Half-Blood Prince delayed until July 17th, 2009
Warner Brothers has just announced that Half-Blood Prince will be delayed. The film will instead be released on July 17th, 2009. From the press release: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.”
Read the full release at the link below.
Press Release:
BURBANK, CA, August 14, 2008 – 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.
“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” will be released by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
BURBANK, CA, August 14, 2008 – 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.
“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” will be released by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
Posted by Andrew on Aug 14th |
1478 Comments
Visitor Comments
WTF!!?!?!?!?! WHY!?!?!? WHY!?!?!?!?!? NOOOOOOO THIS IS STUPID!!!!!!!! SUMMER 09 ?????? WTF WTF!!! IM SURE THIS IS BENS FAULT!!!!!! GRRRRR OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG
no...effing....way.... http://www. petitionspot.com/petition s/harrypotter6 REMOVE SPACES AND SIGN!
OK, I just went on the WB site and IT still shows the July release date, plus no press releases for this. I am praying that this is all someone's idea of a joke. I mean, it's bad enough that they are breaking the last book into 2 movies (since they have left so many things from the books out of the movies, what are they planning on doing? Putting EVERYTHING in at the last minute?) but now it really is looking like the only motivation WB had was monetary. WB, this mean WAR!
you have to be kidding me?! they move the movie back on so short notice. They have had this date set for the movie for over a year! The writer's strike they are talking about happened in the US, that shouldn't really effect a movie made overseas. I was really looking forward to seeing that movie this november. Oh well
i think the petition should be called "who hates WB?"
parallel: this is exactly how I felt when DUMBLEDORE DIED.
Here's the petition... http://www.petitionspot.c om/petitions/harrypotter6
I actually thought that this was a joke... I still can't believe it. Something needs to be done. I think that if this is true then maybe they messed up real bad on something and that is why and it sounds better to say that they will make a profit than saying that they made whatever HUGE mistake it was. Either that or they really are just greedy bast*rds who don't care. What has JK Rowling got to say about this? She always has a say in her movies and doesn't she care about her fans? Something will be done. Come on people - do something - boycott the movie theatres and don't have anything to do with the HP movies until something is done!! As difficult as that is.... I'm just psst*d off.
I just thought of a "silver lining". they have more time to work on the CGI effects, so they'll probably look better!
WB is really being greedy here! as of now thinking of boycotting the film! shame on you WB!
I'm honestly considering not going at all...this is exactly the kind of crap we've come to expect from WB and personally, i'm sick of it...
WHAT!!!!!!!!! Its unbelievable, who do they think they are? We would go to watch it even if it is on December 31st at 12:00 am!!!!!!
FJDKLASSJFKLD;ASJLFDK;A ARE THEY KIDDING ME?!!????? WTH, WHO CARES ABOUT FRIGGEN SALES!??? WE CAN'T WAIT THAT LONG!! IF THE FRIGGEN MOVIE WAS READY IN NOVEMBER, WHY WAIT TILL JULY!!???!??
What the effing hell. Good job WB for basically screwing yourselves over. I am beyond pissed. Contacting WB right now and I'll def be signing that petition.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO O IM PISSEDDDD
This is the worst ever!! I was going to be able to see the movie in England!! but now I wont be there in July!! And its so far away!! What are they going to do for a year to keep us all happy and satisfied?
HBP strikes me as a better summer movie than a winter movie anyway. Just as DH will make a better winter movie. So while the last four movies were probably all released in the wrong season, the next two will have a better fit between the time of their release and the tone of the film. And it just works out that the very last film, with its Paschal themes, should work well as a spring release. I have plenty to do for the next 11 months, so this is no big deal for me.
Is this a joke?
this is so freakin ridiculous! i could cry but im just too pissed! i dont understand how they could just change it when we are so close. so close. we were so close. ugh i feel like they akready had planned to move it which is whyu the trailer was so late and everything but that would be just vicious! i hate this. now we will have had a two year gap between 5 and 6 and like 3 months between six and seven and then another year and a half til the second half of dh. gaayyyy!
Someone suggested protest? I say blood bath. This is freaking stupid they can't do that can they. I mean come on there are way more hp fans than people at warner bros isn't there anything that can be done about this????
GUYS: I just saw something on Sunrise (an Australian breakfest TV show) that said it was due 8 months for ONLY Australia. That made me sooo angry. But now here it says that it's due out internationally on that date... that gives me some consolation but I am still sooo angry.
[sigh] I was really hoping today was April 1st.
WHY ARE THEY DOING THIS?!? did gof really not do that well in november that they decided to torture us all by waiting 8 more months?!?!?!? WHAT THE HECK WARNER BROTHERS?!? i just don't understand...
I have just sent these emails in complaint: I am emailing like probably thousands to complain to you. And while I understand you are simply doing your job I as a movie goer must make my voice heard. I think it is disgusting that Warner Brothers are delaying the release of a FINISHED film for over 10 months, TO LINE THEIR OWN POCKETS. Because that's what it is about, it was all their in the press release. The problem is that by releasing it 11 months later they are seriously alienating the majority of the audience who go to see the potter films. And potentionally thus reducing your profits. Why does a multi million dollar company need to worry that they wont make as much money in 2009. Hey because it's not like they don't make enough anyway right? To view the ever growing petition click here: http://www.petitionspot.c om/petitions/harrypotter6 I am disgusted. Yours sincerly, Amy
fudge bulshit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !! fudge fuckk fudge bullshit all they want is to make more money and psst us off while doing it i am offically no longer a fan of this shhh fudge you filmmakers, studios, and money grubbers fudge this
I just looked on the WB site and under the trailer it says its released on 17th july 2009. Fuc**rs.
