Columbus calling it quits
Christopher Columbus, the director of the first two Harry Potter movies The Philosophers' Stone and the Chamber of Secrets, and then on to producer of The Prisoners of Azkaban, has decided he and his crew have spent enough time in merry old England. He gave an interview in Fantasy World, and had this to say on it...
"In a surprise move of his own, Columbus will set sail for other cinematic pastures now that Azkaban is complete. Though Goblet of Fire is in pre-production, he isn't involved with the project. 'I'm history,' he reveals. 'I'm gone after this film. This is my swan song. I will not be among the producers on Goblet. I was in England for the first half of Azkaban, and although I went back to San Francisco, I was able to listen to the scoring and check the visual effects every day through the magic of computers. That's how I kept in touch with England. I also had people from my ocmpany working there. But everoyne at this point--after four-and-a-half years--really wants to come home. And I would feel wrong taking a producer credit [on Goblet] because I can't be there. I knew right around the time Alfonso was hired that this would be my list Harry Potter film for a while. I would love to come back and direct one more in the future, but for the time being this is my last one."