The Harry Potter franchise had a string of directors for its duration but no one had a run like David Yates, who directed half of the franchise’s entries, beginning with 2007’s Order of the Phoenix and ending with the two-part Deathly Hallows films. And while he even continued his run with the first three Fantastic Beasts movies, he is willingly avoiding the upcoming Harry Potter series.
Speaking with ComicBook.com, David Yates said his time with the Harry Potter movies – that is, the franchise that has taken up 70% of his filmography – is most definitely over. “Do you know what? Honestly, I could not, in any conceivable way, get involved…It’s simply: I spent a long time at that school, in those corridors and in those classrooms, and it was an exquisite experience and one I will always treasure. But to go back and do another year or two, for me, I feel I’ve left it.” Instead, he would rather team with producer Lawrence Grey, who he made this year’s Pain Hustlers with. All of this might be quite a revelation to Harry Potter fans, as David Yates said just last month that he had a “never say never” approach to the series. So maybe what he really meant was “never means never”?
Still, David Yates is pulling for the Harry Potter series’ success, saying, “I wish that show so well, it’s gonna be amazing to see them re-explore all it can be for the next generation. I think it’ll be a challenge for everyone involved, but it’s a very exciting enterprise and I wish it well. It was an amazing experience for me, and I know the other filmmakers who were involved, and it will be for the next generation of filmmakers.”
Collectively, the Harry Potter franchise has grossed over $9.5 billion worldwide, with David Yates’ entries all sitting in the top five (only Sorcerer’s Stone helps round out that figure). As such, Yates might be missing out on a promising payday – and Max out on some potential viewers – by sidestepping the Harry Potter series.
Do you think some of the Harry Potter movies’ directors should come back for the TV adaptations? Which book are you most looking forward to being adapted for the small screen?