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Chapter 31: Comply, Come Fly Away
🕑 Added 2024-05-11 19:44:55 +0000 UTCChapter 31: Comply, Come Fly Away
Leavesden Studios, UK. October 2007.
Fear wasn’t a foreign concept to me, but the circumstances that led to me living the life I did now, not to mention the extremely cushy existence I’d carved out for myself, had left my sense of danger about as dulled as a 2B pencil after an hours-long exam.
The sleeve of pseudoephedrine I kept tucked away in my travel medicine pouch wasn’t there as a back-up plan to start breaking bad in case this whole movie thing didn’t pan out.
My nasal passages were forever kept freeze, wheeze, and sneeze free. Pretty damn difficult to forget the last allergic reaction I’d had. But as of right now, I was seriously contemplating whether I’d once again been spontaneously cosmically displaced.
Principal photography for Half-Blood Prince was in the final stages of set up, so as we’d done for every prior movie the on-call cast consisting mostly of the Hogwarts kids had usurped the craft services table to review the latest version of the script.
Table read? Forget that. Read the bloody table!
The recent revision read more like a resounding revolution. And unlike the last time unexpected script changes had been put into effect, it felt like my head was being put under the guillotine.
“You’re probably all wondering why the sudden changes. While you were all away on your breaks, the studio and I made the uncomfortable decision that in order to maintain the astronomical success we’ve seen with the latest installment in the franchise, we need to continue to appeal to a wider audience. There are, of course, a multitude of ways we could have approached this, but the ultimate solution we settled on was to tone down the proverbial darkness of the story. Which, as you’ve all probably ascertained by now, we are achieving by emphasizing the romantic and comedic aspects present in the narrative.” David Yates? More like David hates everything but the sound of his own stupid voice.
Monks were famous for their patience, but even they’d be incensed in my position. The smoldering tension was thicker than smoke. Yet despite that, no one was saying anything. I glanced over to where I normally expect Neil Gaiman to be sitting and spitting his views. There wasn’t even a placard in front of his empty chair - the poor bloke was more than likely down in the mines trying to salvage whatever cockamamie notes he’d been given about the script.
One glaring omission most would have noticed by this point was of the Queen of quibs herself, JK Rowling. Oh, she was at the table. No way I could miss that. The topsy-turvy part of this whole situation was that rather than being where I normally was - usually by her right hand, like the evil grand vizier whispering nefarious plans in a monarch’s ear, I was instead stuck in a seat directly opposite hers.
Normal people might think that I was reading too much into it. Surely, if she was avoiding me, I’d have been sat somewhere out of sight. But what better way for someone to ensure you know they’re peeved at you than by putting you where you can’t avoid them avoiding you?
David Yates, the entire time I’d been mulling, and the rest had been sulking, had been trundling along with his winding speech like a particularly time constrained train. Which, I felt, was a rather à propos description, considering how we’d all been railroaded. “Evanna, Daniel, and Bas, I’d like you three to get started with your reunion scene on the express, and then everyone can start pitching in one at a time as your cues dictate. I think you’ll find this is the perfect scene to demonstrate to you all why we chose to take this direction. It’s a rather poignant confluence of all the intermingling relationships and drama we can expect to experience throughout the narrative. We have Neville and Luna, Hermione and Ron off on their own, Harry running into Ginny, who’s having her own thing with Dean Thomas. We’re also introduced to Romilda Vane and her infatuation with Harry, which he spurns to defend Luna. And as the scene progresses, we even see Draco with Pansy Parkinson. There’s more than enough romantic undertone for us to explore here.”
If you wanted a spotlight on the mushy, gushy stuff, why in the world had the Tonks and Lupin, as well as the Fleur and Bill material, been so heavily cut down?
[“Interior: Hogwarts Express.” David began narrating. “Harry, Luna, and Neville enter an empty compartment, escaping the gawking students in the hallway.”
“They’re even staring at us!” Dan walked himself through his lines as he read the script. Belatedly, he pointed a finger at himself and Evanna a few seats away from him.
“They’re staring at us because we were at the Ministry too. Our little adventure there was all over the Daily Prophet. You must’ve seen it, Harry. I would have quite enjoyed giving an exclusive interview to the Quibbler, but daddy said it would’ve presented a conflict of interest.” Neil Gaiman’s touch on the script was evident through Evanna’s floaty delivery.
