While we have new photos from “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” and news about “Deathly Hallows” (see below) to occupy our time, reaction to the news that HBP has been pushed back until next July continues to dominate the press. Today, the LA Times has a new article online that notes the furious reaction by Harry Potter fans (“among the most intense devotees in contemporary pop culture”), and points out that “petitions were circulating, rumors were flying and angry screeds were being posted on Internet sites within minutes of the Thursday announcement.” The fact that fans were upset with the announcement of the new release date was not lost on Warner Bros president Alan Horn. The LA Times included this gem that reads as follows. “Horn acknowledged that the studio would have to pacify fans in the months to come: “We would never do anything to hurt one of the movies or the series. We love our fans.”
On a related note, the rescheduling of the film has impacted other events tied in to the previously scheduled release this fall. The BBC reports that indeed the Royal Performance and UK premiere of the film had been canceled.But he was hopeful a Royal premiere would still go ahead this year.
In the same article, WB’s Alan Horn is also cited as saying “I’ve seen the movie. It is fabulous. We would have been perfectly able to have it out in November.”
Among all the disappointment, there is a bit of bright news for IMAX who announced that “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince would be screening on the day of release, July 17, 2009. Reps for the company also said that “when “Harry Potter” does open next summer, it will appear in close to 100 of its new digital theaters, as opposed to about 40 estimated to be in operation by November. “It’s a better revenue opportunity for us at that point.” IMAX says that, as announced previously, they will also release HBP which will contain parts of the film in 3-D.
“We love our fans”?? WE LOVE OUR FANS???
What a xxxx are he saying??? He shocked us!!! He added 8 months at our waiting, and he said things like that???
Eric, its BOYCOTT
I am quite po’d. I had a whole late Halloween Potter themed party planned and now it just seems stupid. Even if they want a summer blockbuster, why JULY?? May is still the summer movie season! As for IMAX- there is only one theater on Long Island (believe it or not) and its too far for me to go. Greed!
Does anyone else think there is more too this- like it didn’t turn out as well as they would like or the special effects aren’t good,or all that junk they added now interferes with DH and they have to recut it???
Yesterday, I really wasn’t that upset. I understood that this was a financial decision and it was important to keep stock holders happy next year. But honestly, today, I can’t help but feel like I’m being used. I really feel kind of dirty, or border-line silly. I can’t even get excited for the new pictures from EW. It’s going to be very hard for Horn and company to “pacify” us.
How terrible. I think we should all protest when the movie does come out by boycotting the opening weekend. This would cost WB millions. Sweet revenge!!! But honestly, I think Potter fans would be to weak to do it.
It just seems like this decision, if it was going to be made, should have been made sooner. This isn’t something you decide quickly – if you’re going to decide to move a franchise film like this, this close to the release date, then that’s something that the studio will have been talking about for months, and I think that’s what makes me angry about it. We all understand that WB is a company, and is therefore there to make money. And the fiscal reality is that the movie industry has seen a drop in revenue, and that they probably can make more money in the summer. However, we’re also, as the article stated, some of the most committed fans in the world. We are very loyal to the franchise, and they know we’re going to see the movie either way. They had to know before now that they were going to do this, and even before the film was finished shooting. Why tell us now, when we’re so relatively close to the film, instead of months ago, when we were having a fit about the trailer?
And, here’s really the crux of it, for me: HOW CAN YOU RELEASE A TRAILER THAT AWESOME AND THEN MAKE US WAIT LONGER?! In a way, that makes the whole wait worse.
Posted by HeadGirlInTraining on August 15, 2008, 04:07 PM
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I’d quite like to see Mr. Horn’s resignation in the matter. Very, very, poor form indeed to wait this long to announce something like this. They could have announced this before the teaser, before the royal gala and they didn’t. As far as I’m concerned, WB owes its fans a lot at this point. I defended the split for DH against some people who dismissed it as being just about the money, but not this time. WB is seeing green after Dark Knight, and they want to see if they can get lucky twice. Unfortunately, they’ve acted irresponsibly and didn’t put enough forethought behind this decision.
It just seems like this decision, if it was going to be made, should have been made sooner. This isn’t something you decide quickly – if you’re going to decide to move a franchise film like this, this close to the release date, then that’s something that the studio will have been talking about for months, and I think that’s what makes me angry about it. We all understand that WB is a company, and is therefore there to make money. And the fiscal reality is that the movie industry has seen a drop in revenue, and that they probably can make more money in the summer. However, we’re also, as the article stated, some of the most committed fans in the world. We are very loyal to the franchise, and they know we’re going to see the movie either way. They had to know before now that they were going to do this, and even before the film was finished shooting. Why tell us now, when we’re so relatively close to the film, instead of months ago, when we were having a fit about the trailer?
And, here’s really the crux of it, for me: HOW CAN YOU RELEASE A TRAILER THAT AWESOME AND THEN MAKE US WAIT LONGER?! In a way, that makes the whole wait worse.
Posted by HeadGirlInTraining on August 15, 2008, 04:08 PM
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How did they expect us to react? Maybe by tomorrow tempers would have eased a bit. ;-)
The damage is done. No excuses will work. And i agree with Ellanalida – f you really love us fans, then why on earth are you moving the release date for absolutely no reason other than for WB to make more money?
WB fails big time…
I’m sure Warner Brothers loves us. They just love our money more, and will love it even more than that when ticket prices are even more expensive next summer.
sorry, but what matters more here? Disappointing huge numbers of fans or IMAX profits?
Who do Warner Brothers think they are exactly? Russia? Are the fans Georgia?
Warner Bros have demonstrated complete contempt for the fans – they can obviously do what they want, when they want, how they want.
How we react to this patronising attitude is entirely up to us and up for discussion.
Posted by weirdest of sisters on August 15, 2008, 04:11 PM
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HAHA, this is incredibly funny, I am a die-hard fan of Harry Potter, but honestly…IDK so much. Thx WB for ruining the excitment, I will NOT be seing this movie in July, and in fact, out theatre in my town is actually thinking about not even bringing it to the screen…oh yes, WB made a stupid move, they will lose MILLIONS!
“It was the first time the annual gala – held in aid of the Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund (CTBF) – had been scrapped since 1958. CTBF chief executive Peter Hore told BBC News he was “very disappointed” with the decision to shelve the Potter premiere.”
I feel very sorry for the CTBF, and by moving the premiere, WB has not only upset us fans, but also caused a lot of money not to go to charities.
I’m very disappointed at WB, and if WB loved their fans enough, they would not have done this. I think we should not blame the directors and producers of the movie, but the people at WB who made this decision only a few months before the release date.
"I don't believe it! I don't believe it! Oh, Ron, how wonderful! A prefect! That's everyone in the family!"[br]"What are Fred and I, next-door neighbors?" said George indignantly, as his mother pushed him aside and flung her arms around her youngest son.
“We love our fans”?? WE LOVE OUR FANS??? What a xxxx are he saying??? He shocked us!!! He added 8 months at our waiting, and he said things like that???
Fans, we CAN’T DO NOTHING!!!