<P> Rik Mayall was cast in the role of Peeves, a poltergeist who likes to prank students in the novel . Mayall had to shout his lines off camera during takes, but the scene ended up being cut from the film . David Bradley portrays Argus Filch, the loathed caretaker of Hogwarts . Tom Felton portrays Draco Malfoy, the trio's enemy . Zoë Wanamaker portrays Madam Hooch, the flying teacher of Hogwarts . Sean Biggerstaff portrays Oliver Wood, captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team . James and Oliver Phelps appear as Fred and George Weasley, Ron's older twin brothers . Chris Rankin portrays Percy Weasley, Ron's older Prefect brother . Bonnie Wright portrays Ron's younger sister, Ginny Weasley . Harry Melling plays Dudley Dursley, Harry's Muggle cousin . Matthew Lewis, Devon Murray and Alfred Enoch portray Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, respectively . </P> <P> In 1997, producer David Heyman searched for a children's book that could be adapted into a well - received film . He had planned to produce Diana Wynne Jones' novel The Ogre Downstairs, but his plans fell through . His staff at Heyday Films then suggested Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which his assistant believed was "a cool idea ." Heyman pitched the idea to Warner Bros. and in 1999, Rowling sold the company the rights to the first four Harry Potter books for a reported £ 1 million (US $1,982,900). A demand Rowling made was that the principal cast be kept strictly British, nonetheless allowing for the inclusion of Irish actors such as Richard Harris as Dumbledore, and for casting of French and Eastern European actors in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire where characters from the book are specified as such . Rowling was hesitant to sell the rights because she "didn't want to give them control over the rest of the story" by selling the rights to the characters, which would have enabled Warner Bros. to make non-author - written sequels . </P> <P> Although Steven Spielberg initially negotiated to direct the film, he declined the offer . Spielberg reportedly wanted the adaptation to be an animated film, with American actor Haley Joel Osment to provide Harry Potter's voice, or a film that incorporated elements from subsequent books as well . Spielberg contended that, in his opinion, it was like "shooting ducks in a barrel . It's just a slam dunk . It's just like withdrawing a billion dollars and putting it into your personal bank accounts . There's no challenge ." Rowling maintains that she had no role in choosing directors for the films and that "(a) nyone who thinks I could (or would) have' veto - ed' (sic) him (Spielberg) needs their Quick - Quotes Quill serviced ." Heyman recalled that Spielberg decided to direct A.I. Artificial Intelligence instead . </P> <P> After Spielberg left, talks began with other directors, including: Chris Columbus, Terry Gilliam, Jonathan Demme, Mike Newell, Alan Parker, Wolfgang Petersen, Rob Reiner, Ivan Reitman, Tim Robbins, Brad Silberling, M. Night Shyamalan and Peter Weir . Petersen and Reiner both pulled out of the running in March 2000, and the choice was narrowed down to Silberling, Columbus, Parker and Gilliam . Rowling's first choice director was Terry Gilliam, but Warner Bros. chose Columbus, citing his work on other family films such as Home Alone and Mrs. Doubtfire as influences for their decision . Columbus pitched his vision of the film for two hours, stating that he wanted the Muggle scenes "to be bleak and dreary" but those set in the wizarding world "to be steeped in color, mood, and detail ." He took inspiration from David Lean's adaptations of Great Expectations (1946) and Oliver Twist (1948), wishing to use "that sort of darkness, that sort of edge, that quality to the cinematography," taking the colour designs from Oliver! and The Godfather . </P>

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