( dpa ) - The seventh and final book in the Harry Potter series will be made into two separate movies to be released in 2010 and 2011 because producers found the plot too dense to be squeezed into one film, according to an announcement from Warner Bros Thursday.
The move will be greeted by fans of the series, who have often complained that the movie adaptation left out key details from the bestselling books.
The movies' young star Daniel Radcliffe told the Los Angeles Times that splitting JK Rowling's final book in two films was the only sensible option for the film-makers.
"There have been compartmentalised subplots in the other books that have made them easier to cut - although those cuts were still to the horror of some fans," he told the paper.
"The seventh book doesn't really have any subplots. It's one driving, pounding story from the word go."
Jeff Robinov, president of Warner Bros, said the split release was "the best way to do the book, and its many fans, justice."
There is also the added benefit of having two movies to add to Warner's profits from the series, which has already raked in 4.5 billion dollars to the company's coffers, making it the most successful movie franchise in history.
"This way, we have an extra hour and a half, at least, to celebrate what this franchise has been and do justice to all the words and ideas that Jo (Rowling) has put in the amazing story," said Alan Horn, chief of Warner Bros Entertainment. "This is the end of the story too. We want to celebrate it. We want to give a full meal."
The next Potter film to hit screens will be the sixth installment in the series. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince began filming in September under the direction of David Yates, who will also helm the final two films.