Yates set to direct final Harry Potter film

David Yates has been tipped to keep the director's job for the final installment of the Harry Potter film franchise, 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'.

David Yates has been tipped to keep the director's job for the final instalment of the Harry Potter film franchise, 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'.

Yates, who succeeded Alfonso Cuarsn to direct the fifth movie 'Order Of The Phoenix', is currently working on the penultimate film 'Half-Blood Prince', which is due for release later this year.

Now children's author Lois Lowry has fuelled speculation he has been signed up to tackle the last Potter movie by revealing the Yates has pulled out of filming an adaptation of her book 'The Giver' in order to concentrate on the blockbuster series.

She writes on her internet page: "He (Yates) has just decided he wants to do the final Harry Potter first, thereby postponing 'The Giver' for several years."

A representative for Warner Bros. tells MTV.com there is "nothing official yet" but an announcement is expected "within the next week or two".