Not so much from me, though. “Q-quibbler still going strong, then?” Ring, ring, ring, hello? Yes, this is Bas Rhys’ dialogue, and I am in fact phoning it in.
“Oh yes, circulation’s well up.”
“I thought gran would be angry about all the publicity, but she was really pleased. Says I’m starting to live up to my dad at long last. She bought me a new wand, look! Cherry and unicorn hair. We think it was one of the last Ollivander ever sold, he vanished the next day…”
“Alright, Daniel, at this point Neville dives under the bench to fetch Trevor the toad. Evanna keep going without taking a break.” Yates continued yapping.
“Are we still doing D.A. meetings this year, Harry? I certainly hope so, I enjoyed the meetings. It was like having friends.”]
Evanna and Daniel serenely followed along to their given instructions, and squawked their lines like two compliant cockatoos. They had about as much control over what came out of their mouths as a sock puppet, so I refused to blame them.
Others deserved that distinct honour. By this point, I’d checked out of the entire charade and dropped my copy of the script down on the table in front of me. “Bas, if you’ve lost your place, we’re at the bottom of page seventeen. Your line is ‘I’ve got detention with Dumbledore most of the year, but if my friends want to throw around a few spells with me on the weekend, I won’t say no.’” Neil as always did a superb job, too bad he wasn’t here to witness it.
Of course, the words were originally Rowling’s, but she didn’t seem to be listening to much of anything at the moment - but she sure was ready to talk a lot of shit. “Perhaps we’d be better served running a scene that doesn’t require our dear lead to speak up. Tom, where are you? I need my Draco. Shall we rehearse the Slytherin compartment scene? Specifically, the section where Harry gets a swift kick to the face.”
Excuse me? She didn’t even have the decency to look at me when she said that.
Tom did, though. I at least caught his eyes darting nervously between us in my peripheral vision. Don’t worry, Felton, I wasn’t planning on retaliating against you just because Rowling used you like a bleached boot when she delivered a kick to my nuts. But, hey, don’t be too discouraged. Your facial expression right now was decent practice for your crying scene in Myrtle’s lavatory.
“What the fuck is going on?” I let the frog stuck in my throat hop right out.
Kudos to Yates, I’ll at least give him credit for having the spine to flap his gums when almost everyone else curved their backs and zipped their lips. “Umm… Maybe we should just get back to the scene…”
“Actually, you know what? I agree with you. Does anyone have last month’s rendition? That’s the one I’ve actually been preparing for. If I wanted to do a run-of-mill rom com, I’d have stayed in LA.”
“I understand that it is a disruption to our normal conventions, but I assure you our new script-”
“For that matter, why isn’t Neil here? He might have something to say about Tom Riddle’s backstory getting cut down to less than half - and for what? So you can fit in an inconsequential scene where the Burrow gets attacked? Dumbledore and Harry are meant to hunt and discuss horcruxes, not if he’s planning on visiting broom closets with Hermione. How does that make any sense?” A quick flick through the script had revealed enough for me to press some legitimate concerns.
“Admittedly, the script is still a work in progress. Which is why our gracious screenwriter is very much hard at work incorporating our new ideas into the script. Please, Bas…” I don’t know why he had his palms out like that. I wasn’t spewing fire, just the truth. I hadn’t even raised my voice all that much. There were plenty more levels to go if I really wanted to yell.
“Telling me to calm isn’t a valid response. Do you want me to simmer down? Then I need a valid bloody reason why this unilateral decision was foisted on all of us without so much as a heads-up.”
“It is a tumultuous transition for all involved. But I implore you to please just trust the process. Production is determined to maintain and even surpass the success of the previous film. We’ve done our homework and have come to the ultimate conclusion that the best way to do so is by breaking the pattern to give our audiences something fresh. We have to change.” Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day. Give a corporate suit a billion dollars and watch him squander it on narcotics and nookie.
“Hold on. Are you really telling me, with a straight face, mind you, you’ve chosen to discard the secret formula for success we’ve spent the last seven years toiling over instead of replicating it? Neither the fan base nor any of us are that stupid. What made you think we’d all just go along with this?”
“Because it’s your job! I think we’ve all tolerated about enough of your tantrum. Just pick up the script and read your lines.”
Doesn’t that give you déjà vu? I flashed back to my audition days for Harry when I could recall verbatim Kloves shouting, “You’re not meant to think, you’re only meant to act. Just follow the cues and read the lines. Don’t make your own arbitrary corrections!” at me.
