David Fincher Reveals He Was Offered to Direct ‘Harry Potter’

David Fincher, the director known for films like Seven, Gone Girl, and The Social Network, recently shared a surprising tidbit about his career. In an interview with Variety, he revealed that he was once approached to direct the Harry Potter movies.

However, his vision was much darker than what the studio had in mind. Fincher wanted to make the film feel more like the quirky, offbeat movie Withnail and I and less like the typical polished Hollywood version Warner Bros. had in mind. The studio’s idea, he said, was more aligned with a style inspired by the schooldays of Oliver!.

Throughout his long career, Fincher has worked on various projects, some of which never saw the light of day. These include two sequels to The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, an adaptation of Rendezvous with Rama, and a follow-up to World War Z.

Despite his involvement in these high-profile projects, he’s drawn to material that offers a unique challenge. For example, in discussing Gone Girl, he said it wasn’t just about adapting a bestseller but about exploring the theme of narcissism in relationships.

Fincher also reflected on why he chose certain projects. He doesn’t focus on the potential audience but on the stories that resonate with him. He was drawn to Zodiac because of a personal connection to the case as a child, and he found a deep interest in the unusual elements of The Social Network script.

For The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, it was the complex relationship between the lead characters that grabbed him, even though he wasn’t particularly drawn to the hacker storyline.

Fincher has always focused on the things that speak to him personally while taking on new opportunities. He likes the idea of shaping projects to his vision, choosing where to emphasize certain elements and where to downplay others. For him, it’s about finding something he wants to see done in a particular way.

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