In what might seem like a very very strange business decision, Warner Bros will stop shipping all Harry Potter theatrical film titles starting December 29th. This is usually not something you do with the most successful film franchise of all time.

Here’s the press release:

Burbank, CA – October 24, 2011 – Harry Potter, the #1 motion picture franchise of all time, will soon disappear from shelves, as Warner Bros. stops shipping all Harry Potter theatrical film titles (including Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ – Part 2, and Harry Potter: The Complete 8-Film Collection) as of December 29, 2011 (moratorium does not include digital – Electronic Sell-Through & VOD – or games). The Harry Potter franchise has grossed more than $12.1 billion for Warner Bros. Entertainment – with $7 billion at the worldwide box office for Warner Bros. Pictures and $5.1 billion for Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

As you can see, Warner Bros. have given no explanation for this but I might be able to help with that. You see, such a move just before Christmas boosts demand for the movies considerably. This means people have to buy the DVDs and Blu-rays before the 29th of December otherwise there ain’t gonna be no Harry Potter left for them. That’s short-term, in the long-term Warner could re-release the movies as events (and this is probably what they are planning). In the past Disney pulled similar stunts and it worked well for them so Warner Bros. are following suit.

Bottom line is this, if you want an original copy of any of the Harry Potter movies (or the entire collection) on DVD or Blury, you have to buy it this year, otherwise you’ll be left with bootleg copies found on the corner of the street. Warner Bros. want your money now.

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 will be hitting DVD and Blu-ray in a few weeks (November 11 in the U.S., December 2 in the UK) and a preview of the behind-the-scenes documentary ‘When Harry Left Hogwarts’ has been released online.

British filmmaker Morgan Matthews was on-set during the filming of the final two films, and the full documentary will be on the Blu-ray Triple Play Pack via Target in the US (no word yet about international releases).

The 4 minute preview (via SnitchSeeker) features interviews and on-set action with Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter, Gary Oldman and Robbie Coltrane, among others.

Watch below:

BAFTA award-winning filmmaker Morgan Matthews has been given unprecedented access to the creative decision making processes that have been kept as a closely guarded secret – until now. Hear the personal stories of the faces we know, and those we don’t, as we come to the end of one of the most successful eras in cinema history.

Amazon has made Deathly Hallows: Part 2 available to pre-order on: DVD | Blu-ray

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Cowboys & Aliens, The Smurfs and Crazy, Stupid, Love are the new movies in theaters this weekend. So we have everything covered, sci-fi and action, kiddie stuff, romance and comedy, but how will all of them play out at the box office over the weekend against Captain and Potter?

For a few years now we’ve been hearing about this Cowboys & Aliens and thanks to Universal (who else would go for such an outlandish idea), it’s finally here. Directed by Jon Favreau (Iron Man) and starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde and Sam Rockwell, Cowboys & Aliens opens in 3750 theaters today. It seems reactions to the movie have been all over the place with some loving the concept (based on a comic book) and others not really digging it. I personally can’t wait to see Cowboys & Aliens since it is right exactly my cup of tea and while I know it won’t blown any minds (43% on Rotten Tomatoes can mean a lot of things) it should make for a fun time at the movies. Unfortunately I can’t really see it opening with more then $45 million. Still, it should be enough for 1st place over the weekend.

Captain America: The First Avenger will finish 2nd with $27.5 million, so that should be a decent drop for a summer blockbuster and with over $119 million in 10 days, it’s right in line with Thor ($119.5 million after 10 days). Considering Thor has made over $180 million so far, I’m expecting similar results from Captain America. Finishing above $200 million is not out of the question just yet.

3rd place should find Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 stabilizing after the big drop that came last week. With $24 million over the weekend, Potter will be at $320 million after 17 days. That number means Deathly Hallows Part 2 becomes the highest grossing film in the series in North America (not adjusted for inflation). This is now back on track to become the highest grossing movie of the year, beating Transformers: Dark of the Moon (that should be at $339 million after the weekend, in just 33 days) in the coming weeks.

The Smurfs, from Sony, opens in 3395 theaters and is, well, based on an animated series that I grew up with. So after seeing a few trailers and looking at the reception so far, you can kind of understand why trashing The Smurfs here, while easy, comes with a bit of pain. Why oh why did they have to Scooby Doo this series, wasn’t Yogi enough? What’s next, Tom & Jerry? Looney Toones… oh wait, they already screwed that one with Space Jam… must forget! Oh well, my giant crystal ball says The Smurfs will smurf their way to 4th place with a smurfing $20 million or so over the smurfing weekend (and yes, I just did that).

