Newell to Direct New Harry Potter Movie

<br>LONDON (AP) _ The British director of ``Four Weddings and A Funeral'' will direct the fourth Harry Potter movie, Warner Bros. Pictures announced Sunday. <br><br>Mike Newell will begin work

Monday, August 11th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

LONDON (AP) _ The British director of ``Four Weddings and A Funeral'' will direct the fourth Harry Potter movie, Warner Bros. Pictures announced Sunday.

Mike Newell will begin work on ``Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' in April, the company said.

American Chris Columbus directed the first two movie versions of J.K. Rowling's hugely successful series on the boy wizard.

``Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,'' the third film in the series, is currently being filmed under the direction of Alfonso Cuaron, and the studio said that as the two productions will overlap, it was not feasible for him to direct both.

Producer David Heyman said Newell was the ``perfect choice'' for the new film. ``He has worked with children, made us laugh, and had us sitting on the edge of our seats, he is great with actors and imbues all his characters, all his films, with great humanity. I'm thrilled,'' Heyman said.

Newell, 61, also has directed ``Donnie Brasco,'' with Al Pacino, and has recently completed ``Mona Lisa Smile'' with Julia Roberts.