The difference was, with how badly they’d not just sidelined, but vanished the Dursleys. This time, Richard Griffiths wasn’t here to face the breach with me once more.
I made one last attempt and sought Jo, but it didn’t matter how many times I tried to catch her eye. Even now, she committed herself to swing and sway her head with the same prodigious flexibility of Bollywood backup dancers.
Screw in as many lightbulbs as you want; in the end you’d only be giving me wrong ideas.
Whatever was going on with her, I had a sneaking suspicion that it had more to do with me than whatever shenanigans the studio had decided to pull. She just had some really unfortunate timing.
Regardless, if the stubborn mule wanted a drink, I’d make her go to the river herself. My RV door would be open.
The scrape of my chair echoed across the deathly quiet room, and I marched out the door, heedless of the eggshells loudly crunching underfoot.
“What are you doing!?” David’s steel spine folded rather easily.
“Same thing you are. Contemplating change.” I wonder how long it would take for it to melt.
Comments
Evertime
I wonder if our boy voyld get a cameo in breaking bad or BCS when thwt comes out, all the cameos
Bar Calak
Very much on purpose. Makes you feel like Bas and co might have when hearing about the sudden change. Either way, just as a precaution i have no intention of changing the core tone of the overall story. my writing style isn't suited for this heavy handed drama anyway lol
Bar Calak
literally first day on set. I also wanted the acknowledgment to happen in front of the person who wrote it.
Bar Calak
ouch
Bar Calak
Tough but fair
Bar Calak
good
Bar Calak
Exactly! Ego and economics getting in the way of status quo
Bar Calak
Drama goes deeper than that. But not for the obvious reason.
Bar Calak
though we'll never know why it happened or even how. the fact is in otl hbp was ruined the same way.
Bar Calak
Putting you out in the rain hopefully gives the cozy bits more appreciation haha
Bar Calak
He'll have a special warning for alopecia with the amount of hair pulling required to deal with him
Bar Calak
Wink wink nudge nudge
Bar Calak
There's always precedence for stupidity
Bar Calak
I told you Bas has been angling for small features as a villain lol
Bar Calak
Time to bring out the BASilisk fangs
Bar Calak
Bas was having it too easy filming HP. When money's involved (especially after the stellar box office) dairy farmers start forming a line behind the cash cow to milk it as much as possible, and usually end up yanking it the wrong way.
Bar Calak
I reckon about as much as any low level producer - which basically means that when his ideas are rejected he gets a pa on the head instead of kick to rear
Bar Calak
All the better take a (Gos)sip
Bar Calak
Studio strongarming - very much in october haha. Halloween is for scares
Bar Calak
reading the comments before the next chapter ♪My friends wonder whats wrong with me♪
Bar Calak
I'm so glad you picked up the tone shift the way you did. These sorts of backroom dealings and unilateral choices i feel would rock anyone facing them, so i was very much intent on expressing through Bas reaction the tone shift for you as the audience as well, if that makes sense. Although tbh i think it worked a little too well given some of the more (rightfully) indignant responses i got in the comments haha. but i guess i should take it mostly as a compliment if the audience reading felt as jarred as bas did (regardless of how temporary) by the sudden shift. But hey live and learn. I need to be told what i'm doing wrong if i want to improve haha
Matt
Which is why I said if he lets it leak through “sources” that the first script made him think about quitting…it would have the fan base ROYALLY pissed, and the studio would have to bend on hand and knee to make sure he comes back
Bar Calak
explained hopefully lol
Bar Calak
Bas has plenty of leverage
Bar Calak
Sometimes you just have to sit in it
Philip
let him cook
Sohaib Malik
Let the author cook lads
StrawHat
I normally just lurk around and enjoy the chapters but i just have to ask. You teased us with the acknowledgements then had us wait a week, only to give us a chapter filled with bank jaron and math and now this? The fact that the book also sold 2.6 million copies in the U.K on the day it was released and no one since then read the acknowledgements and mentioned it to Bas? In the U.S i believe it was 8 million copies sold as well. The fact that from July to September Bas read no mention of it on the internet nor did anyone talk about it to him seems far fetched.
David Karlsson
True but I expected Pokèmon chapter to come before hollywood on Friday, following the same trend as past 3 weeks
Vayes
You're right, only 2 chapters so far. The friday Tropic Thunder chapter last week was a .5 chapter though. And Bar Calak hasnt released a Mover Shaker chapter so that'll probably occupy a weekend release day.
