1 introduces new elements to the movie series’ formula, including a shadow-puppet-style interlude and a scene, not included in J.K. Rowling’s book, that’s accompanied by the melancholia-drenched croakings of doom maestro Nick Cave.

The unexpected touches come from director David Yates, who has steered the supremely successful film franchise from kid-centric entertainment into a more grown-up realm since taking the reins for 2007’s Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Like the characters, and the actors that portray them, the movies have grown up.

“Part 1 [of Deathly Hallows] is edgier and darker than my previous film Half-Blood Prince and leads inexorably to this big climax in Part 2, which will be this huge spectacle much closer to Harry Potter’s roots in some ways, in that it’s got goblins and dragons and all sorts of things like that,” Yates told Wired.com in a phone interview. “It’s much more of an action picture than Part 1, which is quite intimate.”

The PG-13 rated Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, opening with midnight showings Thursday, kicks off with a furious procession of CGI-fueled plot points before Harry, Hermoine and Ron (played by returning cast members Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint) embark on a new journey. Their quest turns into a dissension-riddled road trip amid the stunning lakes, mountains and forests of rural England.

One Book, Two Movies

The wizardly trio’s bucolic trek, which unspools at a relatively leisurely pace, raises the question: Was it artistically necessary to break up J.K. Rowling’s final Harry Potter book into two movies — Part 2 opens in July 2011 — or did Warner Bros. simply want to get more mileage out of its $5.4 billion-and-counting franchise?

“There was very little pressure from the studio to do it,” says Yates. “[Screenwriter] Steve Kloves came up with the notion initially. From a directing point of view, I had a whole list of things I wanted to do for Deathly Hallows, so I would have had to lose big set pieces if we only did one film. And even with the [financial] success of Harry Potter, the budget would have been astronomical. I couldn’t squeeze it all into one movie this time.”

Yates said he believes fans will appreciate the bifurcated approach because it means fewer bits of the book will be left on the cutting-room floor.

“In my two earlier films, people would always say, ‘You’ve left this out, you left that out,’” he said. “For the very last turn of the wheel, it would be frustrating not to be as generous as possible to the fans. This way, we basically get more time to tell the story.”

Harry and Hermione

The two-picture arc allowed Yates and screenwriter Kloves the luxury of inventing a new scene, underscored by Nick Cave’s spooky ballad “O Children.”

“The relationship between Harry and Hermione is very tender,” Yates explained. “I wanted to add a scene that would capture the tension and friendship and love that they share together. It’s one of my favorite moments in the film because you get a lot of emotional information in that sequence about what they feel for each other.”

Speaking of Harry and Hermione’s relationship, not long after the pair are seen tenderly dancing in a platonic fashion, they’re seen making out while nude. This only takes place in Ron Weasley’s imagination, however, during a creepy scene in which one of Voldemort’s Horcruxes is playing on the ginger Gryffindor’s fears of forever playing second fiddle to his best bud.

Not the sort of thing you’d imagine the actors doing in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone back in 2001, but then they’re all grown up in Deathly Hallows.

Getting ‘Under the Bonnet’

Previously known for critically acclaimed TV mini-series State of Play, Yates put his own stamp on the Potter franchise three years ago, effectively ending the musical-chairs directorial strategy practiced until his hiring.

“In the first four movies, Chris Columbus and Alfonzo [Curoso] and to a certain extent [Mike Newell] did a wonderful job of exploring the world of Hogwarts,” Yates says. “Since that whole horizon had been thoroughly presented by previous directors, with my first story, Order of the Phoenix, I wanted to explore the inner life of the characters. When I came on for [Rowling]’s fifth book, Harry was starting to get a bit more intense and he starts to rebel a little. I wanted to keep all the trappings of this magical environment, but I was intrigued by getting under the bonnet of the characters a little bit more.”

By keeping a steady eye on Harry, Hermione and Ron’s growing pains amid all the thunderous sorcery spectacle, the British director has pleased critics and fans alike.

“I’ve always thought my role was to grow the series up in the spirit of J.K. Rowling’s books, which get darker and more intense and more grown-up as they unfold,” Yates says. “With the second half of the series, I wanted to broaden the characters out a little bit and bring a greater reality to the world, especially in Deathly Hallows 1 and 2. Children can still enjoy Harry Potter but I think the films have a wider appeal now.”

Additional reporting by Chris Kohler. Follow us on Twitter: @hughhart and @theunderwire.

See Also:

• Studio Execs Call Theory That Warner Bros. Leaked Potter Footage ‘Absurd’
• Warner Bros. Vows to Prosecute Deathly Hallows Leaker
• 10 Harry Potter Games That Need to Be Made
• Video: Making Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' Magical Soundtrack

Authors: Hugh Hart

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