ComingSoon.net talked to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix director David Yates and producer David Heyman today about the sixth installment, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
CS: Since you’re going to be directing the next “Harry Potter,” what are your plans for the sixth film?
David Yates: One thing we said when we finished “Order of the Phoenix” was that we want a very different experience next time around. We’re very proud of this film, the intensity, the emotion and everything. One of the great things Jo Rowling does in the book is that she captures stages of childhood so the next stage of childhood is a bit more sex, drugs and rock and roll.
David Heyman: No drugs.
Yates: It’s about the kind of emotional and sexual politics of being a teenager. It’s a very different swing, the next film. I think it needs to be for the series to keep evolving. In my work, every choice I’ve made I’ve always gone for something in the neurotically opposite direction. Once I’ve finished something, I’ve stayed keen to stay fresh as a story teller to try something different. The “Potter” world is so rich. They’re so many things to play with in that world that it’s possible to regear so the next one will be very different I think.
CS: Are you prepared to tweak the sixth film based on anything you learn in the seventh book?
Yates: We’d be crazy not to take a look at the seventh book and not let us influence us as we’re refining the sixth script. I think there may be things that could be really helpful so we’ll be looking at it as soon as it comes out.
Heyman: But, at the same time, in a way it’s foreshadowing. If you look at this film, there are occasional looks by Ginny which foreshadow the relationship between her and Harry. For the most part, I think with each of the films we try to keep them true to themselves. We don’t bring four into three and three into two and two into one. They are self-contained units just the way they’re books that work on their own terms, but inevitably we will look at seven and there will be things. Even in this one actually that we cut out that when we showed the script to Jo she was like, ‘I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” So that taps us back in.
“Order of the Phoenix” opens in conventional theaters and IMAX theaters starting 12:01am Wednesday, July 11. “Half-Blood Prince” is scheduled for a November 21, 2008 release.
