They are fulfilled twenty years since the premiere of ‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’, the film adaptation of the third novel in the saga written by JK Rowling. Both ‘The Philosopher’s Stone’ and ‘The Chamber of Secrets’ were directed by Chris Columbus, but the next installment changed hands: the Mexican director Alfonsó Cuarón went behind the cameras and shot one of the best films of the entire saga. The director of ‘And Your Mom Too’ was surprised that Warner Bros. noticed him to offer him the job, as he revealed in an interview with Total Film. It was at that moment that Cuarón turned to Guillermo del Toro and called him arrogant.
“It was confusing to me because it was completely off my radar. I usually talk to Guillermo and a few days later I told him: ‘You know? They have offered me this ‘Harry Potter’ movie, but It’s strange that they offered it to me‘”. The director of ‘The Devil’s Backbone’ and ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ responded incredulously: “Wait, wait, are you saying you haven’t read ‘Harry Potter’?” And Cuarón replied: “I don’t think it’s for me.” Given those words, Guillermo del Toro was clear and blunt: “You are an arrogant bastard,” he told him.
It is not the first time that he has dedicated similar words to her.
Guillermo del Toro believed that directing a ‘Harry Potter’ film was an undeniable opportunity for Cuarón, so he encouraged him to do it… his way. And he blurted out a few more words, as he explained at the 2018 Telluride Film Festival: “Damn skinny, you’re an arrogant bastard. You’re going to go to the fucking bookstore right now, you’re going to buy the books, you’re going to read them and you’re going to call me immediately.” And what did Cuarón do? He followed the loving advice to the letter.
“When he talks to you like that, well, you have to go to the bookstore. The director read the novels and fell in love with themso he decided to accept the offer and make the film.
Cuaron He did not return for any of the remaining films.. ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’ was directed by Mike Newell, while ‘The Order of the Phoenix’, ‘The Half-Blood Prince’ and both parts of ‘The Deathly Hallows’ were directed by David Yates, who later returned to lead the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ trilogy. Max is preparing a series that will once again adapt the entire ‘Harry Potter’ saga.
