Electronic Arts).

Harry potter films wiki