Harry Potter: Delayed but not Forgotten
by Mike KrumboltzAug 20, 2008
Think Harry Potter is over the hill? Think the boy wizard no longer garners fanaticism among his fans? Think again, muggle!
Upon hearing that Warner Bros. would delay the release of the sixth film from November to June, fans turned to the Web to voice their displeasure in ALL CAPS. Warner Bros., eager to keep the herd of angry nerds from storming its gates, quickly responded.
The president of the studio, Alan Horn, released a statement explaining that the decision was not taken lightly, and even pointed out a silver lining. With the sixth film, "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince," pushed back until June, fans won't have to wait as long between it and the seventh (and final) flick, scheduled for a November 2010 release.
As far as silver linings go, this one is stretching it, especially if the last film gets delayed as well. But the fact that a studio president responded to online grumbling is, in and of itself, news.
Various stories focusing on the delay cast a spell over the Buzz, including this cheeky item from Defamer. For anyone who wants to read Mr. Horn's full letter, MovieWeb has a copy of the entire missive. And, for the hardcore Harry worshipers, CNET reports that Scholastic will sponsor an all-day read-a-thon of the boy wizard's first adventure. The event will be broadcast live on the Web on September 23 (barring any delays).