Release date for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince pushed back….WAY back
I have some bad news for yall today. I got a press release from my Warner Brothers contact, and it looks like Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is being pushed back from November 21, 2008 to summer 2009. Here’s the press release:
Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that it has moved back the release date of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” to Summer 2009. The sixth installment of the blockbuster Harry Potter franchise will now open day-and-date domestically and in the major international markets on July 17, 2009. The announcement was made by Alan Horn, President and Chief Operating Officer, Warner Bros.
In making the announcement, Mr. Horn stated, “Our reasons for shifting ‘Half-Blood Prince’ to summer are twofold: we know the summer season is an ideal window for a family tent pole release, as proven by the success of our last Harry Potter film, which is the second-highest grossing film in the franchise, behind only the first installment. Additionally, like every other studio, we are still feeling the repercussions of the writers’ strike, which impacted the readiness of scripts for other films—changing the competitive landscape for 2009 and offering new windows of opportunity that we wanted to take advantage of. We agreed the best strategy was to move ‘Half-Blood Prince’ to July, where it perfectly fills the gap for a major tent pole release for mid-summer.”
Jeff Robinov, President of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, confirmed, “The release date change does not alter the production schedule for this or future Harry Potter films. Post-production on ‘Half-Blood Prince’ was completed on time, and the studio’s release plans for the two-part ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ will not be affected by this change. We know Harry Potter fans are eagerly anticipating seeing the final chapters unfold onscreen. In fact, the good news for them is that the gap will now be shortened between ‘Half-Blood Prince’ and the first part of ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.’”
Commenting on the release date change for “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” David Heyman, the producer of all the Harry Potter films, offered, “When Jeff Robinov explained the rationale behind moving the release date of ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ to July 2009, it was immediately apparent that this offered us the potential to reach the widest possible audience. I am extremely proud of this latest film and of the work of David Yates and our incomparable cast; I believe we have developed and pushed the series further still. We are all looking forward to sharing it with Harry Potter fans around the world, even if we have to wait just a bit longer.”
David Yates, the director of both “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” and “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” and who will also helm “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” added, “It has been a joy to work on ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.’ Dan, Rupert and Emma and all our returning young cast continue to blossom, and our new cast members bring fresh color and life to Hogwarts. Even as we put the finishing touches on this latest film, we are already beginning preparations on the final two films—we start filming in February—and I am excited to bring this remarkable series to the exciting and moving conclusion its loyal fans deserve.”
In “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” Voldemort is tightening his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven it once was. Harry suspects that dangers may even lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle that he knows is fast approaching. Meanwhile, the students are under attack from a very different adversary as teenage hormones rage across the ramparts. Love is in the air, but tragedy lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again.
Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Heyday Films production, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.” David Yates, who directed last year’s summer blockbuster “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” returns to direct “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.” David Heyman and David Barron are the producers, with Lionel Wigram serving as executive producer. Steve Kloves wrote the screenplay, based on the book by J.K. Rowling.
Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson are reprising their roles as young wizards Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The film also stars Jim Broadbent, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Timothy Spall, David Thewlis and Julie Walters. The cast also features David Bradley, Jessie Cave, Frank Dillane, Tom Felton, Matthew Lewis, Evanna Lynch, Helen McCrory, Natalia Tena, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, and Bonnie Wright.
So yeah. Not the best of news, but maybe this will make the movie that much better, right? RIGHT?!?!? Trying to think positive here.
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25 opinions for Release date for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince pushed back….WAY back
Pat
Aug 14, 2008 at 15:51
Well, it was bound to happen; the “Almighty Dollar” strikes again. He is right. By pushing the release to the following summer, the more ticket sales they will get. But talk about playing with fans’ emotions; here, we were gearing up for a great movie during the holiday season and now, we will be reading the books over and over again for summer 2009. Oh well, at least that will put the last two movies closer together for their releases, right? ARGHHHHHHHHHH
steph
Aug 14, 2008 at 16:51
this sucks so bad!!! i was os excited about it coming out in only 3 months and now they say i have to actuallie now wait 11 months IM SO MAD!!! REALLY MAD!! why would they premiere the trailor getting everyone so excited and worked up for it and then say oh sorry you gotta wait till next year…grrrrrrr IM SO REALLY MAD RITE NOW!
LestrangePrincess
Aug 14, 2008 at 16:57
WHAT THE HELL!! i have been waiting for this movie for ages.oh Well just have to take my little brother for his birthday in July.I’m not happy i was gonna go with friends on the first day & dress up as Draco’s Mother Narcissa.
