The Future of Harry Potter--Movies or Books? [ Edited ]

[ConnieAnnKirk]

One of our visiting authors had this idea. While we wait these last few hours together, let's see if we might be able to gaze into Trelawney's crystal ball or read her tea leaves for divination. Imagine that the time is a couple of years from now, out into the future......let's say something like the summer of 2009 or 2010 or later.....

Not long from now, all seven HP movies will be available. What does that mean for the books? Will most children first meet Harry through a movie? Will the books become secondary, something for the serious fans?

Message Edited by ConnieK on 07-20-2007 02:02 PM

[ABI]

I must say I am disappointed in the recent movies...action, action, action...is that what HP's about now? Certainly not! Everything little, trifling, but oh so important to true HP fans they've left out! I, and i'm sure others wouldn't mind if the movie was 7 hours long if they put into it the small details...SPEW, Ron on the Quiditch team..., so on and so on... I am also horrified to discover my own brother, in refusing to read the books himself, and saddling me with reading them to him, he is constantly referring to THE MOVIES for help. THIS WORRIES ME. The books have always surpassed the movies, ALWAYS. I will ever be confused with the movies. If i hadn't read the books, i would be scratching my head in wonder...What...? i would mutter over and over again. If our future generation is going to rely on the movies, then i will be FURIOUS!!!!!!!!! But sadly it is beginning to seem that way...

[zman1980]

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ConnieK wrote:
While we wait these last few hours together, let's see if we might be able to gaze into Trelawney's crystal ball or read her tea leaves for divination. Imagine that the time is a couple of years from now, out into the future......let's say something like the summer of 2009 or 2010.....

Not long from now, all seven HP movies will be available. What does that mean for the books? Will most children first meet Harry through a movie? Will the books become secondary, something for the serious fans?

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The HP books are going to go down as classics. They will join the very rare company of the Lord of the Rings series and the Narnia books. I really think that the books and movies will be taken together, much like Lord of the Rings are now.

[gniff]

Let's go a little further, perhaps to 2019 or 2020. Can we hope that someone with a clearer vision of the story will be given the chance to make a new set of movies? Perhaps even allowing two parts for the longer stories?

I wish that they had gotten Christopher Lee to play Dumbledore from the beginning. But he's so thoroughly typecast as a villian that he might not have wanted it, aside from never wanting to wear another wizard's beard or any concerns he might have about witchcraft in the story. Who would be the right person to play Dumbledore in 2019, I wonder?

[Thomas_T]

I am not gonna look for it now, but I heard that for all the talk of him playing the part, Lee said he was never approached.

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gniff wrote:
Let's go a little further, perhaps to 2019 or 2020. Can we hope that someone with a clearer vision of the story will be given the chance to make a new set of movies? Perhaps even allowing two parts for the longer stories?

I wish that they had gotten Christopher Lee to play Dumbledore from the beginning. But he's so thoroughly typecast as a villian that he might not have wanted it, aside from never wanting to wear another wizard's beard or any concerns he might have about witchcraft in the story. Who would be the right person to play Dumbledore in 2019, I wonder?

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[joce14]

i think a lot of people are just going to watch the movies because not a lot of people like reading these days.

[dcsbelle]

Someday I'd like to see the whole septology serialized on BBC like "Upstairs, Downstairs". It might have to run a couple of years, of course, but then they wouldn't leave so much of the books out. "Masterpiece Theatre" prompted me to read many books I'd never have known about otherwise.

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joce14 wrote:
i think a lot of people are just going to watch the movies because not a lot of people like reading these days.

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[midnite_writer]

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ConnieK wrote:
While we wait these last few hours together, let's see if we might be able to gaze into Trelawney's crystal ball or read her tea leaves for divination. Imagine that the time is a couple of years from now, out into the future......let's say something like the summer of 2009 or 2010.....

Not long from now, all seven HP movies will be available. What does that mean for the books? Will most children first meet Harry through a movie? Will the books become secondary, something for the serious fans?

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Later on somebody will remake the movies, plus I hear an amusment park is in the works.

[Potter-Fan]

Alot of people these days who didn't grow up with Harry simply watch the movies. Normally people my age(13-14)are too lazy to actually read the whole series after they've seen the movies. The book is always better because you see the story the author was trying to captivate you with, not what the director or producer wanted to put on the screen in order to make the most money possible. Alot of crucial scenes are edited out now because they don't have enough "action" in them, this takes away from the plotline. Now I'm not saying that the movies are "bad" but people should read the books and then watch the movies. That's just my opinion.

[Proper-T]

If we're talking 2009/10 I'm thinking there will be people who pick up the books with the excitement of the movie releases, and then that might be it for a while. It's already a classic book series. What other books in this day and age has such a following? Maybe something else will come out, but it won't be like Harry was.

