> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://birchtree.me/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Guillermo Del Toro convinced Alfonso Cuarón to direct Prisoner of Azkaban (thank you, Guillermo!)
- URL: https://birchtree.me/blog/thank-you-guillermo-del-toro/
- Published: 2024-05-24T22:50:43.000Z
- Updated: 2024-05-24T22:50:43.000Z
- Author: Matt Birchler
- Tags: Links, #Import 2025-03-29 19:29

Carly Thomas for The Hollywood Reporter: [Alfonso Cuarón Says He Directed ‘Harry Potter’ Movie Only After Guillermo Del Toro Called Him an “Arrogant A\*\*hole”](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/alfonso-cuaron-directed-harry-potter-movie-guillermo-del-toro-advice-1235907761/?ref=birchtree.me)

> del Toro knew how massive the movie franchise was, especially after Chris Columbus’ first two films, so the *Hellboy* director gave Cuarón some candid advice.  
>  
> “He said, ‘Wait, wait, wait, you said you haven’t read Harry Potter?’ I said, ‘I don’t think it’s for me,'” the Oscar winner recalled of their conversation. “In very florid lexicon, in Spanish, he said, ‘You are an arrogant asshole.'”

Well thank you, Guillermo!

> Although *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban* performed the [worst at the box office](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/gallery/harry-potter-at-box-office-628284/1-harry-potter-and-the-sorcerers-stone/?ref=birchtree.me) compared to all the other *Harry Potter* films, it still managed to gross more than $796 million worldwide.

Also in light of recent Pixar layoff news, it’s worth noting that Azkaban is what tons of people think is the best Harry Potter film ([second best rated](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/all-harry-potter-movies-ranked-by-tomatometer/?ref=birchtree.me) by critics and audiences) and was also the worst performing at the box office. Box office returns aren’t a perfect (or even good) indicator of quality.