David Karlsson
He didn't know about the dedication until the plane ride, seemingly. That's almost 2 months after the books release. From his perspective he's read several drafts including the final one, so buying the book to read DH after its release would seem pointless. For her, he's ignored her tribute to him for 2 months, stuck in Hawaii filming a big movie. So maybe he did try to get in touch after the plane, but by then she felt scorned for 2 months and ghosted Bas? There's not much context
David Karlsson
Thing is, he wrote a good script following the suspense of book 7. Then less than a month is given directives to make major changes to the tone and focus of the whole movie. So he's both short on time, he can't base it entirely on source material either with the comedic teenage romance script. Plus David Yates said it's a work in progress.
David Karlsson
this is 2nd chapter this week. 1 more I think
Vayes
Next week Friday most likely. Writer's 3 chap weekend just finished. Honestly, massive fucking cliffhanger considering the 180 this chapter's tone took.
Vayes
Forced drama true but also a way to cliffhang us further. Shame cause the weekend is over so we have to wait another 5 days at least for the next chap :(
bomber-harris
this chapter gave me whiplash, read it twice and still confused about the tone doing a 180.
Vayes
Yeah, Bas got an ego from all the success he's had for some reason. The acknowledgement page of a book is literally either the first page or found at the last page. Why couldn't he take 30 seconds of his time to flip to the page in Deathly Hollows and read it? Makes little sense tbh.
Matt
Even if he was asked to write a different genre, he should have been writing one that followed the arc AND the romcom garbage
David Karlsson
This time it wasn't the scriptwriters fault though, since he was asked to write a different genre on short notice. Yates, maybe but finding a competent director who can work on time constraints on short notice would be tough. If they fire Neil and place the blame of the shitty revision on him Bas wouldn't come back either, he became screenwriter on his recommendation back then after all. He's already read the real script that was actually good. And the producers were the ones to make the call, so at most 1 of them takes the fall there, if there's public controversy at least.
Stubbzy
I think we’ll have to wait till next chapter to find out whether or not it’s even the acknowledgment that’s causing the issue, we’ve all assumed so because it’s the only major thing going on between them atm. Plus it’s fine if he makes mistakes, if Bas never stumbled or made slight errors in situations like this or say forgetting his lines or someone beating him out for an audition etc the story could get stale.
Darkanlan
I'm not understanding how since he got back he hasn't had a sit down meeting with JK to actually talk. They've appeared as friends before, now it's like his fame has made him more of an annoying diva than Tom Cruise. Not to mention ignoring the copy of the book he was given. He absolutely should have read it to get an idea of what the next movie could need done to it script wise to fit the book better. In doing so he'd have seen the acknowledgements and prevented more drama. Your character went from future knowledge and a little bit of an arrogant ass to a full blown douche bag. That needs to change or this story will really die. No one wants to spend time or money on reading about a douche bag. We've got plenty of news articles about real life ones on the internet for that.
Bar Calak
If it was just about the acknowledgement then yes
TheMackAttack
Emma literally handed Bas the book on a flight where he had nothing else to do for hours with explicit instructions to read the acknowledgements and he just hasn't bothered? This isn't tension, it's just drama. And it's forced and unnecessary drama and that only exists because everybody is acting extremely out of character.
RaGNORAK
It was a douche move to not read the acknowledgements. It'd literally take 30 minutes at most. I can imagine jk poured her heart out into the acknowledgements and bas can't spare the time most people spend in the can to read it and respond. Relationships are like plants, the minute you stop paying attention, they wither. I hereby dub thee Sir Douche Rhys for the dick move.
Matt
Especially since Radcliffe got cast as Neville the production would be absolutely screwed and would likely fire the director and whoever wrote the script for having it so poorly done that it had the lead walk out
Amar Haikal
When is the next update?? I'm getting anxious here
Stubbzy
Your probably right with it being almost impossible since I can’t even think of any major lead who got replaced in recent memory other than Johnny Depp and that was very controversial with fans
David Karlsson
That and if he'd taken the soft approach he'd only get some changes through like in film 2. Maybe they'd remove the cornfield Weasley part in favour of the Dursleys or perhaps get one more voldemort scene. Add a slightly more serious tone to maybe half of the romantic angsty half of the movie at most. This way he can get what he wants, but probably damage his standing with WB quite badly, their relationship with Bas will be cool at best after this. This time he does have the leverage to walk tho. The contract penalty won't bankrupt him, the fans won't stand for him being replaced especially for these reasons. And he has a point, there is no metric where the first script won't make as much or more than the last movie. They're just mistaken that they'll get the same turnout as OoTP without delivering on any of the implied promises from the last movies suspense. Maybe they're afraid they'll make the DH R rated to match the tone shift after the original script of HbP?
