'Harry Potter' Finale Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know
It all ends Friday (July 15), as "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" marks the last time a "Harry Potter" movie will premiere in theaters. Almost a decade ago, MTV News was writing about how "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" had [article id="1458755"]beaten Eminem's "8 Mile" at the box office[/article] and about the exciting news that Gary Oldman, known as Count Dracula at the time, had [article id="1459468"]joined the cast of "Prisoner of Azkaban."[/article]
Our news coverage of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" began three years ago with the announcement that the big-screen [article id="1583274"]adaptation of the final "Potter" novel[/article] would be split into two movies, and it's strange to think that after all that time the film series has finally come to an end. To honor all the time we've spent covering "Deathly Hallows, Part 2," we're taking a trip into the MTV News archives to cover the entire history of the flick for our latest MTV News cheat sheet.
Filming the Final Parts
MTV News caught up with leading man Daniel Radcliffe in late 2009 when the cast was knee-deep in shooting both "Deathly Hallows" films, and he said that the set was "absolutely madness." That makes sense considering the combined running time of both movies is around five hours and they feature some of the most emotional and climactic moments in the entire series. [article id="1633098"]Radcliffe dreaded shooting the big scene[/article] where he walks into the forest to face Voldemort, while [article id="1632058"]Tom Felton was really looking forward[/article] to filming the epilogue. When he finally did shoot the scene, Felton was lucky enough to have his real-life [article id="1642963"]girlfriend Jade Olivia play his onscreen wife[/article]. But it was the final battle sequences that were most emotional for co-stars [article id="1661360"]Evanna Lynch[/article] and [article id="1661304"]Bonnie Wright[/article], the former of whom was brought to tears by the scenes on set. Robbie Coltrane agreed with them, saying that they were among his favorite scenes in the movie. [article id="1653195"]Composer Alexandre Desplat[/article] was chosen to create the score for the final film, and he chatted with MTV News about his creative process. Finally, on June 14, 2010, filming on the "Harry Potter" set [article id="1641491"]wrapped for the last time[/article].
The Decision to Shoot 3-D
But production wasn't done yet. In keeping with the popular cinematic trend, the creative team behind "Deathly Hallows" decided to post-convert the film to 3-D. [article id="1634861"]Producer David Heyman spoke to MTV News[/article] during 3-D week and said he was optimistic about the change, adding that he thought the films would be "even more epic" in 3-D. [article id="1649622"]"Deathly Hallows, Part 1" didn't end up getting converted[/article] in time, so "Part 2" marks the first time a "Harry Potter" movie has been released entirely in 3-D. There is also the hope that all the [article id="1662305"]"Harry Potter" films could be converted to 3-D[/article] and receive a re-release.
Getting the Epilogue Right
Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and the cast of young stars who played the next generation of wizards were brought together again months after filming ended to reshoot the pivotal epilogue scene because the original scene that was filmed was not considered to be good enough. [article id="1639140"]Felton was lucky enough[/article] to have his first time filming be done up to par, though, so he and Olivia did not have to shoot a new scene. A few other new stars, including Kelly Macdonald of "Boardwalk Empire," were cast in roles that had to be added in post-production and became the final few castmembers to join the "Harry Potter" franchise. An early cut of "Deathly Hallows, Part 2" was screened to fans in February and was received well, reducing many viewers to tears. [article id="1662281"]Radcliffe's response[/article] to that news? "Good!"
The Trailers Arrive
The [article id="1642594"]first "Deathly Hallows" trailer[/article] hit the Web on June 28, 2010, and it teased both of the final "Harry Potter" installments. It would be 10 more months before [article id="1662831"]a trailer specific to "Part 2" premiered[/article], and then [article id="1665947"]new trailers[/article] came fast and furiously. Warner Bros. released one of the [article id="1662831"]opening scenes from "Deathly Hallows, Part 2"[/article] back in April, and then MTV was able to premiere an [article id="1665115"]exclusive clip from "Part 2"[/article] during the 2011 MTV Movie Awards that was received well by fans.
Saying Goodbye to "Potter"
The "Harry Potter" films have been released over the course of a decade, so it's no surprise that the stars of the franchise are finding it hard to say goodbye. [article id="1667100"]Watson planned on having a "really big brunch"[/article] after the last New York "Potter" premiere, while [article id="1667151"]Grint walked out of the London premiere[/article] screening because the movie was too emotional for him. But the man finding it hardest to say goodbye is Radcliffe, who plays the series' namesake. "I think that we proved in doing 'Potter' that you can bring integrity and perpetual growth to a franchise. It doesn't have to be a law of diminishing returns after the first film comes out," [article id="1667113"]Radcliffe reflected to MTV News[/article].
