Alfonso Cuarón, who directedHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, one of the most-beloved movies in Warner Bros.' Wizarding World franchise,recently admitted that he initially didn’t want the job, andonly said yes after being berated by one of his friends - who just so happens to be adored filmmaker Guillermo del Toro.ThePrisoner of Azkabanis the third installment in Warner Bros.' adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s belovedHarry Potternovel series, and introduced audiences toGary Oldman’s phenomenal performance as Sirius Black.However, Cuarón said he nearly had nothing to do with the movie.
Alfonso Cuarón sat down withTotalFilmfor their latest print issue, which is taking a look back at 90s and 00s cinema, ahead of the 90s-inspired disaster filmTwisters. During the interview, Cuarón revealed why he eventually took the job, saying it came from a conversation with his friendGuillermo del Toro.
“I speak often with Guillermo [del Toro], and a couple of days after, I said, ‘You know, they offered me this Harry Potter film, but it’s really weird they offer me this,'” Cuarón said.
The director then revealed that del Toro was shocked that he had neitherseen nor readHarry Potter, saying…
“He said, ‘Wait, wait, wait, you said you haven’t read Harry Potter?’ I said, ‘I don’t think it’s for me.'”
Cuarón said he was then verbally berated by del Toro, not just for not having seenHarry Potter, but also for his arrogance in believing they’re not for him. Cuarón continued…
“In very florid lexicon, in Spanish, he said, ‘You are an arrogant asshole.'”
Alfonso Cuarón Was Chosen for Harry Potter Because of Y tu Mamá También
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Before working onThePrisoner of Azkaban, Cuarón was far from a nobody, having directed the 1998 Charles Dickens adaptation,Great Expectations, starring Ethan Hawke and Gwyneth Paltrow. However, it was the director’s next movie which led to him being called up forHarry Potter, the film whichpropelled his career into the limelight.
David Heyman, who produced all eightHarry Pottermovies for Warner Bros. was the one who thought Cuarón was perfect forThePrisoner of Azkaban. In the same story for TotalFilm, Heyman said…
“I’d seenY tu Mamá También, which I loved, and I oddly thought he’d be the perfect director for the thirdPotter.”
J.K. Rowling Blasts Harry Potter Stars and “Mouthpiece” Celebrities After New Medical Report Intensifies Trans Rights Dialogue
J.K. Rowling has published a scathing statement and taken aim at “mouthpiece celebrities” following new report on transitioning children.
Heyman admitted that the sexual content ofY tu Mamá Tambiénwas a far cry from the child-friendly Wizarding World, joking “can you imagine what some thought Harry, Ron and Hermione would get up to, having seenY tu Mamá También?” However, it was in the film’s over-arching meaning that he realized Cuarón was the perfect director for the job. Heyman continued…
“Y tu Mamá was about the last moments of being a teenager, and Azkaban was about the first moments of being a teenager.”
Released in 2004,The Prisoner of Azkabanis the third installment in the immensely successfulHarry Pottermovie franchise, which later spawned three spin-off movies, under the labelFantastic Beasts. Warner Bros. haven’t finished their foray into Rowling’s Wizarding World though, as anew TV adaptation is on the wayfrom their streaming service, Max.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, as well as all other movies in the franchise, are available to stream on Max.
