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| All news for "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" |
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"Potter" edges out "G-Force" in the UK Box Office
04 August 2009
The world needs a hero. Fact. And we rather foolishly held out hope that three talking Guinea Pigs could save us from Potter‘s tyranny. Alas, it was not to be. Jerry Bruckheimer‘s pint–sized special agents just weren‘t special enough to dislodge "Harry Potter and The Half–Blood Prince" from the top of the UK Box Office Chart. It was a valiant effort though as "G–Force" scooped £2.4 million in its opening weekend from nearly 150 fewer screens to land in at number 2! Another new entry at 3 this week is the bickering duo of Denzel Washington and John Travolta in "The Taking of Pelham 123". The Tony Scott–directed remake took £1.7 million on its debut.
Falling two places to 4 this week are the romcom ragamuffins of Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds in "The Proposal" with "Ice Age 3" proving quite the draw as those cutesy critters drop down two places to 5. Shock of the Week undoubtedly goes to Will Ferrell and his "Land of The Lost". The comedy adventure took a miserly £640,000 in its opening weekend to land at number 6 – a poor showing considering the star‘s appeal.
Meanwhile, "Bruno" and his outrageous antics are wearing a little thin as Sacha Baron Cohen‘s hit slips down three places to 7. Similarly down three places is the year‘s biggest comedy hit, "The Hangover" with Audrey Tatou and her "Coco Before Chanel" debuting at 9 with a £400,000 opening weekend. And rounding out the Chart, and our new releases this week, is Bollywood romance "Love Aaj Kal" at 10.
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"Potter" shuns Bullock's "Proposal" and stays top of the Chart!
28 July 2009
Try as they might, new releases are going to find it particularly tough to dislodge this young wizard. It‘s as if he‘s retreated to his room in Hogwarts, barricaded the door, stuck his fingers in his ears and can be found screaming ‘la, la, I can‘t hear you‘!! For you see, there‘s no stopping "Harry Potter and The Half–Blood Prince" as the sixth instalment in the franchise took a further £5 million to retain the top spot for the second week running. And that‘s despite Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds turning a few heads with their new release, "The Proposal". The slight rom com boasts a healthy £3.2 million opening weekend – that‘s Bullock‘s biggest ever opening here in the UK. But "The Proposal" has to make do with second place just above "Ice Age 3" at, ironically enough, number 3.
Meanwhile "Bruno" continues to make a nuisance of himself down at 4 alongside those all–night revellers in Todd Phillips‘ "The Hangover", which slips one place down to 5. Michael Bay could be forgiven for packing up and heading home as "Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen" looks to have huffed its last puff. The warring mechanoids are down to number 6 this week having taken some £25 million over the course of six weeks. Not bad at all.
Someone who is bad to the bone though is Johnny Depp‘s outlaw in "Public Enemies". The critically lavished Michael Mann caper falls to 7 this week with "My Sister‘s Keeper" continuing to pull the heart strings at 8. The outstanding, lo–fi "Moon" is valiantly plugging away at 9 as "Antichrist", billed as this year‘s most controversial effort, starring Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Dafoe, is a new entry at 10 – debuting with £99,000 from just 38 screens.
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Potter 6 breaks yet more records at the UK Box Office!
21 July 2009
Five days on general release. £19 million richer. One UK Box Office record well and truly broken. These are the stark facts we find ourselves presented with this morning as "Harry Potter and The Half–Blood Prince" sets yet another benchmark in UK Cinema. The sixth instalment of the Potter franchise not only broke the record for the highest one day gross upon its release last Wednesday, but has now bested the previous record set for a five–day debut. To put things into perspective – Potter‘s £19 million already guarantees that the film sits pretty in the top ten highest grossing films of the year! "The Half–Blood Prince" is already on a par with "Ice Age 3" in terms of Box Office receipts and the latter has been out now for three weeks! Needless to say then that Potter is the new number 1 with "Ice Age 3" sticking it out at 2.
Falling two places down to 3 is last week‘s title–holder "Bruno". Sacha Baron Cohan‘s outrageous comedy has caused quite a stir at the Box Office but couldn‘t withstand the Potter onslaught. The young wizard aside, the Box Office story of the year would no doubt be "The Hangover". Todd Phillip‘s high concept comedy is a non–mover at 4 having spent six weeks in the Chart! Those Robots in Disguise meanwhile are feeling the pinch down at 5 as "Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen" falls three places with Johnny Depp‘s "Public Enemies" down one to number 6.
