Summary
- David Fincher almost directed a Harry Potter movie but Warner Bros. preferred a more traditional approach.
- Fincher’s dark and creepy style could have given Harry Potter a unique twist for adult audiences.
- While a creepier Harry Potter may have been intriguing, maintaining a lighter tone likely contributed to the franchise’s massive success.
The Harry Potter movies are often seen as near-perfect in the eyes of the muggles who enjoyed them. The franchise cast the entire world under a spell as audiences rushed to the cinema to watch each installment as the Harry Potter story developed. While it’s primarily targeted at a younger audience, the story has enough mature content and a gripping storyline that it connects with people of all ages and ends up becoming a joy to watch.
The Harry Potter franchise featured some of the greatest actors of all time, and everyone was looking to have some involvement, including from the directorial world. Getting the chance to direct a Harry Potter movie was undoubtedly a big deal, and Warner Bros. worked hard to bring in as many top names as possible, and that almost included David Fincher.
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He explained to Variety, “I was asked to come in and talk to them about how I would do Harry Potter. I remember saying, ‘I just don’t want to do the clean Hollywood version of it. I want to do something that looks a lot more like ‘Withnail and I,’ and I want it to be kind of creepy.” Unfortunately for fans of Fincher’s work, he admitted that Warner Bros. had something more traditional in mind for how the franchise would go. “They were like, ‘We want Thom Browne schooldays by way of Oliver.'” That ultimately brought an end to Fincher’s Harry Potter journey, and audiences never got to witness what his version of the story might’ve been.
Fincher’s version of Harry Potter would have captivated audiences given the incredible track record he’s put together throughout his career. With over 35 years as a filmmaker, Fincher has helped create many unforgettable films, and he often works best in darker, creepier formats. He has been involved in bringing the entertainment world Fight Club, Se7en, Zodiac, and Gone Girl, amongst others, and that gives people an idea of what his version of Harry Potter could have been like.
The Harry Potter movies have a lot of lightness, humor, and heart, which is mainly because they’re stories for children at their core. JK Rowling wrote with that age in mind. However, she did also add in a lot of darker plot points, characters, and environments that would have suited a darker movie. The tone of Harry Potter did change to be more serious and dark as the franchise wore on, but things could’ve been taken to another level with characters like Lord Voldemort or considering how many witches and wizards end up dying throughout the course of the franchise.
In the end, Warner Bros. likely made the right decision not to make Harry Potter creepy, as that would have alienated many people and potentially stopped the franchise from exploding to the levels it eventually reached. However, the franchise itself could have been perfect for a creepier tone that would likely have made the Harry Potter movies more adult, but it also would have led to them being completely different from the source material.
Harry Potter
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