Harry Potter is without any doubt the most liked novel as well as film series. Twenty-two years back in 2001, the first installment of Harry Potter, Harry Potter, and the Philosopher’s Stone was released as a film. Harry Potter film series is based on a novel series of the same name, which was written by J.K. Rowling.
A year after of release of the first installment of the franchise, the second part, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, was released in 2002. Both installments were directed by Chris Columbus. After directing these two wonderful pieces, Chris stepped down from being the director, and his position was taken by Alfonso Cuarón.
He directed the third part, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which was released in 2004. The fourth movie of the franchise, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, which was seen in theatres in 2005, was directed by Mike Newell, and the subsequent last four movies were directed by David Yates.
Taking about Chris Columbus, director of the first two installments of the Harry Potter franchise, he’s been working as a director since 1987 and has played an undeniably vital role in the franchise. The first two parts of Harry Potter are the director’s best-known works, including 1990, Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York which was released in 1992, and 1993 Mrs. Doubtfire.
So the main question is, Why’d Chris Columbus choose to leave Harry Potter, one of the most popular franchises? What’s the actual reason? Of course, you must also be wondering the same thing. Continue to scroll the screen to know the answer.
Chris Columbus is an American director and also filmmaker who was born on September 10 in 1958 in Spangler, Pennsylvania, United States. He started developing a liking towards filmmaking after studying at the Tisch School of the Arts. In 1987, he made his debut as a director by directing a teen adventure, Adventures in Babysitting.
Chris Columbus
In his career, he directed many popular films, such as Home Again and its sequel, Home Again 2: Lost in New York. He’s also the director of Mrs. Doubtfire and Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief and the Pixels.
He directed the first two installments of the famous Harry Potter franchise, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Harry Potter and the,e Chamber of Secrets. After directing, he didn’t direct another instalment but for producer of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the third instalment in the series.
Why did Chris Columbus leave Harry Potter?
In 2021, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone celebrated its 20th anniversary. Yes, 20th anniversary. It’s been more than two decades, but it looks like the film was released just yesterday. Chris Columbus opened up about the reason for him leaving the film series in his interview with The Hollywood Reporter in 2021 on the occasion of its 20th anniversary. In the interview, he also talked about the experience he had while making the films.
It was originally planned that there would be only seven parts in the series, but later Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows were divided into two parts. Chris Columbus, in his interview, explained that in the beginning, he had every intention of directing all the parts. He said that he was naive, and he thought that he had the energy to do all seven of those movies, but that wasn’t the case.
Harry Potter
He also explained that each part took 160 days to shoot, which is way too much for a film. He further said that those two movies were shot back to back, and after they finished Chamber of Secrets, Chris was emotionally as well as physically exhausted.
Columbus couldn’t meet his kids because of the schedule, and he was missing them, who were young at that time and were growing up. He was missing dinner with them. He thought that he couldn’t go on like this. He can’t do another six, seven, eight years of this. His kids will grow up, and he’ll never get to know them.
After leaving the position of director, he still sticks around for the third instalment, but as a producer. After becoming the producer for the film, his work schedule became more flexible, and he was able to spend more time with his family.
Chris Columbus wants to direct another Harry Potter installment
Chris Columbus expressed his desire to direct another Harry Potter film. Columbus would like to adopt Harry Potter and the Curse Child into a film using the series’ original cast. But there is no new Harry Potter installment shortly as Daniel Radcliffe is not willing to come back for his role.
Harry Potter
Daniel Radcliffe needs more time before he thinks of returning. Daniel said to The New York Times that he’s getting to a point where he feels like he made out of Potter OK, and he’s really happy with where he’s now, and to go back would be such a massive change to his life. He further said that he’s never going to say never, and it’s not something he’s interested in doing right now.
There might be a chance that there will be a new addition to the list. Daniel said that he never says never, so maybe he’ll fulfil Chris’ wish of making Cursed Child.