"My Sister‘s Keeper" continues to throw some curveballs in a Chart dominated by big, bombastic entries as the Cameron Diaz–starring hit falls just one place to 7. This week‘s only other new entry comes in the form of Duncan Jones‘ "Moon". Starring Sam Rockwell, the critically acclaimed lo–fi sci–fi could only bag itself £157,000 on its debut – although bear in mind that‘s from only 57 screens (only 10% of Potter‘s saturation!). And rounding out the Chart, "Year One" is going the way of the Dodo at 9 and "Night at The Museum 2" bids farewell at 10.
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It's Potter Pandemonium at the US Box Office!
20 July 2009
It‘s only been out and about for the last five days but already "Harry Potter and The Half–Blood Prince" has taken the worldwide Box Office by storm thanks to a $396.7 million haul – that‘s officially a new record having surpassed the previous effort of "Spider–Man 3" by some margin. Potter‘s sixth adventure bagged $159.6 million in the States since opening on Wednesday to easily claim the top spot. And just to put things into perspective, Potter‘s domestic gross over five days is already greater than the second placed "Ice Age 3", whose $152 million has come courtesy of two weeks on general release!
However the biggest opening of the year still very much belongs to "Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen" ($200 million). Michael Bay‘s rumbling robots hold on to number 3 this week. Things aren‘t looking so good though for Sacha Baron Cohen‘s "Bruno". The outrageous fashionista has fallen from grace, having secured the No. 1 slot last week, Bruno finds himself down to 4 this time around. And it‘s a climber at 5 as the year‘s most successful comedy, "The Hangover", swaps places with Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock in "The Proposal", which is down to 6.
Falling three places to 7 this week is Johnny Depp and Christian Bale in "Public Enemies" alongside a couple of non–movers. "Up" finds itself in limbo at 8, Disney/Pixar‘s latest slice of wonder staying the course in its eighth week on release, and the Cameron Diaz–starring "My Sister‘s Keeper" is going nowhere fast at 9. Having been derided by the critics and hung out to dry, "I Love You, Beth Cooper" falls three places and is all but done for down at 10.
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"Harry Potter 6" breaks one-day Worldwide record!!!
17 July 2009
This surely bodes ill for all the other ‘Summer Blockbuster‘ contenders out there, for "Harry Potter and the Half–Blood Prince", since opening on Wednesday, earned an incredible $104 million worldwide in its first day in cinemas – setting a new Box Office record!
The film grossed $58.18 million in the States, whilst raking in $45.85 million overseas – a new world record for a single day‘s takings and beating "The Dark Knight‘s" tally last summer in the process.
"Quite simply, we owe this record–breaking opening to the remarkable fans who have stood by us and who stood in line to be among the first to see ‘Harry Potter and the Half–Blood Prince,‘" Warner Bros President and Chief Operating Officer, Alan Horn said in a statement.
The previous Potter instalment, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix", earned $937 million worldwide.
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Holy Crabbe - Harry POT-ter star arrested
09 April 2009
Upcoming actor and Harry Potter trainee wizard Jamie Waylett (who plays Vincent Crabbe) has been arrested after police allegedly found £2,000 worth of cannabis in his bedroom, reports Digital Spy.
Waylett and a friend were pulled over by police while driving in central London on April 2, with police reportedly discovering eight bags of suspected cannabis, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Police later raided the actor‘s home, and allegedly found a further ten mature cannabis plants, believed to have a street value of £2,000.
Said a police spokesperson: "Both men have been bailed to a date in July pending further inquiries and tests on the substances"
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International "Harry Potter" Posters released!
06 February 2009
Not quite a fully–fledged news story this one but interesting nonetheless! For you see the first series of "Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince" teaser posters has been released…and for the most part they‘re looking good. ‘Dark‘ appears to be the order of the day again after "Order of The Phoenix", with Daniel Radcliffe‘s Harry brooding all over the one sheet.
The rather ominous strap line for these posters is Dumbledore‘s refrain; "Once again I must ask too much of you, Harry". Looks like the big bad Voldemort is back in town and Dumbledore must recruit his prized student once more for some magical smack downs. "Harry Potter and the Half–Blood Prince" opens on July 17.
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"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" to open with 25 minutes in IMAX 3-D
22 September 2008
Potter fans will be pleased to know that the "Half–Blood Prince" will open with 25 minutes of IMAX 3–D sequences next summer. Rich Gelfond, Co–Chairman and Co–CEO of the IMAX Corporation announced in August to shareholders, "we believe this film will include approximately 25 minutes in IMAX 3–D split between the opening sequence of the film and the finale."
