One of the most prolific directors of our times, Steven Spielberg has been an invincible storyteller. He is responsible for changing the grammar of storytelling. Spielberg took some deeply personal stories and mounted opulent pieces. Be it, ‘E.T. the Extra Terrestrial’ or ‘Schindler’s List’, the director has given us some emotionally superior cinema.
Recently, he released his seminal personal drama ‘The Fabelmans’. The critics and audience equally relished the film. It is nominated in seven categories including ‘Best Picture’ and ‘Best Director’. The film is based on his personal life and his relationship with her parents growing up. The director has been a part of several franchises like ‘Jurassic Park’ and ‘Indiana Jones’. But, he was offered to be a part of J.K. Rowling’s wizardry world of ‘Harry Potter’.
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Steven Spielberg Was To Direct ‘Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone’
However controversial J. K. Rowling’s statements, her breakthrough work with the ‘Harry Potter’ series will be a part of nostalgia. Steven Spielberg, another person who has evoked nostalgia with his franchises, was to be a part of the very first film in the ‘Harry Potter’ series. He was to direct ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’. However, Steven turned down the offer to be a part of the inception of a mammoth cultural piece.
During an interview with S.S. Rajamouli, the ‘RRR’ fame, the veteran explained the reason. He said, “The personal meaning about (how the conflict between) art and family will tear you in half happened to me later, after I had already established myself as a filmmaker, as a working director”.
He continued, “There were several films I chose not to make. I chose to turn down the first ‘Harry Potter’ to basically spend the next year and a half with my family, my young kids growing up. So I’d sacrificed a great franchise, which today looking back I’m very happy to have done, to be with my family”.
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The Director Wanted To Be Closer To His Family
‘The Fabelmans’ chronicles the story of Steven Spielberg’s childhood marred with the turbulent separation of his parents. It is an ode to his passion towards cinema which culminated to be a huge part of his life. The separation of his parents deeply affected him, so due to this may be he feels attached to his family and nurturing his seven kids with his wife Kate Capshaw.
In the conversation, he said, “Kate and I started raising a family and we started having children. The choice I had to make in taking a job that would move me to another country for four of five months where I wouldn’t see my family every day”. However, dropping Harry Potter did not sit well with his kids. The director said that he was not ready to make an “all-kids movie”.
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