Alfonso Cuarón reflects on his unlikely role as director of the third Harry Potter film

us.hola.com:

Total Film, commemorating the 20th anniversary of “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” director Alfonso Cuarón shared his disbelief at being selected to direct the third installment of the beloved wizarding series.

Renowned for his critically acclaimed works like “Children of Men” and “Y Tu Mamá También,” Cuarón’s appointment for the Harry Potter franchise was a curveball.“I was confused because it was completely not on my radar,” Cuarón admitted, recalling his initial reaction to being offered the job.

Coming off the success of his erotic road-trip masterpiece, for him, the transition to a magical world aimed primarily at younger audiences seemed improbable.Cuarón recounted a pivotal conversation with his close friend and fellow filmmaker, Guillermo del Toro that changed his perspective. “I speak often with Guillermo, 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. Del Toro’s response was direct and colorful: “Wait, wait, wait, you said you haven’t read Harry Potter?‘ I said, ’I don’t think it’s for me.‘ In very florid lexicon, in Spanish, he said, ‘You are an arrogant a--hole.’”Harry Potter: All we know about the awaited TV series7 Hispanic directors you should know aboutThis blunt advice prompted Cuarón to reconsider.

Del Toro’s passionate endorsement and the realization that he had not given the series a fair chance led Cuarón to dive into J.K.