David Karlsson
I wonder what their "research" was that they're so confident this is the right move? It's sort of like the fantastic beasts sequel where there are no stakes, deaths don't have impact because it doesn't look real. Do they want to get it down to a PG rating and drag in more audiences that way? "We've run the numbers, and if everyone who liked the gritty and suspenseful Order of the Phoenix also watch our Romcom HbP, and we reduce the rating to PG. We get 28% more viewers from young children and families the world over." "Yes. The numbers are clear. Change the tone entirely. The Genre, too. The main characters can all be obsessed with one other, and we'll throw in a 'fight' sequence where nobody dies or is hurt or even particularly scared. Running through a maze. No torture curses, either. This time. Voldemort makes the movie too uncomfortable for younger viewers, we'll reduce his scenes to 2 conversations"
Stubbzy
Even if he didn’t know or didn’t want to read the whole thing over again pretty sure Emma told him to read the acknowledgments? And that’s only opening the cover of the book and looking at the first page/pages I think if Bas had been his actual age like the rest of the cast he would’ve reacted differently but due to his unique situation he probably has an inherently different mindset to everything compared to everyone else on earth which can lead to potential further conflict or unwise decisions. You are right though if Leonardo DiCaprio storms out of a table read then it’s an “oh shit we done goofed” but a younger lead it’s more like “he’s rebellious or what are we gonna do now?”
Stubbzy
Dumb People in high positions in any working industry tend to do shit like this to justify and soothe their own ego
David Karlsson
If he got around to it way too late, maybe she just ghosted him back at that point? Bas didn't know she was making that AN for him, so he just put it off after reading the draft so many times already. As for the actors, I reckon it depends on whether they're fans of the story or not. For Maggie Smith it was just a job, her character was just there mostly. Maybe they'd see him as a bit entitled? But most have probably been in that position before of having to salvage a gutted character somehow. Walking out speaks of inexperience I guess. It wouldn't improve anything to act that way realistically, and he hasn't been an actor that long. Like say Johnny Depp walks out after being given a gutted Jack sparrow script. He's an established actor so he can do those things and patch things up. Bas walks out and the entire cast are left with their pants down doing a pointless script read without the lead present. If he doesn't convince the producers to fix things the cast will probably be annoyed that he delayed things for everybody else, which is fair.
Anonykor
Too soon for the Disneyification era, but that was my first thought. My guess is there’s some mom on the executive board of WB that thinks Harry Potter is getting too violent for children or something. I’ve read articles before about how a lot of high up people love sticking their fingers in productions at major conglomerates. It’s an ego thing and they’ll never reap the consequences of their interference. I specifically recall reading about how some top executives at WB resented Nolan, because the president had his back and gave him free reign to do whatever he wanted, which meant he could ignore them.
Matt
Replacing a lead is almost impossible if the lead was even remotely good, it puts the new lead under a microscope and will get shredded for not being the original If MC wants to be difficult, and gain more input, he can just have it leaked to the press that he’s seriously considering quitting the Harry Potter franchise because the script was so awful that it hurt to read it
Stubbzy
I could imagine that while some of the younger cast are in shock or anxious as hell. The older cast whoever is in attendance of potentially Maggie smith, helena Bonham Carter and Michael Gambon are all just basking in the drama!
Stubbzy
They’ve got Steve Irwin on speed dial to wrangle him if necessary
Stubbzy
While it won’t happen I think I’m curious how people would react to a new Harry Potter lead. IRL the trio were considering leaving how much damage would it have done to the final movies I wonder if they had to account for 3 new random actors
Stubbzy
My skin scrawls at just imaging sitting apart of the sheer awkwardness of being at a table reading where everyone’s characters and the story is going downhill.
