Guillermo del Toro was one of the many renowned directors asked years ago to take on the
Harry Potter movies once Chris Columbus moved on after finishing
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
However, as he wasn't much of a fan of the light-hearted take of the first two movies, del Toro at the time turned down the offer to director
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
During a directorial masterclass at this year's Annecy Festival, del Toro
admitted that while he has been deliberate in all the projects he chooses to helm in his prestigious career, he said there was one decision he regretted making to this day: turning down the directing job for
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The gig, of course, went to future Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuaron.
Quote:
Guillermo del Toro: “I remember you said that you don't lie awake sleepless about movies that you didn't end up doing... the only one is Harry Potter, and then, I lay there and go 'oh f--k.'"
The director said years ago that after having seen Cuaron's darker version of
Prisoner of Azkaban, he would have been thrilled to have been asked again, though unfortunately was not (as Mike Newell and David Yates finished the series).