FIRST FOOTAGE FOM HARRY POTTER 7:PT 2

Screen Rant

The first footage from ‘ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2′ hits the Internet, along with a brand-new image depicting a very battered and desperate-looking Harry Potter.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 was an undeniable success, both critically and financially, though some fans were unhappy with the lengthy road trip elements and the inconclusive nature of the film.
As the eighth and final film in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is easily one of the most highly-anticipated films of 2011, and possibly the most highly-anticipated entry in the series. Today we have an image from the film, courtesy of ABC Family, as well as a behind the scenes video.

Both the image and the video were released in conjunction with the Harry Potter Weekend Event currently running on ABC Family. Last night through this coming Sunday, the channel has/will be showing all the Harry Potter films, from Sorcer’s Stone to Order of the Phoenix. Learn more about the event on the ABC Family website.

 

Check out the image below, depicting a very desperate and battered Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe):

And check out the behind-the-scenes video, which features a pretty significant amount of new  footage for The Deathly Hallows: Part 2:

If you’ve seen Part 1 (or read the book, for that matter), you won’t be too terribly surprised by anything in the above video. That said, it’s comforting to see how dark, intense, and beautiful the film looks, as it’s adapted from possibly the darkest book in the septology.

One of the things I love most about the story of Harry Potter is that it’s a children’s story that refuses to shortchange the scarier, more brutal aspects of the war within the story, magical though it may be. David Yates, who has done some pretty great work with the Harry Potter films he has been involved with – save for some strange omissions and/or alterations near the end of Half-Blood Prince – seems to understand this in a way that other Potter directors did not.

The closer we get to the end of the Harry Potter series, the more melancholy I get about the whole thing. I started out hating these films – hell, I’m still incapable of enjoying Sorcerer’s Stone – with no desire whatsoever to read the books. Ten years later and I’ve read all the books, seen all the films, and, for the most part, enjoyed every last minute.

I can’t think of another film series that has produced eight incredibly successful films in a short span of ten years, with nearly all the same actors (Richard Harris, rest in peace), a lot of the same filmmakers, and a fairly consistent vision and quality throughout. It’s pretty impressive, when you look at it as a whole.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 hits theaters July 15th, 2011.
Sources: ABC Family & Harry Potter Facebook