Stubbzy
I think he acted very in character for the stage he’s at. In earlier chapters/films I think he would’ve been way more covert in trying to resolve the situation but he’s gained new forms of “soft power” since then. after hitting a string of running successes and being more overt with his changes, advertising choices and rising fame I’m not surprised he’s taken a more public stance and decided to walk out due to being blindsided
Stubbzy
You could have easily kept the rest of the Harry Potter movies drama free outside personal relationships but I do think the studio-bas drama adds multiple potential pathways and dynamics that I wasn’t expecting. Curious to see how the older cast react to Bas’ reaction and storming off? Considering they might’ve experienced this themselves in the past I’m assuming that the drama with JK is about the acknowledgment? Assuming it’s quite heartfelt and he hasn’t read it does seem out of character unless he has been super busy but since he got it at the end of Tropic it doesn’t seem the case?
Stubbzy
Honestly not surprised Considering the amount of times fans of upcoming shows or tv series have gone.. “theirs no WAY they can screw this up! They’ve got the winning formula! And then they just nose dive everything into the dirt!
Evertime
Is this a movie production or a new sonic game because the director has definitely thrown out everything that worked in the previous one. READ THE DEDICATION BAS IM DYING TO KNOW
Memory Dump
You should read more they said, it's a relaxing hobby they said.
David Karlsson
I wonder what the WB profile of Bas will be after this debacle is over and he's won? "Lead actor of 6 Record-breaking back-to-back blockbusters. genius-level academic history. Behavior consistent with prior achievements. Potential liaison to merchandise conglomerates. Works well with his peers... approach with extreme caution."
Artman
I want to say that a studio wouldn’t be that stupid, but they have managed to do it enough times..
David Karlsson
Not enough to affect things too much. Maybe if something in the script damages his personal image too badly, or if he's asked to do something unreasonable he could protest to have it changed? Small things like that
Pope Yoda I
I prefer seeing evil fought with even greater evil.
Pope Yoda I
M. Night. Shamalamadingdong twist: Ah, but little did you know, it was the foot buried in his backside that both artificially straightened his back and was the Horcrux inside of him all along.
Anonimacho
Mc acted a little .... impulsively. I think he could have resolved things by meeting with WB senior executives. That said, I'm glad he acted impulsively.
arydr
Now we get to see Bas use his power for good lol
David Karlsson
Written in parseltongue. She was inspired by Grrm and Tolkien and decided to go the extra mile in the last book. Only Bas knows the language, however
Rhyalys
It took me a while to figure out but I finally got it! Kloves is possessing David, his steel spine is, in fact, a horcrux
Archer Ronin
My god this kind of idiocy is exactly what you can expect from Warner Brothers aka America's Stupidest Company. All they have to do is follow a formula that is already pre-written and wrapped with a bow and they somehow manage to fuck that all up. Par for the course. Great job on keeping the tension. I genuinely want to see like a pitched media battle between Bas and the studio. They'll say he's being bratty and acting too big to attempt to ruin his professional reputation, and I want Anita, Jo, the HP fans, and all the other people he's acted with to clap back in his defense. That sounds like a real Hollywood thing to do.
Pope Yoda I
It turns out the credits were just a totally incompressible, alcohol-fueled ramble that's part-English, part-Portuguese and the angriest parts of German. It only made its way into the book because no one had any idea what it said, so the publisher just yolo'd.
MimicReads
Ty
Pope Yoda I
....I dislike the fact that everything you said here makes sense and would ultimately be the reality in most settings, leaving behind a quickly-forgotten smoldering ruin as the dumbasses responsible go on to torch other franchises. What would you instead say to MC assembling his A Team, and after a series a wacky adventures - i.e. creating a solid proof that sticking to the current theme will generate substantially more money (thereby also securing a direct line of communication to higher authorities in WB), trying to use Skype so he can give an actual presentation to someone with authority, and probably driving at least one person into therapy - we conclude with a reaction scene from his fellow cast members who come back a week later to a drastically-improved script and everyone else just pretending the last week never happened?
David Karlsson
For months... and then Emma assures her that she hand delivered the book and told him she wanted him to read it ASAP. Okay maybe I can see why she'd be hurt by that lol
A Simple Pilgrim
How much creative impact does Bas get from his 4% stake in the movie? I assume the reason they don’t let him up it is to maintain control of the film.
Soh•M©
The only thing, I can think of is Bas not reading the acknowledgement and calling Rowling about it.
