|
AUGUST 14, 2008 at 4:20 PM
Posted by GERI
Source: Business Wire
Warner Bros. has just announced
that the release date for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has been pushed back and will be released on July 17, 2009 instead of this coming November. This news has been confirmed to HPANA by Warner Bros.
Alan Horn, President and Chief Operating Officer, Warner Bros. 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.
While producer David Heyman 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.
UPDATE: The official Potter site has been updated with the new release date.
UPDATE II: We don't normally do this, but fan reaction to this news is understandably heated (to put it mildly) and we thought it would be fun to post links to petitions that will try to convince WB to rethink their decision. (No offense, but it will have no effect whatsoever except to make them feel bad -- momentarily -- before going back to counting money --Ed., Cheeser.) Feel free to send links to any petitions you find!
UPDATE III: IMAX was apparently caught by surprise. They've just released a very short statement concerning the change:
Reflecting today's announcement that the release date of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has moved to July 2009, IMAX Corporation confirmed it is already exploring alternative titles for this year's holiday season and is confident it will secure a solid film for the IMAX(R) theatre network.
UPDATE IV: Hold on to your hats, folks. Studio head Alan Horn told the Associated Press today after the announcement:
"The picture is completely, absolutely, 100 percent on schedule, on time. There were no delays. I've seen the movie. It is fabulous. We would have been perfectly able to have it out in November."
UPDATE V: 16-year-old explodes due to delay of 'Harry Potter 6'
Reader Comments (289)
Your Thoughts
click to write...
Copyright © 2002-2010 HPANA. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. 
HPANA is an unofficial fan site, in no way affiliated with J.K. Rowling,
Scholastic Books, Bloomsbury Publishing or Warner Bros. Entertainment. All
trademarks and copyrighted material are the property of their respective owners.
About HPANA | Movie 6 | Send a news tip | Contact us | Privacy policy
226-250 251-275 276-289
Auror
Points: 2363
Nataly says:
Disappointing action.. very sad move! Hope this move is good.. i really wanted to see the movie in November..:(
Posted Aug 19, 2008 at 5:01 AM EST
Muggle
Points: 1
Tommy040698 says:
What? They will make the same amount of money as in November. Oh wait they will make less.
Posted Aug 19, 2008 at 1:44 PM EST
Wizard
Points: 722
Seeker04 says:
I cannot believe this crap!!!! For them to say that it is not about money is complete and utter BS!!!! I think it's very plain for all to see that WB is only thinking of their bank acounts and not the amount of fans who have spent countless hours anticipating this movie. I mean I had an entire weekend planned off from work and everything! I think what makes it worst is that as upset as we all are it will make no differnce to WB big wigs who will probablly not even read our posts and call us names and say we are over reacting!!!! For them to think it is ok to do this so close to the release date is them showing us how much they really care about the fans!!
But still us devoted Potter fans will unite behind our beloved Harry and JK Rowling's masterpiece! And for the first time ever I wished that it was not WB who had a part in such a great series!!!!!
Posted Aug 19, 2008 at 6:13 PM EST
Princess of the Heliopaths
Points: 5277
Ginny Weasly says:
Ok so everything they put out so far still says November. I just watched the trailer and it says November. Then people are coming out and saying that the movie is done and ready for the theatres. The question is why are Warner Brothers slapping the hands that pay them? Do they really think that the fans will put up with this? We've been waiting a long time already and so many people were excited that in a few months we would be able to see the new movie. Now we find out that we have to wait another year...what the heck were they thinking. Waiting two years to see the next movie is not what many people had planned on. No one who is a fan of the movies is going to be happy about this. I'm so upset with Warner Brothers that they would be so selfish and money grubing. They're going to get a ton of money from the movie no matter when they put it out. Except that if they keep the July 2009 date they'll have a lot of upset fans. I am very disapointed in this company...but I'm sure that means nothing to them...only money matter to them I guess.
