Warner Bros. delay Half Blood Prince Til July '09

[Tphi]

The next Potter film has been delayed from November until next July in a surprise move by Warner Bros. this evening - despite the release of the first trailer just a week or so ago. Some of you are fans of Harry Potter. Some of you aren't. Regardless, here is an astounding example of a very greedy movie studio.

In it's press release, Warner Bros. explains its reasons for the eight month delay:

“Our reasons for shifting ‘Half-Blood Prince’ to summer are twofold: we know the summer season is an ideal window for a family tent pole release, as proven by the success of our last Harry Potter film, which is the second-highest grossing film in the franchise, behind only the first installment. Additionally, like every other studio, we are still feeling the repercussions of the writers’ strike, which impacted the readiness of scripts for other films—changing the competitive landscape for 2009 and offering new windows of opportunity that we wanted to take advantage of. We agreed the best strategy was to move ‘Half-Blood Prince’ to July, where it perfectly fills the gap for a major tent pole release for mid-summer.”

Well, at least they're not hiding the fact it's been done purely to make them more money. The sad thing is WB knows that it will piss fans off no end by doing this, but come next July knows that the same fans will still queue up in line to see it.

[ShadowV7]

Christ this is annoying. That means it's longer for the last movie to be released that I want to see since I want to see how they handle the epicness of The Deathly Hallows.

[Chris the great]

hum, in fairness, it gives me more time to get them to add my harry potter 6 theam tune, which my friend still sings to theis day after i sang it at him for 30 mins one day.

[Cube]

By the time they get round to the 8th film, the main characters will look like the teachers.

[Paj!]

By the time they get round to the 8th film, the main characters will look like the teachers.

I assume they'll just film the 7th film as they would've anyway, and just delay that for a year too.

[Emasher]

My sisters not going to be very happy about this. I haven't cared much for the movies since they screwed up the last 3 so bad.

[Solo]

Movie News Thread???

Anyways, a delay could help the series pull itself out of mediocrity.

[Tphi]

They aren't doing it to change the film. The film is almost completed post production already - and likely will be completely ready in time for its old November release date. They'll just hang on to it for eight months until next summer to release it.

[Sanchez]

It's going to get leaked and then they won't be laughing. :-s

[welsh_gamer]

Warner Bros are idiots. This means that the only blockbuster out this fall will be Quantum of Solace, so just like last year there will be no reason to visit the cinema during November or December.

[MoogleViper]

I wouldn't mind if they were putting it back so they could make it better. But this is just irritating.

By the time they get round to the 8th film, the main characters will look like the teachers.

8th film?

[Slaggis]

8th film?

Yes, the last part is being made into 2 films.

--

I'm annoyed, I love the movies and was looking forward to this. Harry Potter and Winter seem to go together, not sure why. But yeah, I understand they want to make money, If I was them I'd do the same.

[MoogleViper]

Yes, the last part is being made into 2 films.

--

I'm annoyed, I love the movies and was looking forward to this. Harry Potter and Winter seem to go together, not sure why. But yeah, I understand they want to make money, If I was them I'd do the same.

Oh right. I would have classed that of part 2 of the 7th film but anyway.

[Jordan]

I'm sure the HP forums are alight with mad fans right now.

Bad move Warner, respect your user base or expect many pissed off customers.

[MoogleViper]

I'm sure the HP forums are alight with mad fans right now.

Bad move Warner, respect your user base or expect many pissed off customers.

Thing is these are HP fans not WB fans. So even though people will be pissed off they will still go and see it.

Could JK Rowling intervene?

[Paj!]

Could JK Rowling intervene?

Highly doubt it. What say does she have in the films at all, really? Maybe she can make sure characters aren't changed too drastically, but that's probably it.

[Mr_Odwin]

As far as I understand it JK Rowling has a tight, tight grasp on her intellectual property, but it may not extend as far as scheduling.

[Goron_3]

Hmm...so they're going to be even older once they film the last movie?

Oh, and i heard the Deathly Hallows was going to be a 2 part movie...is that true? Cos seriously they'll be far too old for the part then (i'm referring to Radcliffe, Watson and the other one..).

[EEVILMURRAY]

I can't see how they can make Deathly Hallows into two movies, due to how boring the book was, the majority of it just involved Harry camping around the country like a bell end.

[Emasher]

I can't see how they can make Deathly Hallows into two movies, due to how boring the book was, the majority of it just involved Harry camping around the country like a bell end.

The thing I was thinking though, was there wasn't really a logical place to stop in the middle. The book was more divided into 3rds rather than in half.

[EEVILMURRAY]

Well they cut loads of stuff out of the books in the transition to screen. No doubt they'll find a nice middle point. I bet it will end just as the camping jamboree begins, it will be dark and raining, you get a close shot of Harry looking sad and it will slowly zoom out with the theme being played slowly and depressingly.

[Dannyboy-the-Dane]

Gah, this is annoying. :(

[Strider]

I'd guess it would be the bit where Ron leaves, that's the only dramatic section i could think of them ending at.

[Mike1988uk]

Least they admitted there doing it for money... lol.

Also based on this they prob would split the last into 2 films, just to make more money.