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.”
Has anyone considered the fact that Warner Bros. anticipated that we would be OUTRAGED by their actions, and are using us? Maybe we are part of a big PR campaign. Think about it. Warner’s pushes back the date, we respond in kind, then Warner’s makes a big show in response to our flood of indignation (“We love our fans”) by restoring the release date, or at least releasing it in December (holiday markets are a big money-maker as well) , and in doing so has drummed up a lot of publicity. Harry Potter fans celebrate our “success” over Warner’s by making HBP an absolute blowout opening weekend for them. I wonder if this is all part of a big publicity plan, and we are playing right into it. Hmmm… just a thought.
I just dont get the logic of waiting for DVD… so if its not released the original date they promised, and they make you wait 8 months to see it, your answer is to…. wait an ADDITIONAL 5 months on top of that? How is that logical? If ya’ll want to send letters, and emails, and online petitions (which, by the way, are only one step up on the credibility scale then that letter from the deposed leader of Botswana that wants you to hold his 8 million bucks) have at it. I hope it makes you feel better. Some of us are disappointed, will be a bit bummed, then will get passed it because we know that these things happen.
And to LemonFaerie, I hope all this does make you feel better. I can understand when an extra disappointment is lumped on top of everything. I encourage you to let it all out…
but, just a bone of contention with one of your gripes: they’re not increasing the lining of their pocket, they’re just moving money from one pocket to the other (from 2008 to 2009). Makes things more BALANCED (corporations love balance).
Oooooo… i like your idea, Snapealicious. it’s just like New Coke: Take a product that is LOVED by people world wide for decades… mess with the formula and call it New Coke…. feel the wrath of all of your paying customers…. New Coke is a debacle…. start selling the old stuff under the name Coke Classic…. the consumers go nuts that it’s “back”, and Coke Classic breaks sales records. Diabolical, WB, very diabolical… but brilliant!
I agree with those who are advocating the stay calm response. I wrote and e-mail to WB expressing my dissatisfaction with their decision to move the movie’s release up to next July. There is not much more I can do other than to boycott any WB projects, movies, TV shows, etc. And I think the idea of not going to see the movie in the first week is a good idea; that would really show WB what we thought of their idea to postpone the opening of the movie.
Pirating the movie is not the answer; like so many others have pointed out it is illegal and is stealing and I would hope TLC would not support any one in trying to do so.
Lets just take it easy, there is nothing we can do to change their minds, we can only show them how we resent their decision so lets do that.
I definitely understand how you feel, LemonFaerie. I too have looked upon the release of HBP as one of the few true bright spots in an otherwise crappy year. It was only a few months away, and now, it’s A YEAR away. Damn.
I know this may sound pathetic to some, so what. Our actions that we use to express our dismay over the release date may not change a thing. At least in doing so, whether signing a petition, or mailing “Howlers”, or sending an Email, or even blowing off some steam in a community forum of like-minded fans such as this make some of us feel like we are having our voice be heard, at least by someone. There should be no harm in that. Indeed.
I’m as disappointed as anyone. But I’m not sending any howlers in any form or signing petitions. It’s business, folks, like it or not. WB, like every other studio, is in it to make money. It does seem weird that they didn’t at least try to contact EW in time to let them change the date on the front cover. I would think that the actual article still might have run, just given that it would have been very difficult to replace it at the last minute. And, I’m thinking that I should go get a copy of it since it will be something of a collector’s type anomoly because of the date changes.
LemonFaerie, I’m very sorry to hear that this is such a difficult year for you, but quite honestly, do you really think you are the only person who comes here who has a less than wonderful life? My year was last year when my husband was going through cancer surgery and treatment. But I didn’t let my fear over what he was going through consume me. It’s not healthy to live with hatred and ager, nor does it help those who need your help and strength.
