Shyamalan has a sixth sense about Potter film

ONE of Hollywood's leading directors yesterday staked a claim to direct the last of the Harry Potter films, promising to make a darker product with "serious" conflict at its heart.

MNight Shyamalan, director of 1999 box office hit The Sixth Sense, said he wanted to translate the last instalment in the Potter saga to the big screen. JK Rowling is still writing the seventh and final Harry Potter novel, but has revealed that two main characters will die.

The Indian-born film director said: "I want to see a serious emotional conflict, like if Ron [Weasley, Harry's best friend] goes to the wrong side. Power has such a double-edged sword. I want the audience to feel that for a moment."

Shyamalan, 35, who has built a reputation on supernaturally-tinged suspense thrillers such as Unbreakable and The Village, said he was haunted by his decision to turn down the chance to shoot the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001), because "the timing didn't work out".

Jason Solomons , a film reviewer, said Shyamalan had a "great chance" of being chosen to direct the last Harry Potter film as he was well-regarded by Warner Bros and had a proven track record in suspense films.