If we're talking 2019/20 or after, I think it depends on word of mouth. Passing that love of the story from one person to the next. I think if they did it as a Series, it would be wonderful. They would have the freedom to use more Plot bunnies, and people who couldn't wait to see what happens would pick up the books... I would hope.

It'll still be popular... and by the time they really do decide to start remaking the movies... just embrace it like you did this time, with all your heart.

[ConnieAnnKirk]

I've thought for some time that at some point JKR will revise the whole series to straighten out the continuity problems, etc. I've never thought about the movies getting a remake. Do you envision another set of child actors will actually "age" again through a remake sometime down the line?

~ConnieK, 14 hours+, Eastern

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midnite_writer wrote: Later on somebody will remake the movies, plus I hear an amusment park is in the works.

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[Bill_T]

That's a great notion, I think. Many novels/series I find do much better in the television "miniseries" adaptation, because there's more time for plot.

There's so much in Harry Potter that you could let the story play out over an entire season.

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dcsbelle wrote:
Someday I'd like to see the whole septology serialized on BBC like "Upstairs, Downstairs". It might have to run a couple of years, of course, but then they wouldn't leave so much of the books out. "Masterpiece Theatre" prompted me to read many books I'd never have known about otherwise.

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joce14 wrote:
i think a lot of people are just going to watch the movies because not a lot of people like reading these days.

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[Jr55678]

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dcsbelle wrote:
Someday I'd like to see the whole septology serialized on BBC like "Upstairs, Downstairs". It might have to run a couple of years, of course, but then they wouldn't leave so much of the books out. "Masterpiece Theatre" prompted me to read many books I'd never have known about otherwise.

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joce14 wrote:
i think a lot of people are just going to watch the movies because not a lot of people like reading these days.

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I dont think that there is going to be a television series because tevelevision is all about suspense and since people already seen the movies there wont be much profit about it.

[LionStar]

I just got my sister (12) to start reading the first book. I am 14, and I hope that even when the initial Harry Potter rush calmed down, that kids and adults will still keep Harry deep in their hearts and try to make their children read the first book and get caught up in the series. It truly is a great series, and most of my friends never read the books, only watched the movies. And they say they love Harry Potter, how do they know?!
To truly understand HP you have to read the books, there is deeper meaning in them, about life and stuff, and in the movies it is just action mainly.

Message Edited by LionStar on 07-20-2007 12:53 PM

Message Edited by LionStar on 07-20-2007 12:53 PM

[DavidC]

I think as time goes on, more people will watch the films. The Lord of the Rings and Narnia sold as books for years; but until recently, neither one competed with a film version done in the age of computer animation.

No doubt the movies will send people to the books, and the books will be given as gifts for years and years. Will a lot of kids will read the later ones, at several hundred pages each, when there's a 2-hour film for them? That's not as obvious to me.

I love the earlier post about remakes. Thinking about that already?! You're right, it'll happen.

What about spin-offs? We've been spared the cartoons, thanks no doubt to JKR. Can she hold back any longer? Is there reason for her to do so, after her original version is available for everyone?

[Bill_T]

Oh no -- "The New Adventures of Harry Potter and Friends"; with Gilbert Gottfried doing the voice of Hedwig's obnoxious cousin, who's always getting Harry and his pals into trouble...

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DavidC wrote:
I think as time goes on, more people will watch the films. The Lord of the Rings and Narnia sold as books for years; but until recently, neither one competed with a film version done in the age of computer animation.

No doubt the movies will send people to the books, and the books will be given as gifts for years and years. Will a lot of kids will read the later ones, at several hundred pages each, when there's a 2-hour film for them? That's not as obvious to me.

I love the earlier post about remakes. Thinking about that already?! You're right, it'll happen.

What about spin-offs? We've been spared the cartoons, thanks no doubt to JKR. Can she hold back any longer? Is there reason for her to do so, after her original version is available for everyone?

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[RiftDoggy]

Oh dear god no! ~ ! ~ !

That would be horrible. My biggest worry is that the books will become part of the "old fogey" classic section, in children's minds. What if they decide not to read them because they feel it's just another book being shoved down their throats by teachers and parents alike?

[Phoenix_Lament]

well, personally I am hoping that J.K. Rowling will write some form of follow-up next-gen thing. If not, I really hope Hollywood doesn't take Hogwarts into its own hands...

[Psychee]

I'd love to see the series become required reading in schools either during regular sessions or as an assignment for the summer months -- maybe 8th through 10th grade... there is so much that can be discussed in group settings, even if the kids already know the ending from the movies. I'd like to see kids given something very enjoyable like this to whet their appetite for reading in general.

[RiftDoggy]

But see, that's what worries me: later, when the movies are just old movies, and the books are required reading, will students dislike it as much as we dislike, or used to dislike, required reading now?