There’s nothing wrong with people writing letters/ emails/ or signing petitions to express how disappointed they feel. But, then, let it go. WB has made their decision and we have to live with it. There’s just no point in getting your knickers in a twist over something you can’t change. If you have that much energy to take on WB, why not use it for something you can change? Get involved in some local effort ot help the homeless or to help kids who need a tutor or improve the recycling efforts in your town. If that doesn’t appeal to you, then chose something that’s more global, like Dafur, or raising money to stop the poaching of gorillas in the Virunga National Park in Africa: http://gorilla.wildlifedirect.org/
Or you could get involved with raising money for cancer research. Did you know that you can turn your own walk or mountain climbing experience into a fundraiser by tapping into one of the national organizations? I didn’t until a friend used her Mount Rainier summit try by tying to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer site. Her original goal was just to summit, then she decided to do it as a fund raiser in honor of her mother who died in 2005. Doing something to help others makes the time pass more quickly as well.
My point in this very long post that many won’t read, is that while life hands us more than we think we can possible tolerate, we still have the choice of how we will respond. Might as well choose to do something useful and positive, especially considering that harboring that much anger will only have a negative affect on the person who is angry, as well as all those in their family who have to hear it.
And then next summer we can all see HBP and know that it isn’t such a long wait till the first half of DH.
I really dislike this whole situation. I’ve heard a lot of good comments from boycotters and non-boycotters and I for one will think twice before going to a WB movie just because I do think this is a money decision and not a production problem. Harry Potter will rack in cash whenever it comes out and If its as good as they say It is It’ll be the highest grossing of the series.
But I’d have to say the worst is Alan Horn saying he’s seen it and its fantastic. Its like throwing up the big middle finger to all the Potter fans. I’ll go on opening night, but I’ll restrain from going repeat times because I don’t want this to succeed and WB decide to change DH premiers to Summer releases. I’d much rather watch Potter at Thanksgiving cause it’s just always felt like a holiday movie than a summer movie.
Also HBP was chosen for the Royal Premiere in England this year, which is all for charity and it only happens once a year. WB changing the release date canceled the Royal Premiere and they may or may not find another movie for it. But the charities lose out on money, because of the change. It seems like the perfect cartoon where the huge tycoons are sitting inside counting money when they look out the window and see starving orphans at the gate and the tycoons just laugh that evil laugh.
I will be glad when I am done giving WB / JKR my $$$. I love the series and will go to and buy the remaining movies but I think both are quite disrespectful of their fans. It’s the fans that flocked to buy her books that have transformed JKR from a welfare mom into one of the richest women in the world and it’s the fans that will give WB the profits it desires. We deserve more respect than we get. A big BOO, HISS to this decision.
Posted by ProfessorMcGonagall331 on August 18, 2008, 12:52 AM
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I’m fun because of people calling calm. Congratulations. People mature and responsible, which uses the brain (that they claim). Maybe these people have not seriously ill children who are fans of Harry Potter, and who have no time to lose to see all the films until the end. Have you thought about that?
I’m bummed and hell peeved with Warner Bros. But I know that boycotting the film or any other film won’t bring it back to the November lineup. I hate to be patient and the fact is that was the only film I’ve been dying to see, but I’ll have to wait.
Why would Warner Bros do this?
Everyone right away says money. Two blockbusters will put them in a higher tax bracket, and if they have no films next year it could hurt them financially. The old adage of never putting all your eggs in one basket fits here. No matter what they knew the movie would make money no matter where it’s placed. I mean its pg-13 meaning the biggest fans are tweens, teens, and adults. They don’t need a break to see a movie. Those age brackets see movies all the time. G and PG movies are the ones traditionally that have to be placed near extended holidays so that children can go and see them.