Finally in 5th place, the date movie I promised you and, surprisingly, the best reviewed wide opener of the week, Crazy, Stupid, Love. Opening in 3020 theaters with a big ensemble cast, this could upset the balance and take 4th place from The Smurfs (and few things would make me happier this week) with $19-20 million. Here, to conclude I’ll leave you with the trailer, maybe you can help with the smurfing of The Smurfs at the smurfing box office.

Next week Rise of the Planet of the Apes brings a new perspective on the Planet of the Apes saga while The Change-Up is another R-rated comedy with Jason Bateman and Ryan Reynolds (switching bodies no less).

Read similar posts to Cowboys and Aliens battle Captain America at the box office at Filmonic

Until about three weeks ago, I had no relationship with the Harry Potter franchise. Never read the books, never saw any of the movies. So I decided to catch up with all of the older movies and see the final film in theaters. And though some of those earlier films are hit-and-miss, I don’t regret my decision at all; the entire experience was unquestionably worth it just to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 wrap up this series in such an impressive way. People (myself included) throw around the word “epic” fairly often, but this movie is deserving of that description, instantly becoming my favorite of this franchise.

[It's nearly impossible to review this movie - or the entire Potter series, for that matter - without at least acknowledging the similarities to Lord of the Rings, another wildly successful franchise with a "hero's journey" story at its core. To list every similarity would be counterproductive for the purposes of this review, but suffice it to say there are many.]

Deathly Hallows: Part 2 picks up immediately where Part 1 left off, and thankfully has far more action and importance than its neutered predecessor. To the cynical outsider looking in, it would appear that Warner Bros. split the last book into two movies for no other reason than to make more money (a task at which Part 2 has excelled so far). But I’m actually glad they went down that path, considering how Part 2 feels like it’s stuffed to the brim as it is; audiences surely would have been cheated out of this film’s awesomeness if the writer had to cram the dullness of Part 1 into the same film. As long as Part 2 delivers – and trust me, it does – then I think it’s justifiable that we suffered through the spinning wheels of Part 1 as a pure setup for this finale.

Steve Kloves, who wrote the screenplays for all of the movies except for Order of the Phoenix (my previous favorite of the series, coincidentally), did a great job wrapping everything up and bringing closure to a series that spanned such a lengthy amount of time. Even among the minor characters, no one felt shortchanged, and the Big Three of Harry, Ron, and Hermione were given the send-off they deserved. The flashback sequence was a particularly inspired bit of writing (taken, I’m sure, from Rowling’s original novel), allowing for the dramatic reveal of Snape’s past. And to avoid spoilers, I’ll simply say I really enjoyed the way the elbents of the Deathly Hallows were used in the story.

The younger cast members improved dramatically during their ten year run bringing these characters to life, and this was a high point for each of them. I can’t wait to watch the trajectories of the main casts’ careers move forward from here; Radcliffe, in particular, I can envision becoming a Ron Howard-type: someone raised in front of the camera, but evolving into a serviceable filmmaker in his own right. I also loved seeing lower-tier characters like Neville Longbottom make an impact here in Part 2, coming full circle from his introduction as the laughable loser back in The Sorcerer’s Stone. The arcs of the Malfoys – both young and old - were also fun to watch as the movies progressed. (Villains who are THAT dramatic are always awesome.) One thing is for sure: now that this franchise is finished, cinema has lost one of the finest ensemble casts ever committed to film. It’s hard to beat names like Gary Oldman, Jason Issacs, Richard Harris, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent, Warwick Davis, and Emma Thompson when they join forces.

The visual effects in this movie were top notch, an unlike so many effects-heavy movies these days, these never elicited winces or scoffs from the audience. Director David Yates’ team worked wonders here, honing The Battle of Hogwarts into one of the best set pieces of the year. Yates’ vision has stayed consistent both with movies he’s helmed and the ones he hasn’t, recreating sets in Part 2 (the Chamber of Secrets, Gringotts, etc.) and in the process providing a great sense of geography and familiarity with the world of Harry Potter.

