Statement from Warner
Warner Bros. Pictures announced Thursday that it has moved back the release date of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince from November 21 to Summer 2009.
Warner president and COO Alan Horn announced that the sixth installment of the mega-popular series will be released in theatres July 17, 2009.
Could it be that competition from other holiday movies like Twilight caused Warner to reevaluate Harry Potter’s marketing strategy? Was it the writers strike?
“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,” Horn said. “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.”
“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,” said Jeff Robinov, president of Warner Pictures Group. “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.'”
Translation: they’re worried they won’t make enough money in November, and are pushing it back to create a new “Harry Potter mania” next summer so that these last three features will make more and more money.
At least now we know why they took so long to release a trailer.
It’s taken so long I’ve lost interest. I’ll wait for it to come to DVD if I still care at that point. After people going through HP withdrawl due to the ending of the series, a 2008 release would have kept the hype up, but now its like “oh yeah, they still have some movies left, I forgot.
I wonder if it’s cuz of the Twilight competition :).
JULY?????????????????????????
Que en los jodidos?????
I HOPE the film gods shine down upon us, and grant us a full bootleg leak before the film is even released. That’ll show them money grubbers!
🙂
This is the most retarded thing I have ever heard in my life I would put a million swears in this review like I did my last one but I’m sure it would be deleted so I’ll just have to do my best without swearing. Why the f would those tards push it back till effing JuLY?!?!? They could release right now if they wanted to. I mean the effing trailer released weeks ago this is bs. And they’re better be a huge protest from fans.
Warner Brothers has made a HUGE greed driven mistake.. They have underestimated HP fans!! My family and friends go to the movies a lot, untill now. We will not go to the theater to see any WB movies untill HBP is released in Nov. That is the only thing they understand $$$$$$$. They are holding HBP hostage for more money. That sounds like extortion to me. SOOOOOOOOO Angry!!!
I am so angry I could bite a nail in two. I think we should send a petition or protest somehow. I am 56 years old I have waited long enough as other HP fans have so I don’t care what they say it is for greed and greed only. What a louse of a director or who ever made the decision to hold back. I am starting a private protest no tv, movies ,music or anything WB.
B. Holbrook
Haha, I think HP would overpower Twilight if it were released on December. Like someone said previously, WB is underestimating the HP fan-base. Hmm