Does Steven Spielberg regret turning down directing ‘Harry Potter’?

Steven Spielberg may have directed the first film in the ‘Harry Potter’ saga (we will never know if more of them), but he made the decision not to join this project. What was the reason?

The director is currently in his race for the Oscar for Best Director (and the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay), thanks to his autobiographical work, ‘Los Fabelmans’, in which the filmmaker brings us closer to his childhood and his personal conflicts with art and family.

As reported Varietythe director recently spoke with SS Rajamouli (‘RRR’), and commented that A moment of great conflict in his career had occurred when he had to choose between his family or directing the first ‘Harry Potter’ film.. She had to decide between raising his children in Los Angeles or moving to London to direct the Warner Bros. production.

“The conflict between art and family divides you in two. After I had established myself as a working filmmaker and director, it happened to me,” said Spielberg. “Kate [Capshaw] and I had started to form a family and have children. I had to decide whether to take a job and move to another country for months (which would prevent me from seeing my family every day…), or not. It was a heartbreaking decision.”

“hThere have been several films that I have decided not to do,Spielberg continued. “I decided to turn down the first ‘Harry Potter’ movie so I could spend the next year and a half with my family, watching my children grow up. I sacrificed a great franchise, but to this day I look back and I’m glad I did. I stayed with my family.”

Chris Columbus ended up directing ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,’ which kicked off what would be one of the highest-grossing franchises in movie history. The film was filmed in London, which is why Spielberg decided to decline to participate in the project. During that time, the filmmaker directed ‘Artificial Intelligence’, which ended up becoming one of his best films, and which had its set primarily in Los Angelesso he was able to combine the two fundamental pillars of his life.