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.’
I have a feeling there will be lots of bootleg due to…well… people showing WB not to mess with them and their already shaky loyalty to their HP movie empire. Personally, I’m not going to tear my hair out because this movie has been moved into next summer. Movies like the TDK have already set a standard for the movies of 2008 (and beyond!) and there’s no way that Potter was going to break that threshold after only a few short months. HP looks dumpy and boring next to THAT movie. Not to mention that I don’t have high hopes for the HBP movie. WB is playing on people’s love of Potter too much. They forget that their fans are still human, not mindless money spitting machines. Some of us who feel angry now will be angry all the way through next summer. But most people will forgive and forget and get over it. WB is counting on that. Let them. I’m not showing up at midnight to see a poor rendition of a phenomenal story. It’s not worth the patience, the gas, or the money. Mr. Horn can release as many letters as he likes, but I’m putting out my owl repellant.
I usually don’t do this, but I just had to in this instance… To those who feel that responding to what WB has done in a pro active and ticked off way is “immature”, and we should all follow the herd mentality and just “go with the flow” and accept things for the way they are… I can only say this… If people like you ruled the world we would all still be living in caves and eating raw meat! And if you don’t get the connection, then you have just proven my point… Cheers…
What crap! Keep the boycott, letters, and e-mails going.
If, as Alan Horn so disingenuously said, that Warner Brothers loves its fans, they should move the film back to November.
Yes, Harry Potter fans will still see the movie regardless when it is released. However, that doesn’t mean they can’t show Warner Brothers the same contempt it showed them. One way angry Harry Potter fans can show their outrage is to boycott the theatrical releases of Warner Brothers films in the future.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
The Women
Appaloosa
RocknRolla
Body of Lies
Pride and Glory
Four Christmases
Yes Man
If you’re an angry Harry Potter fan and you simply must see one of these films, wait until after the opening weekend. In the current horse race mentality of Hollywood, the opening weekend gross is all important.
If you really want to hurt Warner Brothers, on the weekend one of these films is released, see a competing film.
Make sure your voice is heard. Let Warner Brothers know your intention to boycott:
I’m not sure if this has been said yet; it’s tough keeping up with all the comments about the move. But the real reason this was done was because of the success of the Dark Knight.
WB doesn’t need the extra money. DK is making plenty. But what looks bad on paper is having a monster year this year with both DK and HBP releasing within months and having only an average year next year. Stockholders look at year-to-year totals to judge a movie company’s success.
So while it is all about money, it’s more about the bigger picture (excuse the pun) rather than just a few more million that HBP could make in the summer.
Well, I kinda like my steaks rare.
The decision my not have been Mr. Horn’s alone. So, whatever the reason, I will be there opening day to see the show.
Haa haa haa! (in a Bellatrix psycho laugh!) I can’t beleive this. This had best not be is attempt at appeasing us! 18 months to DH’s!!! I’m still very upset. I’m also infuriated that I had just seen a WB’s movie right before they released that BS on Thursday. GRRRR!....
It’s probably a good thing I couldn’t get my post to take on Thursday!....
But really, CAN IT and just give us our movie or come clean and tell us that the movie just wasn’t up to snuff. You probably should have just lied and said that this was the reason instead of you being able to get more money. We’d have been much more understandable about a change in date. And we might not have threatened a BOYCOTT!!
Face it Alan, you’ve lost some credulity with us by only wanting our money. No smoke and mirrors is going to make us forget what you said or did.
Hey, at least we now know why they waited so darned long to give us a teaser trailer….
Yes, it will only be an 18 month wait for the first half of DH…until they move THAT one back another 6 months…then part 2 of DH ANOTHER 6 months back…not buying it one bit!
Silver lining my ass. The Deathly Hallows Part 1 is still going to be released at the same time, so moving the Half Blood Prince back 8 months doesnt change that. It purely means we have to wait longer for the Half Blood Prince. So what if theres a bigger gap between the next two!! We’ll have the DVD to entertain us until Hallows is released. And this will put the gap between 5 and 6 upto 2 years!!! This is no silver lining or consolation. Its a BS story that WB is spreading to try to ‘pacify’ their ‘beloved’ fans. BTW. I find ‘pacify’ to be very insulting. We’re not babies whom you can pacify. We will be heard whether you like it or not. The loyal fans of Harry Potter and JK Rowling (as it is them to whom we are devoted – not WB) will not rest or be ‘pacified’ until the release date is changed back.
i’m sorry, but what the hell did he think was going to happen?
did he honestly think that we were going to see that the release date had been pushed back 8 months and we were going to be like “oh, o.k.”. seriously W.B. think about it for a second.
Sorry to sound stupid here, but can someone please explain the difference between this letter and the inital press release? Because I sure as can’t see a difference! He is going on about the same stuff as before and simly rewording it ever so slightly.
You are a fool sir, and you will lose every fan you have if you continue this way!