There’s not much else I can say without giving away massive plot points, but I think Tyler (my co-host on The Not Just New Movies Podcast) and I are planning some sort of retrospective discussion on the entire Harry Potter franchise sometime soon, so keep a lookout for that in the coming weeks. It’ll take a bit of reflection for me to be able to rank the Harry Potter films alongside my favorite movies, but as far as epic hero stories go, this saga is pretty damn impressive. Until next time…

Read similar posts to Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 at Filmonic

Today Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is released on DVD and Blu-ray, giving Muggles the chance to relive the first half of Deathly Hallows in preparation for the grand finale in July.

You can now purchase the DVD/Blu-ray from Amazon via the links below.

- DVD
- DVD with Dobby Bookend
- Blu-ray

The Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 DVD/Blu-ray contains the following special features:

3-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack:

• Exclusive Sneak Peek of a scene from the highly anticipated upcoming film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
• Maximum Movie Mode - Join host Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy), and other members of the cast and crew, on an interactive journey through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1. Plus, revisit important moments from the previous films to prepare for the final battle that takes place in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.
• Dan, Rupert and Emma’s Running Competition - While filming the escape scene from the Snatchers in Swinley Forest, Dan, Rupert and Emma engage in a little competition of their own. With colorful commentary by Director David Yates, see the competitive spirit on set and this hilarious rivalry between the three leads.
• The Seven Harrys - See how Daniel Radcliffe recreated the personalities of the different characters that transform into Harrys in the hilarious Privet Drive scene.
• On the Green with Rupert, Tom, Oliver and James – Accompany Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Oliver Phelps (George Weasley) and James Phelps (Fred Weasley) for a round of golf and get a glimpse into their 10-year friendship that developed while making the Harry Potter films.
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Promotional Trailer - Join Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and other cast members from the Harry Potter films on their first visit to the Grand Opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
• Additional Scenes
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1: Behind the Soundtrack
• Standard Definition DVD of the feature film
• Digital Copy of the feature film

DVD:
• Additional Scenes

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Ahead of the upcoming release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 on DVD/Blu-ray Warner Bros. has released one of the many deleted scenes which will be included in the special features.

In the clip, Aunt Petunia talks with Harry at Privet Drive, telling him that he didn’t only lose a mother that night at Godric’s Hollow, she lost a sister. It’s quite a touching scene, one i’m sure all Potter fans would have wanted in the movie as it shows Petunia knew more about the wizarding world than she made out, and that she too has been affected by Voldemort’s actions.

You can watch the scene below:

The opening sequence in the film was great, but these small moments with Harry and the Dursley’s would have been nice to see considering they’ve been there from the very beginning and this is the last time we will see them.

Here is a list of all the deleted scenes:

- (SC 7 – THE BURROWS SHED – RON DISCUSSES RADIOS WITH MR. WEASLEY
- (SC 15 – THE DURSLEY HOUSE – HARRY AND AUNT PETUNIA AS THEY LEAVE HOUSE)
- (SC 16 – THE DURSLEY HOUSE – HARRY AND DUDLEY SHAKE HANDS)
- (SC 61 – THE GRANGER HOUSE – DEATH EATER SEARCHES DESERTED HOUSE)
- (SC 83 – MINISTRY OF MAGIC LIFTS – HARRY TELLS ARTHUR HE’S BEING TRACKED)
- (SC 89 – TENT – TRIO DISCUSS DESTROYING LOCKET)
- (SC 108 – RABBIT CHASE IN THE FOREST)
- (SC 108 – MONTAGE: RON & HERMIONE SKIMMING STONES)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 will be released on DVD/Blu-ray April 15th, and it is available to pre-order from Amazon via the links below:

- DVD
- Blu-ray

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Warner Bros. today announced that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 has become the highest grossing installment in the Harry Potter franchise in international markets. Part 1 has earned $657.24 million and counting, soaring past the first film which grossed $657 million in 2001.

Back in January the penultimate Harry Potter movie became the 10th highest-grossing movie ever at the worldwide box office and currently sites at $951 million. Part 2, which is released on July 15th in 3D, will no doubt beat that and could be the first Potter movie to cross the $1 billion mark.

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Sequel after sequel, adaptations and for once (in a long time) the worldwide top 10 matched the North American top 10. By matched I mean the same 10 movies that were there are here, the difference is in their order as you will see after the break.

