Key Takeaways:
– Steven Spielberg turned down the opportunity to direct Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone to spend time with his family.
– Spielberg would have had to move to London for several months to direct the movie, something he couldn’t commit to due to his young family.
– Despite the astronomical success of the Harry Potter franchise, Spielberg has no regrets over his decision.
– Spielberg’s other directorial project, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, was released in the same year as the Philosopher’s Stone.
Steven Spielberg’s Choice: Family Over Harry Potter
Steven Spielberg, the renowned filmmaker, found himself with a challenging decision when he was offered the chance to direct Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. This opportunity would have required him to spend months in London, consequently putting distance between him and his young family. Spielberg chose to give priority to his family instead of this potentially colossal project.
Spielberg’s Value of Family Time
In an interview with Variety, Spielberg made clear the importance he placed on his family. He explained how he had to choose between taking on a job that would make him relocate to another country for an extended period, precluding him from seeing his family daily, or turning down such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
This difficult decision was part of an ongoing balancing act between his art career obligations and his devotion to his family life. Spielberg further shared that he declined a number of movies, including Harry Potter, for the sake of being with his growing children.
Despite missing out on Harry Potter, Spielberg doesn’t harbor regrets. He stated his happiness with sacrificing the franchise to be with his family. Philosopher’s Stone was indeed filmed in London which demanded a long and taxing commitment away from Spielberg’s family.
Subsequent Projects Post-Harry Potter
While Spielberg did not participate in the magical world of Harry Potter, he didn’t halt his career activities. In the same year Philosopher’s Stone was released, Spielberg’s A.I. Artificial Intelligence also debuted. The Harry Potter film generated over a billion dollars in revenues thanks to its subsequent releases. In contrast, A.I. Artificial Intelligence could only muster $235 million at the box office.
However, Spielberg did not view this as a loss. He valued the time with his family more than the potential financial gains from the Harry Potter franchise.
Spielberg Parts Ways with Harry Potter
During the time Spielberg was considering directing the Harry Potter movie, Variety published a report stating that Spielberg decided to leave the franchise, citing other directorial interests. In a professional exchange, Spielberg expressed his belief in the success of the Harry Potter series, admiring J.K. Rowling as a “modern genius.”
In a statement released through IGN, Spielberg further shared, “At this time, my directorial interests are taking me in another direction. Most importantly, I look forward to taking my family to see the first movie next summer.” This underlines his priority of family time even amidst his directorial ventures.
Moving Forward
In conclusion, Spielberg had no regrets about his decision, evident in his continued enthusiasm to witness the Harry Potter franchise as an audience member with his family. While he acknowledged his missed opportunity, Spielberg held his family in higher regard, a decision that depicted him not just as a world-class filmmaker, but also as a dedicated family man.
Despite not being the director for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Spielberg’s decision doesn’t diminish his accolades in any way. Today, fans can stream all eight Harry Potter films on Max, a series that Spielberg has enjoyed watching from the sidelines with his family.
