"If we turn our heads and look away and hope that it will all disappear then they will - all of them, an entire generation of people. And we will have only history left to judge us."
The "Harry Potter" franchise is now like a well-oiled machine. There may be different people steering the ship, but all the deckhands and important sailors are always there and know their work like the back of their hands. This is one of the most important film franchises in history and no studio or person involved wants to deliver a sub-standard product; rather, they're driven to deliver a better job out of the gate everytime.
That looks like it's happening with this adaptation of the fourth book in J.K. Rowling's popular children's novels series. I got to visit Leavesden Studios in the UK back in October last year where "Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire" was in production and let me just say "wow." I was there the year before on the "Azkaban" set which, when we were there, looked great and hinted at an impressive new direction for the series under the eye of Alfonso Cuaron.
However, what I saw on "Goblet" simply floored me. "Azkaban," for all its magic, is a dark and intimate little story. "Goblet," on the other hand, is an action epic of a size that makes the last "Spider-Man" movie seem small. Concerns have been raised over the hiring of British Director Mike Newell to take on the big chair, but from what I saw there he and the team have done an amazing job.
The Triwizard Tournament Tasks, the Death Eaters, the Dark Mark, the World Cup, the Yule Ball sequence, etc. All of these scenes have taken paths and looks I had not expected. Sequences in books rarely tend to live up to imagination on screen but this is one of the few times I think it's the other way around. Fans will go absolutely nuts over it all and even those who've never been fully into 'Potter' - this will be the big crossover film. It's the biggest, boldest, most fun, and epic yet.
In this fourth film, Harry attends the International Quidditch Cup with Hermione, Ron, and the Weasleys where festivities are marred by a dark violent incident which hints at more doom to come. Upon returning to Hogwarts, excitement grows about about a mysterious event involving two other rival schools of magic, and a competition that will test its players to the limit. Along the way, he has his first crush, finds out more about his past, and witnesses the rebirth of a terrifying enemy.
In coming months leading up to the film's November 18th release date, I'll be giving you a multi-part online set report complete with assorted cast and crew interviews talking about the production and what was involved to ready this movie for release. Along the way there'll be chats with the producer, the creature effects people, the costume designers, and three of the young cast who play competitors in the Triwizard tournament. Expect more, soon.
Disclaimer: Veritaserum is run by fans and is for the fans. We are in no way official and are not affiliated with J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., EA Games, Scholastic, or Bloomsbury. We do not own any of the characters in the books, movies, or games.
