I spent last week in Australia, sharing some of the amazing experiences from my new life in an adventure-filled, whirlwind tour of the country.
The Australian version of ‘J.K. Rowling: A New Life’ was released last month and is available to purchase now. To celebrate the theatrical release, I had the opportunity to speak with one of the film’s producers, Gary Lachman, about the challenges of bringing this story to life and why fans of the ‘Harry Potter’ series should go see it.
A New Challenge
When ‘J.K. Rowling: A New Life’ first came out in November, it took the entertainment world by surprise. Few people saw it coming, and even fewer expected such a dramatic change from the bestselling author of the ‘Harry Potter’ series. This isn’t your ordinary biopic, and for the most part, neither was Gary Lachman. The filmmaker and producer behind ‘J.K. Rowling: A New Life’ had the daunting task of adapting a literary masterpiece into a cinematic format and putting a face to the names. He managed to pull it off with flying colors, and in the process, created something incredible.
This year has seen multiple cinematic adaptations of J.K. Rowling’s works, and while they all differ in certain ways, they share some common themes. ‘J.K. Rowling: A New Life’ is no exception, and as someone who has seen every version of this story so far, I can confidently say that Gary Lachman has done it justice. The challenge was not only to bring Rowling’s fantastic story to the big screen, but to do so in a way that would appeal to today’s audience and even draw in some long-time ‘Harry Potter’ fans who hadn’t seen the magical author in a while.
A Better Picture Of Rowling
Let’s talk about the good stuff first, shall we? The film adaptation of ‘J.K. Rowling: A New Life’ looks amazing. It captures the author’s incredible success story, as well as the tragedy that ensued. The costumes, the sets, the locations; all are magnificent examples of how to properly bring J.K. Rowling’s novels to life on the big screen.
The film isn’t just well-made, it is also a great interpretation of the characters and story. While I don’t want to give away too much, I will say that Gary Lachman nailed it, and it’s clear that he had the characters and the story in mind the entire time he was making the movie.
A New Beginning
The most interesting part of ‘J.K. Rowling: A New Life’ is that it marks the beginning of a whole new era for J.K. Rowling. For the first time in almost 20 years, she is not only the master of her own narrative, but she is also a part of Hollywood. So, what does this mean for the future of Harry Potter?
Well, since the beginning, the ‘Harry Potter’ series has always been about more than just magic and fantasy. It’s been about family, friendship, and ultimately, growing up and learning to trust your own instincts.
‘J.K. Rowling: A New Life’ is the perfect example of this. We’re not just talking about the Harry Potter series here, but about the lessons J.K. Rowling is trying to teach the viewers through this entire film. It’s a message that resonates greatly in these trying times and shows that even an author as successful as J.K. Rowling can still be learning as she goes along.
A Better Understanding Of The Author
One of the most intriguing aspects of ‘J.K. Rowling: A New Life’ is the way screenwriter Jack Thorne was able to bring the magical world of Harry Potter to life through his script. He did a fantastic job at conveying the author’s wit, imagination, and incredible talent, and it’s easy to see why director Gary Lachman went through so many drafts of the script. It really is an amazing feat to be able to pull off, especially considering that this is a somewhat unfamiliar story to most people. Even though I’ve read the Harry Potter series countless times, I was still on the edge of my seat throughout the entire two-and-a-half-hour-long film.
What’s Next For The ‘Harry Potter’ Series?
Since ‘J.K. Rowling: A New Life’ was announced as the final installment of the author’s magical story, multiple groups and individuals have been hard at work trying to figure out what comes next. The most obvious question is: what does J.K. Rowling do now that her life is finally back to normal?
The answer is: she writes. In fact, as moviegoers were beginning to file out of theaters and back into their real lives, Rowling was already hard at work on her next book. Within a few hours of the premiere, she had already tweeted about it, and since then, the book has become her biggest success. It was only a matter of time before she began talking about the new addition to her empire. The news that she was writing a new Harry Potter book was met with widespread excitement. The last book ended on a bittersweet note, with Harry Potter and his friends coming to terms with the fact that they would have to say goodbye once again.
In the months that followed the release of ‘J.K. Rowling: A New Life,’ fans learned to expect the unexpected. Never before had a ‘Harry Potter’ novel ended on such a cliffhanger, and even now, it still feels like there is more to learn from Rowling and her characters. For decades, J.K. Rowling has been the master of her own narrative, but with the release of ‘J.K. Rowling: A New Life,’ the tables have turned and Rowling is now in charge of her own narrative.
Even now, as Harry Potter fans anxiously await the next installment in the series, J.K. Rowling continues to surprise them with news of upcoming projects. This time, it’s a musical.