10. How to Train Your Dragon $494.9 million

Just $1.7 million made the difference between this and Clash of the Titans. In the end we can say quality triumphed.

9. Despicable Me $527.8 million

What more can I say that wasn’t already said here, impressive, impressive and impressive again. $69 million budget, $527.8 million worldwide box office, now that’s what I call return on investment.

8. Tangled $522.3 million – projected to finish with over $550 million

$194 million in North America was impressive but to get $328 million more from around the world is really something and this is still going strong in many countries. Sure, the reported budget is somewhere around $260 million, making this by far the most expensive animated flick ever, but as I mentioned some time ago, that cost also includes development of previous versions of Rapunzel, all ultimately canned. Tangled managed to not only pay for itself but also those projects, all the more amazing.

7. Iron Man 2 $622.1 million

Less amazing was Iron Man 2 with only a slightly higher number then the $585.1 million that Iron man made worldwide back in 2008.

6. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse $693.5 million

While this made a bit more in North America, it actually made less around the world ($393 million versus $413.2 million) so it came short of the $709.8 million of The Twilight Saga: New Moon. This series might have hit the maximum it can ever expect to achieve. Breaking Dawn Part 1 in November this year can prove me right or wrong.

5. Shrek Forever After $750 million

While in the US Shrek is dropping with every new release, outside the thing actually grows (in money, not attendance, obviously). This 4th Shrek reached an all time series high of $511.2 million, more then twice as much as it did in North America. We might just see Shrek again after all, I mean who can say no to so much money.

4. Inception $823.6 million

We finally get to the big boys starting with Inception. Also not much more to say here so I will leave it to this, The Dark Knight made $468.5 million outside North America, Inception made $531 million. All in all this should be good news for The Dark Knight Rises, coming in 2012.

3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 $948.3 million

The first Harry Potter made $974.7 million worldwide and the closest to that has been this one. Part 2 coming this summer should ultimate become (thanks in no small part to 3D) the highest grossing in the series.

2. Alice in Wonderland $1,024.3 million

Maybe we didn’t get another Avatar in2010 but what we got instead are 2 titles grossing over $1 billion worldwide, each. Alice in Wonderland was the first one and it was also the first 3D movie that came after Avatar, definitely no coincidence here.

1. Toy Story 3 $1,063.2 million

This is what happens when you have a highly anticipated movie that actually manages to meet expectations, this is the kind of movie that you just have to see regardless of age, skin color or religion. Yeah sure, if you start digging you notice that it is number 1 mostly thanks to the $415 million it has made in North America and that Alice in Wonderland with $690.1 million and Harry Potter 7 with $654.8 million made more internationally but Toy Story 3 is the highest grossing Pixar movie to date, both in North America and around the world and those two numbers put together add up to more then any other title this last year.

Note: I put a picture of Alice in Wonderland up there because Toy Story 3 already had its picture a week ago when I did the top 10 for North America, so it was only fair to give Alice a bit of credit also, after all it did make more money internationally.

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Now that nothing is moving up and down anymore and everything is finally in place we can take a final (we not really, you’ll see soon) look at 2010, more specifically the 10 highest grossing 2010 released movies in North America, after the break.

10. Tangled $193.4 million

What is that you say, a mistake? How can an animated Disney movie not made by Pixar be in a top 10, why you would have to go all the way to 1999 to see another such feat. Tarzan with $171 million was 6th that year. Well no mistakes here, Tangled is the hit Disney waited a decade to come.

9. How to Train Your Dragon $217.5 million

Ok, quick reminder here, action + animation – talking animals =  bad box office prospects. Well obviously since this is in 9th place you can guess we have right here the exception to that rule not to mention it got a frigging Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature Film. DreamWorks are moving forward with a sequel scheduled for 2013.

8. Shrek Forever After $238.7 million

The final chapter in the Shrek saga is also the worst box office performer but all is good for DreamWorks because as one falls (Shrek), another will rise (Dragon). Now don’t get me wrong, $238 million is still a lot of money but coming from a series that peaked at $441.2 million in 2004 with Shrek 2, it looks like this ogre is starting to run on fumes.

7. Despicable Me $251.5 million

Ok, notice a trend going on here? Let me see, animated, animated, animated and animated, yeap, definitely something is going on here. Basically Despicable Me performed beyond even the most wild expectations and to make things even more impressive, this was the first animated feature for studio Illumination Entertainment. Best of all, it only cost $69 million (a fraction of the normal cost of this movies), obviously a sequel is already in production.