I am so P!SSED.
why on the same day as the theme park???? maybe they dont want it to come out that early????? this is gonna be remembered in history! i mean really, think about it!!!
OMFG!!! U HAVE 2 B JOKING WB MUST HAVE A DEATH WISH IVE BEEN DYING TO SEE THIS MOVIE AGGGHGHGHHGHGHGHG I HATE THEM. I HATE THEM. I HATE THEM.!!!! THIS HAS TO B A JOKE!!! x[
WTFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF ARE U KIDDING ME? just to make my day a lot worse!!! we've been waiting a year for this movie and now we have to wait another?!?! wtf im seriously pissed right now.
MOTHER FUCKKKKKERS!!!!!!!!!!! AJKSHDAKSJHFDKJHASDMHN DIE DIE DIE WB DIE DIE DIE! WTF! and it'll ben even later for us Australians I bet, your summer movies always get pushed to August. Omg i'm so PO'd. I'd booked a hotel room in the city already for the release night. My friend just rang me screaming. WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!
that is soooooo not fair!!!!!!! why'd they have to change it anyway? is the summer really any much of a money maker then all the other seasons!!! just 'cause a lot of people vacation during the summer doens't make a difference to harry potter fans! summer shummer i say!!! i was counting down the days and everything too! and all for what? TO ADD STINKIN' MORE DAYS TO MY CLOCK THAT'S WHAT!!
Does this mean that the other movies will be delayed as well?
Warner Brothers sickens me with this kind of thing. I bet there will be loads of people with pirated versions; anyone wishing to boycott shouldn't have too hard a time. I might do that myself; it would feel SOO GOOD to know that they aren't getting what their greedy a$$e$ want. Urgh I wish there was some building I could stand outside and picket furiously.
I'm still in denial...:'(((((((((
I CALL FOR A LIVE MUGGLECAST. NOW.
I am so enraged by the idiots at WB. I am so mad I don't even know what to say about them. This just sucks beyond any comparison. And they know they have us by the wallets because we love Harry Potter so much we will see it anyway. These money grubbing idiots just don't have anything for next summer and have made enough with The Dark Knight that they don't care about making us wait.
OK, seriously. I know we're all angry and stuff, but are you all really that surprised? The teaser was delayed like two or three months, and we're barely getting any news. Anyway, would you rather have a crappy movie now or a great movie later? Warner Brothers aren't actually magical.
FCUK YOU, WB. I never thought this would happen to a Harry Potter movie! I just turned 16 in July and when I finally get to see this movie, I'll be 17. I can't imagine.
Wow, yeah- it feels like someone is going to pop out and say "April Fools!". ... What the heck? Well, I genuinely hope this is what is needed for it to become a great movie, however if it's not the best film so far, Warner Bro's is going to be real trouble. -sigh- Sou nds like we're going to have to adjust all of our count-downs.
Avada Kedavra!!
AAAAAAAAAH ! NO, THEY CAN'T DO THIS, Warner Brother and the American Idol producers are just ASKING FOR IT this year !
OMG I am about to have a stroke....I cannot belive this rubish....H=who do they think they are???? We have been so anxiously waiting for this mivie and then we have to wait another Year???? I am so disapointed....I don't care about their strategy....It effin suck!!!!!!!
What?? How can they do this to us? They will make tons of money from the hardcore fans no matter what day its realeases. They should keep the old one and the the money sooner! I think the death eaters are behind this.
I hope WB reads Mugglenet comments.
If I could sware on mugglenet, I think all the sware words known to man would be pouring out of my mouth! I am absolutely FUC*ING disgusted! Its and absolute outrage, I knew there was something up all along, but how on earth and a completed film be a danger to the company becuase of a writers strike that happened ages ago! Scandal, there is obviously something going on here, something wrong with the film! And not once in that statement was JK Rowling mentioned at all, I wander how she feels! What we need is something really powerful to send to the studios and hope for the best, absolutely appalled!
If I could sware on mugglenet, I think all the sware words known to man would be pouring out of my mouth! I am absolutely FUC*ING disgusted! Its and absolute outrage, I knew there was something up all along, but how on earth and a completed film be a danger to the company becuase of a writers strike that happened ages ago! Scandal, there is obviously something going on here, something wrong with the film! And not once in that statement was JK Rowling mentioned at all, I wander how she feels! What we need is something really powerful to send to the studios and hope for the best, absolutely appalled!
DEATH TO WB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, basically, they're doing this to make more money by releasing it in the summer. Like they weren't going to make a ton of money off it already. Let's just delay it and hope that the anticipation will make more people go see the movie and spend more money, rather than keeping their fanbase happy and releasing it this year. This makes sense if you think of it from the greedy, money-handling fools at Warner Brothers' point of view.
http://www. petitionspot.com/petition s/harrypotter6
Back to Top