query: Who directed the first Harry Potter film?
passage: Harry Potter (film series)
After Chris Columbus had finished working on Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, he was hired to direct the second film, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The production started within a week after the release of the first film. Columbus was set to direct all entries in the series,[35] but he did not want to return for the third film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, claiming he was "burned out".[36] He moved to the position of producer, while Alfonso Cuarón was approached for the role of director. He was initially nervous about directing the instalment since he had not read any of the books or seen the films. After reading the series, he changed his mind and signed on to direct since he had immediately connected to the story.[37]
passage: Saul Zaentz
Zaentz was peripherally involved in the controversy about who would make a live-action film version of "The Hobbit", because of his ownership of the film rights to the novel. Peter Jackson, who directed the successful "The Lord of the Rings" film trilogy, was the first person scheduled to direct "The Hobbit".