David Karlsson
I'd love for Alfonso to come back for HbP... Perfect timeline
David Karlsson
I don't think the rest of the cast is in a position to just walk out or stage some united protest. There are consequences to doing so even if they successfully get the franchise back on track. Studios don't like to work with actors who don't stay in their lane and play ball. Sure it's good for drama and Bas would land on his feet, even if it's outside of major Hollywood blockbusters and franchise with his future knowledge. The other actors don't have that assurance. So even if this movie gets lacklustre reviews and reaction, they still get a role in the next film, one more big paycheck and a minute or two extra screentime to their fledgling resume. Nobody but Emma, Rupert, Tom and perhaps Daniel have a real bargaining position here of the young cast anyway. Luna has more screentime but 1 film under her belt. Then there's that Bas and JK have solved script and creative issues in the previous movies, so why stick their necks out unnecessarily? Maybe if they get wind the studio is about to railroad him publicly and expect the cast members to toe the studio line about Bas being the problem, someone might speak up if it comes to that. But that depends how strongly the studio is pushing this new direction. They will probably try to reason with Bas first at least
Andy Ammeter
In steps Bast to becoming director to the movie. Or is this taking place on April 1st?
Xander
JUICCCCCYYYYYYY
David Karlsson
Next chapter Kloves comes strolling in with his original HbP romantic comedy script ♫♪♪ I guess you wonder Where I've been....♫♪♪
David Karlsson
He'd probably have to sign a penalty for backing out of a project this large after signing, but he might have enough to do it. The producers need him more than he needs them though. His acting career would take a large hit if they dumped him, but the studio will face most of the backlash from the fans. And the grittier script would still make them a billion dollars. If I was Bas I wouldn't invest in the last project after this tho. Would be a ripe time to be screwed over on dividends with hollywood accounting as payback after making the producers look bad here.
David Karlsson
Humm.. maybe she wanted him to be back in Britain for his birthday to spring a surprise, and he wasn't there...
Pope Yoda I
It's interesting to see this specific mistake from this angle. I've seen it in more books, fics, movies and tv shows than I can recall: whenever the tone drastically changes - usually because some dipshit tries to shoehorn in crappy romance but could just as frequently be unasked-for drama of some flavor - the entire structure inevitably crashes and burns. Examples include the DC movie line Hindenburging when Wonder Woman was mutated into a braindead, lovestruck preteen, the ugly romance part of TD you marvelously excised and any number of once-popular TV shows when a new "creative direction" is taken. It's incredible how often this mistake is repeated in successfully ruining a good thing. Maintaining tone is important. People don't like "change". Michael Bay is one of the most successful directors in history for a reason. The Fast and Furious franchise is among the most profitable in history for a reason. The Marvel movies were record-breaking blockbusters - before they fell apart due to, surprise, new "creative direction" - for a reason. I'm enjoying seeing the friction you're generating as some people in your cast are slower to figure out this critical detail than others. If - though hopefully it's 'when' - your MC kicks off his own production company, I hope to see this lesson reflected somewhere in his products. For now, I will settle for hopefully seeing him personally or by proxy school dipshits who would arrogantly set out to ruin a good thing. My comprehensive review (PTSD-induced rant) now winding down, I'd encourage you to have MC present a mature, united front instead of soloing a resolution. Give his friends and colleagues a chance to shine as well.
David Karlsson
The book credits and now this? The cliffhangers are just piling up!
Kieran M
Thank you
TheodoreLucifer
New chapter tomorrow? I need some explanations…
Matt
Would be great if he tells the studio, through his agent, until they get the script to be more than rom-com garbage…then they can explain to the fans why Harry Potter needed a new lead
Thalia White
...simultaneously the best and worst news of my life that this'll get updated so soon, but also (probably) when I won't have any way to access it aha~ excited to read it when I eventually can though~!
Bar Calak
Not just also yes
David Karlsson
Damn. Now I know what the Game of Thrones cast felt for the last 4 seasons.
Philip
aight if there was another week before the next chapter we'd square up but a weekend chapter dump is manageable
Bar Calak
Yup signed on when him anita and heyman hashed out the broader terms at the indian restaurant before he went to film the tv shows. Not to worry Harry's in it for the long haul
Bar Calak
But of course
Bar Calak
Much sooner than that
Thalia White
Amazing chapter as usual, but, man, that cliffhanger is gonna kill me for the next week
Philip
Kinda lost here, I'm hoping the next chapter explains whats going on bc this is really coming out of left field here
McLuvin
…What the heck? This can’t be about Bas not reading the acknowledgments. Something really god damn weird is happening.
JAR1
Didn't really get the sudden animosity between JKR and Bas. Also, Bas has signed on for the last 3 films? Do these contracts come with exit clauses?
