Alan Horn, the president and chief operating officer of Warner Bros., has issued another statement about the move of the Half-Blood Prince movie to July 2009; in this statement he addresses the fans directly (as far as we know, this statement has only been sent to fan sites) and says that the decision to move the film was “not taken lightly” and “never intended to upset Harry Potter fans.” He also says, “We know you have built this series into what it is.”
The full text is below:
‘Many of you have written to me to express your disappointment in our moving “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” to Summer 2009. Please be assured that we share your love for Harry Potter and would certainly never do anything to hurt any of the films. Over the past 10 years, we have nurtured and protected each film, and the integrity of the books upon which they are based, to the best of our ability. The decision to move “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” was not taken lightly, and was never intended to upset our Harry Potter fans. We know you have built this series into what it is, and we thank you for your ongoing enthusiasm and support. If I may offer a silver lining: there would have been a two-year gap between “Half-Blood Prince” and the much-anticipated first part of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” which opens in November 2010. So although we have to wait a little longer for “Half-Blood Prince,” the wait from that film until “Deathly Hallows” will be less than 18 months. I am sorry to have disappointed you now, but if you hold on a little longer, I believe it will be worth the wait.’
Bottom line I’m allowed to bitch and moan about this all I want. I’m entitled to my own opinion, and I think all his statements are BS. and if you want people to get over it like others have mentioned here then you might as well quit reading the comments. we are allowed to be upset, we’re being treated unfairly. and this is where we come to voice our opinion.
I still have trouble swallowing his “sincerity” about not wanting to hurt HP fans, etc., especially since HE has seen the movie (as he so inconsiderately pointed out the other day). Surely SOMEONE there thought for at least a moment about what all this would entail, beyond just the chance to spread out their $$$$$$$$. They’d just begun ramping up their PR for HBP and what have you, and then they just pulled the rug out from under its feet. And what about how much more $$$$$$$$ they’ll have to spend next year to re-start the PR events and what have you? I can understand their POV in regard to a business-based decision, etc. But it still seems to me that they’re robbing their fans in one way only to try to sugar-coat it and expect us to just roll over and be happy about it. And yes, Mr. Horn—we KNEW there would be a two-year wait for DH. We’re not stupid, you know?? All the fan sites and other news agents who had visited the sets of HBP this past winter… by the time they’re allowed to share those interviews, etc., now, they’ll be over a year old, and totally out of date. Who’s going to absorb the costs of those sorts of expenses and/or let them re-do them during the midst of DH’s filming? He says they “didn’t do this lightly” and so forth? Why is it so hard to even begin to believe that??
And I hate to say this, but… please, TLC… unless you’re all holding on to hope that they might possibly change the date back (which I doubt more and more as they continue to spin out these stupid comments)... can we please just… I don’t know… suspend the movie countdown here on TLC or something (at least for a while, maybe)? It’s just really hard to look at that countdown every time I’m here and be even further reminded of what we’ve lost. I know we’ll get to see the movie at some point, but right now, it’s like an open wound that they just keep pouring salt in as they attempt to “pacify” us. I’m not going to waste my energy on being furious at them for forever or anything like that. But that doesn’t mean I’m not disappointed that things are the way they are now. Every time I begin to just try to move on about the whole thing, Horn opens his mouth again and just makes it worse. :-P
“I guess we do have a voice and it’s large enough for us to be adressed so respectfully.”
yeah…im just gonna hav 2 wait…mhpm…oh well
it might be better…cuz then i will be able 2 stay up and watch the Potter actors do interviews on late night talk shows when i couldnt do during school cuz i gotta wake up early
If WB is going to make us wait, they should go back and re-edit the movie to make it longer. There’s always something good that gets cut. And how about a couiple of sneak peaks as well!!!!
They better not screw around with DH, let us have them on time 18 months apart as planned. From HBP to DH1 and DH2 is a three year span. That is July 2009 to July 2012! Think we can survive that?
“I guess we do have a voice and it’s large enough for us to be adressed so respectfully.”
yeah…im just gonna hav 2 wait…mhpm…oh well
it might be better…cuz then i will be able 2 stay up and watch the Potter actors do interviews on late night talk shows when i couldnt do during school cuz i gotta wake up early
I dont know what to say about this move except, THIS SUCKS. HBP is my favorite book and I was having a hard time waiting till november now its next July, that s just crazy, I think they should change it back because there are a lot of disappointed people out there.
This is the biggest load of BS I’ve ever heard. They are doing the same thing that Paramount did to the new Star Trek film. They moved it to next summer to make more money, plain & simple. The film will be finished before Christmas and waiting for next summer will not make it any better. It’s corporate greed at it’s worst.
If ever their were a bad business decision made, this was a whooper.
t goes on into production for 7. Older stars are not get any younger.
What a great guy and his friends. The Stars get older and the longer i
But what does that matter more toys gags and the Universal should be done the with Hopper World by then. Which may be part of the reason.
I will not to go see the movie WB will make no more money than possible.
But I will if, Leaky likes it I will purchase the cheap Blu-Ray. The less they make the better. They act like they would star the real Devil himself, if they could make more bucks. I will not go to any more of the potter movies, through seven.
What upsets me is that the WB and Mr. Horn made this decision out of GREED which GOES AGAINST EVERYTHING HARRY POTTER STANDS FOR! They have made record money off of the Dark Knight and could have taken the “hit” not to have a summer blockbuster in 2009 (especially with Harry #6 making more money for them if it would have came out this year). It really makes me sick. I am not satisfied with his apology as I don’t see it as truthfull…it’s all about the $ for the WB. I know this isn’t mature but when HP#6 comes out I will be buying a ticket for another studio’s film (and then sneaking into HP…ha). Seriously though it’s about time the consumer/us show Mr. Horn what Harry fans can do…greed cannot be tolerated.
you know what i don’t care if it wasn’t meant to hurt HP fans! it did and don’t try to make us feel better by saying there is a short wait for DH. Voldemort (alan horn) and his little death eaters can just crawl back in that hole they came from and rot!
He talks like he’s speaking a group of kindergarteners, for heavens sake! ‘A silver lining’? What does he think we’re all going to do, nod our heads and say, “okay, yeah, that sounds nice daddy!”.
Give me a break. This is garbage, GARBAGE, garbage, from start to finish and in all the lack of content in between.
If I have to wait, then I will wait on my schedule, and keep my hard earned money to myself. Some of us actually work for a living. Christmas 2009 DVD here I come. Or maybe I’ll just download it….
Maybe we SHOULD show Mr. Horn and WB what Harry fans can do, and how upset we are by organizing a boycott of WB movies and all of their other products. Maybe a little bad publicity will change their minds.
"...come to number ninety-three, Diagon Alley -- Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes," he said in a loud voice. "Our new premises!"[br]"Special discounts to Hogwarts students who swear they're going to use our products to get rid of this old bat," added George, poi
One of my friends said that WB should stick with what they know… Bugs Bunny. I’ll second that!