Posted Aug 19, 2008 at 7:37 PM EST
Witch
Points: 801
HoggyWartyHogwarts, says:
This is ridiculous.
They should have told us ages ago if they were changing the date not just a few months from the release date.
Posted Aug 20, 2008 at 6:44 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2218
Feelin' Felix Felicis says:
UPDATE IV: Hold on to your hats, folks. Studio head Alan Horn told the Associated Press today after the announcement:
"The picture is completely, absolutely, 100 percent on schedule, on time. There were no delays. I've seen the movie. It is fabulous. We would have been perfectly able to have it out in November."
I'm going to keep my mouth shut because I don't want to lose house points, but I have a few choice words for Alan Horn. What I will say is that he is a jerk and can go straight to hell.
Posted Aug 20, 2008 at 11:24 AM EST
Muggle
Points: 68
Poly Wonka says:
I am angery just like everyone else. I recommend not a day, a week for us to wait to see HBP. That will make W.B regret what they did!
Posted Aug 21, 2008 at 1:08 AM EST
Kathe Mera Kalimera
Points: 7720
dominor says:
Damn Alan made a big mess this time.. I don't think i will petition tho, cause i don't care when it comes out, i just care for the quality of the film, i want to see a descent HP movie for once..
Posted Aug 21, 2008 at 8:22 AM EST
Witch
Points: 985
Weasleyismyking!/R/Hrfrv says:
This is an absolute insult! I can't believe this is actually happening. I don't understand what the strike has to do with it?!
Posted Aug 24, 2008 at 10:30 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1181
princess165 says:
Its a trite comment by now for sure, but seeing as I have been out of touch with the HP world for a few weeks, I need to speak my peace and vent:
WHAT???????!!!!! This would have been easier to take if they hadn't waited until there were already TRAILERS released as well as SEVERAL photos of the set. At LEAST they were honest and said its because they want more money. Because lets face it, as angry as many of us are now, we'll still go see the movie like good little doobies next summer.
UCCCHHH.
Posted Aug 27, 2008 at 2:58 AM EST
Professor
Points: 1194
sirius'doll says:
I'm sure that it is utterly useless to say this, but by the time this movie is released, won't it be 2 years since the last?
So how is telling us that we won't hav eto wait two years for the first part of Deathly Hallows any sort of consilation?
And furthermore, it IS the summer holiday's here in Australia for a December release! Warner Bros. should realise that there is a different world past their own studio's!
Posted Sep 6, 2008 at 5:41 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2576
Mystique says:
Well i couldn't believe it when i heard it... but of course after thinking about it, i understood why... it's all about the money!
The producers insist on the films being scaled down to 2 hours to cut costs, yet are perfectly willing ot push back the release date of the film by 8 months, just to make more money off of it. Will they ever make enough? i think not. We want to see the film out of love of the series, they are making the film due to thier love of money.
why doesn't JKR step in and do something about this?
Posted Sep 10, 2008 at 12:01 PM EST
Squib
Points: 119
Hogwartian says:
What a BLOW! HP has so many beautiful messages in it, but WB are turning it into a money maker only. Maybe fans should boycott the release and wait till the DVD is out, it will be painful but that'll teach them I guess.
Posted Sep 21, 2008 at 5:35 PM EST
Witch
Points: 894
CissyBel says:
I cannot understand. Don't they feel that the HP movies are so suitable for winter time, and moreover, for Christmas? I believe that the November-December period is just ideal. Personally I never enjoyed thw HP films in midsummer. Oh horrible marketing, oh detestful economical plans! And what did the first one say?That the previous film was so successful? Dear God, it was the worst, I saw it once and I never thought of seeing it again, it was horrid!!!
I believe it was wrong the way the whole project was handled after the 4rth movie.
Posted Dec 27, 2008 at 4:44 PM EST
226-250 251-275 276-289
Back to top of page