Not Happy one bit!!
taylor
Aug 14, 2008 at 18:21
omfg. this is the worst day of my life vive xe i think im gonna puke. im sobbing all over my keyboard
Wendy
Aug 14, 2008 at 18:51
Serioiusly you guys, I know it totally SUCKS. I thought it was a joke at first.
:>)
I’m sorry.
jim
Aug 14, 2008 at 19:19
I am upset about this as well. They new full well when the strike was going on and not once said anything about the movie being moved and they know full well about when movies make more money so to say 3 months before it is to be released they pull this. I am boycotting the movie as much as it hurts because this just comes down to how much $ they will make, as if it won’t make tons of bucks-I say we should boycott the first week or at least the first day of the movie.
anna
Aug 15, 2008 at 01:25
DAMMMNN WHAT THE F*** ARE THEY THINKING?????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i cant think positive right now okayy… i just cant believe it.. ive been waiting for this film all night all day all minute all second all microsecond……. totally SUCKS
PotterPrincess
Aug 15, 2008 at 06:09
OMG! I can’t believe this! I’v ebeen waiting soo long & counting down the days! But to be honest, i could see this coming…
:(
hermioneg247
Aug 15, 2008 at 09:09
This sucks big time. Ok, now I have to take the Harry Potter countdown off the dry-erase board on my door. UGH!!! This is so annoying!!! We were less than 100 days until the movie and then they go and say Oh, we want more money, so the fans will just have to suffer another 8 months for the film.
I was prepared for a longer gap between HBP and DH1- I was fine with that. They had given us this date, had it all set, and NOW they decide to change it. Seriously, it seems like they’re trying to torture us here! And, to make it worse, they said post-production of the movie was completed ON TIME, so it appears they won’t be doing anything to make this movie any better than it is.
If they would have told us 4 months ago, I would have been incredibly upset, but them announcing it now just makes me furious. I seriously want to scream now. Warner Bros. SUCKS!!!!! FORGET THE MONEY FOR ONCE, WON’T YOU?!?!??!!!
vive xe (the only positive thing that comes out of this is that we can probably go to the midnight release together now :) )
hermioneg247
Aug 15, 2008 at 09:10
Ok, WB doesn’t actually suck- I was incredibly mad while typing that. I’m sorry if I offended anyone. :/
vive xe
Tamika
Aug 15, 2008 at 11:18
This doesn’t surprise me. These rep controlled companies love praying on the emotions of the public…
Alana
Aug 15, 2008 at 11:18
I can’t believe it. . . . I thought it was a complete joke but, we have to wait like a year for the release it is going to seem like a lifetime.
taylor
Aug 15, 2008 at 13:43
oh my goodness. people, cmon. how on earth could you possibly expect this? honestly. he’re my take on this, now that i can actually talk and function normally without clutching the nearest object for support: its b/c of twilight. its b/c the people at warner bros have no back bone and are too stupid enough to realize how large the potterverse really is, and how much money they still will get. sure, twilight fans are also harry potter fans and vice versa, but in the long run, hp will win and wb will get all their precious $. GAh!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Im not in shock so much now as explosive anger.
vive xe (ooh, yeah! yahoo! oh, now im happy)
hermioneg247
Aug 15, 2008 at 14:18
Ha, speaking of Twilight, it’s the only thing that’s getting me through all this without throwing something. At least I have SOMETHING to look forward to in the Nov/Dec time. I think the competition would have done well for both movies, but whatever. I know I would have seen both (probably at the midnight showings). I just wish Warner Bros. wouldn’t have done this to us. But I’ve already done my ranting; I’m starting to accept this… even though what I thought I was going to see in 3 months, I won’t actually see for 11 months…
vive xe (we will definitely be discussing this on the 31. I’ll bring Twilight if you want…) :D
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daisyL
Aug 16, 2008 at 08:49
ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!
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HP fan
Aug 29, 2008 at 06:27
It just goes to show how companies in America cares only for money, greed is a terrible thing. The sad thing about the WB company is that they don’t mind this decision which will and is affecting many fans by making them wait. To know the production is done and that they are just holding on to it until summer for more money makes my respect for this company go way down.
For this reason, I vow not to go see the movie at the theatre but to wait until it is out on video even as painful as this may be. I think as the fans of all the HP movies we could come together and boycott the movie to get this date changed once again. If we stay passive as all Americans tend to do anymore things like this will continue to happen.
Just a thought?? let me know who is with me?
smitty
Sep 9, 2008 at 15:32
it’s like christmass is gone and i have to wait another year to be happy again.
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