As mad as I am I can see why they’d want to move it. (I’ve not seen or now plan to see Batman but this might be of interest) One they didn’t expect the hype of Batman, because they never expected the death of one of its stars. How sad that was, it served as publicity. Fans flocked to see his last work. People are demanding that Heath Ledger be nominated for an academy award. Not to mention the tons of special effects that were used. Someone said movies are more looked at during the fall for Oscar nominations. That’s usually true however this film isn’t going to be bypassed by the Oscar committee. So would HP really be Oscar worthy this year. Sadly nope, not when the buzz would be over Batman. So for those who want HP to get at least a nomination, the move is actually a good thing. Because next year’s list of films doesn’t seem to have that big of budgeted films, HP is more likely to score nominations in best special effects, set design, costuming, etc.
Two when the date was selected we only had the seventh book after the fifth movie. Warner Bros. was scared of interest waning because nothing big would be there to keep interest. However Melissa Anelli’s book is due to hit store shelves in the fall and then surprise the tales of Beedle the Bard was announced for December. It means fans have two big things to look forward to while they wait longer. Warner Bros didn’t want HP fans to have everything at once and then a long wait. This stretches out hype over a longer period of time. By the time the movie has a second trailer, we will be getting images from fans showing sets and spotting actors donning their costumes while on set for the seventh/eighth film. We will have lots to look at while we wait. What will carry the hype to movies seven and eight, a dvd release and maybe The Scottish Book (crosses fingers and toes). But if two years was to pass after movie six, interest might wane for movie seven/eight.
Dan’s schedule. The boy is busy and it gives him a chance to do every performance at Equus. Not everyone cares, but Dan knows that he needs to have a resume that has more than Harry Potter listed on it, if he wants to continue. Big boost to him would be a Tony nomination or even a win. He wouldn’t just be Harry Potter, he’d be Tony Award winner/nominee as well as star of the franchise Harry Potter.
With a delay, gives the people who do special effects and editing to make sure there aren’t any mistakes. I don’t think they are planning to re-shoot scenes, add the walrus mustache to Slughorn, or even make Cissy’s hair blonde (not skunk like). But they can make sure things look solid, more realistic, and touch up things until they are perfected. Also they can take time doing the voice work, some scenes as good as they are, sometimes have to be re-voiced for perfection. So hopefully this length will allow them to make the movie a blast.
Finally and yes this is why we hate WB, but so far the movies for 2009 aren’t going to be that great since most blockbusters that were scheduled for next summer have either been delayed or cancelled because of the writer’s strike (ex. WB’s film Justice League). As much as fans don’t like it, Warner Bros knows better to have the rule of the summer than to compete with movies like Twilight during a busy holiday. Not that they wouldn’t make money, but just like everyone this summer raved and basically spoke only about Batman as if it were Casblanca 2008, we should hope that HP roles off their tongues in a similar manner. Yes, we are peeved and ready to hang the executives at Warner Bros, but stop to think wouldn’t they be a bit foolish not to advantage of pushing back the date, rather than rushing to meet the deadline. In all yes they’ve angered fans, but there are huge advantages to doing so.
My suggestion is calm down and look to Melissa’s book and of course Beedle the Bard. I’m positive these things won’t let us down.
Umm, this movie has been anticipated for a year and a half, AND they’ve already put the damned trailer out! THEY CAN’T GET AWAY WITH THIS!! BRING THEM DOWN!!
"Dobby could tell Harry Potter that his old masters were -- were -- [i]bad Dark wizards!"[/i][br]Dobby stood for a moment, quivering all over, horror-struck by his own daring -- then he rushed over to the nearest table and began banging his head on it ver
Has anyone considered the fact that Warner Bros. anticipated that we would be OUTRAGED by their actions, and are using us? Maybe we are part of a big PR campaign. Think about it. Warner’s pushes back the date, we respond in kind, then Warner’s makes a big show in response to our flood of indignation (“We love our fans”) by restoring the release date, or at least releasing it in December (holiday markets are a big money-maker as well) , and in doing so has drummed up a lot of publicity. Harry Potter fans celebrate our “success” over Warner’s by making HBP an absolute blowout opening weekend for them. I wonder if this is all part of a big publicity plan, and we are playing right into it. Hmmm… just a thought.