6. Inception $292.5 million

Hail to the king baby, Nolan somehow managed to do it again. This and Despicable Me are the only original works found in this top 10, everything else is either a sequel or adapted from something so give it up once again for Chris Nolan cause he really is the man. He had the guts to take his dream project and make it into a $200 million epic (props to Warner also because it takes a lot of confidence in a man to finance this kind of thing) without sacrificing nothing of his vision while also making it a huge commercial hit. Anyone else might have tried to dumb this down but not Nolan, nope, not Nolan.

5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 $293.4 million

The 7th in the Harry Potter series exactly in line with what we have come to expect from this already historical box office performing franchise. Next summer the final chapter will go for the Potter record ($317.5 million) with the help of 3D.

4. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse $300.5 million

Ok, I have to hand it to the vampire soap opera, it finally managed to beat Harry Potter (but only in North America). Also in the tradition of Harry Potter the final chapter of this series will be split in 2 parts, first one coming in November.

3. Iron Man 2 $312.4 million

Don’t know about you guys but I was expecting more from this, at least more then what Iron Man made in 2008 ($318.4 million). I mean everything was in place but it just forgot to click. So, can the 3rd make more or is this the best we’ll ever see from Iron Man, The Avengers will tell us in 2012.

2. Alice in Wonderland $334.1 million

In 2005 Warner released Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to $206.4 million. Alice in Wonderland comes from the same Tim Burton – Johnny Depp collaboration this time with Disney behind it. A year ago I could not picture this making Charlie and the Chocolate Factory numbers and look at it now. But this is nothing, wait until you see the worldwide numbers.

1. Toy Story 3 $415 million

What a wonderful history this series has, Toy Story back in 1995 was the first feature film for Pixar and it made $191.7 million. I was 8 years old when I first saw it in a theater with my class, I remember like it was yesterday. Back then it was something to behold, unlike anything I had ever seen. Toy Story was the highest grossing movie of 1995. Forward to 1999 and Toy Story 2 is released to even more success, $245.8 million, enough for 3rd that year. 11 years later and a total of 15 years since Pixar started this series, Toy Story 3 is out finishing one of the most beautiful and loved stories of all time with the success it deserved. While it took Pixar 15 years to get back on top at the box office, they have always been number 1 when it comes to quality animation.

Read similar posts to 2010 top 10 box office in North America at Filmonic

Update: The DVD and Blu-ray is now available to pre-order from Amazon ready for its April 15th release via the links below:

- DVD
- DVD with Dobby Bookend
- Blu-ray

Warner Bros. has announced that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 will be released on DVD and Blu-ray April 15th. The penultimate movie is the 2nd highest grossing Harry Potter movie to date, but that will probably change with the release of Part 2 in July.

The Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 DVD/Blu-ray will contain the following special features:

3-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack:

• Exclusive Sneak Peek of a scene from the highly anticipated upcoming film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
• Maximum Movie Mode - Join host Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy), and other members of the cast and crew, on an interactive journey through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1. Plus, revisit important moments from the previous films to prepare for the final battle that takes place in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.
• Dan, Rupert and Emma’s Running Competition - While filming the escape scene from the Snatchers in Swinley Forest, Dan, Rupert and Emma engage in a little competition of their own. With colorful commentary by Director David Yates, see the competitive spirit on set and this hilarious rivalry between the three leads.
• The Seven Harrys - See how Daniel Radcliffe recreated the personalities of the different characters that transform into Harrys in the hilarious Privet Drive scene.
• On the Green with Rupert, Tom, Oliver and James – Accompany Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Oliver Phelps (George Weasley) and James Phelps (Fred Weasley) for a round of golf and get a glimpse into their 10-year friendship that developed while making the Harry Potter films.
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Promotional Trailer - Join Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and other cast members from the Harry Potter films on their first visit to the Grand Opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
• Additional Scenes
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1: Behind the Soundtrack
• Standard Definition DVD of the feature film
• Digital Copy of the feature film

DVD:
• Additional Scenes

Pre-order from Amazon via the links below:

- DVD
- Blu-ray

Read similar posts to Potter fans can expect the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 DVD and Blu-ray in April at Filmonic