A bit more on the decision to change the release date of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” from November of this year to July 17th, 2009 is now online. The Canadian Press has a new article on the timing of the move and the large feature on the film in the current issue of Entertainment Weekly. The article cites a rep for WB saying the studio had “mulling the date change for three or four weeks,” but “it really didn’t kind of get on the front-burner until sometime within the last seven days,” Dan Fellman, Warner Bros. head of distribution, said Sunday.
Entertainment Weekly’s “deadline must have been earlier than the decision, than when we started to get serious about making the decision,” Fellman said. The online version of the feature which we told you about here and here contains an update about the release date change as well as the following as noted on the magazine’s Hollywood Insider blog: “EW and Warner Bros. share a parent company, but they clearly do not share, you know, important … information.”
The blog goes on to joke that the date change will leave Entertainment Weekly “readers in possession of a ‘Dewey Beats Truman’ collectible.” It also notes that British film magazine Empire features Harry Potter on its current cover, though that issue is not strictly a fall preview, touching on big 2009 releases, as well.”
Fox has an article speculating the real reason is because a November release will have Dan doing promotion for the movie during his run with Equis or whatever it is, and the studio doesnt want him talking about that during promotion for HBP because it will sully the innocent image of Harry. SO who knows what the real story is
thats what i don’t get – why was the decison made so quickly? if it had been a while in coming – then we wouldn’t have gotten the trailer (or the EW cover) – it makes no sense… why wouldn’t they prefer to get their money now? yes they might make more then, but? enough to make up for not having it between now and then? Makes me wonder if something else has happened and something happened that it really wouldn’t have been ready but they thought this was a better way to explain it (um no – didn’t they think about the fan reaction?)
I think they left it too late to make the decision. I think the Potter fans would have been more accepting (though still not happy) if the change had been announced before the (seemingly) final, detailed release dates were announced, and premieres arranged, because they had probably already started to plan ahead to go to the premieres, IMAX showings and such like.
I recommend going to the Howler website for the Howler campaign, which is brilliant. If everyone would send ten Howlers each we would seriously overflow their in-boxes. I am posting the link again in case you missed it, as well as WB’s address and phone numbers, and a sample Howler letter from the Howler campaign that is succinct but keeps our dignity as HP fans so they don’t discredit us because people send in letters full of foul language or physical threats. Keep it clean but purposeful and we will make them see the full power of the Potter fandom.
Here is the info:
Howler campaign
In the Howlers to WB write – “You make us wait 8 months, we’ll make you wait 8 months and 1 week. Your opening weekend will be a failure. Harry Potter fans are very loyal and very dedicated and VERY angry at you. Delay our movie for your profit margin, and we’ll kill your opening weekend. – DA.
htt p://hbpnojuly.blogspot.c om/ (remove spaces)
Warner Bros.
4000 Warner Blvd
Burbank, CA 91522
818-954-6000
818-562-3062
this is the problem with the seeminly hasty move. The negative rumours! I don’t beleive it’s because the film is bad…how cna they re shot sences? the cast have other work they’re involved with. As for the Fox rumour about it being Dan’s fault. Well, how pathetc if thats the case. Dan is an actor appearing in a play which has no connection with Harry. WBs have no right to feel moralistic about Dan’s career move given the 13 certificate lobbied for by WBs for the batman film. It seems to me America can tolerate violence but not nudity. Also it’s cowardly to try and pass the blame on to Dan. The cost of this mess will out-weigh the few akward moments of questioning for Dan. WBs should issue a statement with the full reason and an exoneration for Dan
Hmm, formatting was a problem, those are phone numbers after the zip code for Warner. Here it is again:
I recommend going to the Howler website for the Howler campaign, which is brilliant. If everyone would send ten Howlers each we would seriously overflow their in-boxes. I am posting the link again in case you missed it, as well as WB’s address and phone numbers, and a sample Howler letter from the Howler campaign that is succinct but keeps our dignity as HP fans so they don’t discredit us because people send in letters full of foul language or physical threats. Keep it clean but purposeful and we will make them see the full power of the Potter fandom.
Here is the info:
Howler campaign
In the Howlers to WB write – “You make us wait 8 months, we’ll make you wait 8 months and 1 week. Your opening weekend will be a failure. Harry Potter fans are very loyal and very dedicated and VERY angry at you. Delay our movie for your profit margin, and we’ll kill your opening weekend. – DA.
I was so looking forward to the November release – I already made plans with three other friends to go see the IMAX film then.
Now we have to wait til next SUMMER???!?
This is SO not fair.:(
I simply don’t accept this decision was made to improve the movie. Any re-shoots would become public knowledge very quickly and prove WB statement to be a lie. Placing it in a more competetive slot suggests the opposite – they think the movie has even more ‘big bucks’ potential than usual. Unfortunately we’ve a long wait to see if I’m right!
Who ever is thinking of downloading pirate copies just to hurt WB, please dont. You’ll just end up hurting yourselves in the long run and not to mention supporting very bad criminal organisations (no WB is not one of them, despite their recent actions ;) . Dont put up links to tempt anyone either. In fact, I hope Leaky can take off above comment with such a link, (with no offence to Dave S, I understand you just want to protest). I’ve sent protest email to WB and may continue to do so when I am in the mood!
But I’m now coming to terms with it and my anger/dissapointment has subsided. I now look forward to Beadle the Bard. And yes I am too all up for a countdown widget! At least it will be a lot shorter then HBP movie. Plus we have Leaky pottercasts which are always entertaining.
That Howler campaign is ridiculous, what a stupid way to show you’re angry… ‘We’ll ruin your opening weekend!!’ I don’t believe for one second that that will follow through- no one will remember in 11 months…. I agree with Professor Potter. :)
Who ever the jerk was that said “the deadline must have been earlier than the decision, than when we started to get serious about making the decision,” must not see the word weekly in the magazine’s title. That magazine is published every week so I bet their deadlines are very close to the publish date that is how they stay current. I bet they could have pulled the cover and story since you jerks at WB have been think of this for a few weeks now.
I really think that these guys at WB think we are all stupid because they keep insulting or intelligence with the lies they keep telling.
Just tell the truth WB-is it the money, was the movie not ready what ever just stop spinning all these tales.
"It all comes down to blood, as I was saying the other day. Bad blood will out. Now, I'm saying nothing against your family Petunia... but your sister was a bad egg. They turn up in the best families. Then she ran off with a wastrel and here's the result
Fox has an article speculating the real reason is because a November release will have Dan doing promotion for the movie during his run with Equis or whatever it is, and the studio doesnt want him talking about that during promotion for HBP because it will sully the innocent image of Harry. SO who knows what the real story is