Although we will have to wait to find out which scenes will be in 3–D, fans can anticipate a more exhilarating film opening in IMAX and regular theatres July 19, 2009.
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Horn tries to appease the "Harry Potter" fans
20 August 2008
It shook the movie world to its very core last week, well maybe not to its core but certainly took a giant fanboy bite out the schedules for the latter part of the year. Warner Bros‘ decision to push back "Harry Potter and The Half–Blood Prince" from its original release date of November 21st to July 17th next year has seen the studio inundated with angry letters from the "Harry Potter" horde.
Against such a tirade of bitterness, one man has bravely stepped forward from the Warner Bros. shadows to address the world and put the fans‘ collective mind at ease. And that man is Alan Horn, President and Chief Operating Officer of Warner Bros. The statement reads as follows;
"Many of you have written to me to express your disappointment in our moving "Harry Potter and the Half–Blood Prince" to Summer 2009…please be assured that we share your love for Harry Potter and would certainly never do anything to hurt any of the films. Over the past 10 years, we have nurtured and protected each film, and the integrity of the books upon which they are based, to the best of our ability".
Horn adds "The decision to move "Harry Potter and the Half–Blood Prince" was not taken lightly, and was never intended to upset our Harry Potter fans. We know you have built this series into what it is, and we thank you for your ongoing enthusiasm and support…if I may offer a silver lining: there would have been a two–year gap between "Half–Blood Prince" and the much–anticipated first part of "Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows," which opens in November 2010".
"So although we have to wait a little longer for "Half–Blood Prince," the wait from that film until "Deathly Hallows" will be less than 18 months. I am sorry to have disappointed you now, but if you hold on a little longer, I believe it will be worth the wait."
Such an address should keep the ravenous "Harry Potter" fans from the Warner Bros. gate for at least a little longer. Let‘s hope for all concerned that Horn‘s words do the trick!
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Half-Blood Prince pushed back to Summer '09!
16 August 2008
Would all "Harry Potter" fans please look away now. The news that none of you wanted to hear has broken across the globe. Warner Bros. Pictures announced yesterday that it has moved back the release date of "Harry Potter and The Half–Blood Prince" from November 21, 2008 to Summer 2009. That‘s right! Summer 2009!!! Fans of the series will have to wait a little bit longer then to see their bespectacled hero at work.
The sixth installment in the blockbuster "Harry Potter" franchise will now open day–and–date across the world on July 17, 2009. The announcement was made by Alan Horn, President and Chief Operating Officer, Warner Bros. 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." Hmmmm. The more cynical among may choose to ignore that writers strike excuse and instead argue that the studio realises the money–making potential of a summer release. Just look at the business done by Warner Bros. July ‘08 release of "The Dark Knight" as prove, if any was needed, that a big name, coupled with a strong marketing campaign, will break the Box Office wide open.
David Yates, the director of both "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" and this next instalment gave his two cents on the decision by adding; "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."
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"Harry Potter 6" Teaser to be unveiled on IMAX?
12 July 2008
Ah yes, god bless the rumour mill. This story is so tenuous it actually hurts. But anything concerning "Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince" gets us all tingly. According to Comingsoon.net, a super teasing teaser will air in front of IMAX prints of "The Dark Knight" when the Caped Crusader returns on July 25th.
That‘s one hell of a double barrelled threat. Not only will IMAX–goers be treated to Christopher Nolan‘s epic (the "Heat" of superhero films…at least that‘s my official line and I‘m sticking to it!) but they‘ll also get to see the first footage from Harry‘s sixth adventure.
Most probably though, fans will be ‘treated‘ to the briefest of brief looks at young Potter as an advert declaring that "The Half Blood Prince" will in fact be showing in IMAX. No big thing then. But it‘s "Harry Potter" news nonetheless.
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Broadbent joins "Half-Blood Prince" cast
18 September 2007
In an interview with Dark Horizons, Oscar–winner Jim Broadbent has revealed that he‘s joined the cast of the sixth "Harry Potter" movie, "Harry Potter and the Half–Blood Prince". The "Moulin Rouge!" star will be playing Horace Slughorn in the film, who he describes as "quite a comic character".
"He‘s a retired teacher of magic who‘s drawn back out of retirement because he‘s got some secrets they need in the battle against the Death Eaters and he‘s quite star struck as a teacher and he‘s drawn back into the fold because he likes to notch up celebrity students, and he‘s drawn back by Harry," Broadbent said.
"Harry Potter and the Half–Blood Prince" has just started filming and is due for release in November 2008.
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Yates to direct "Harry Potter 6"
04 May 2007
"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" may not be out until July but obviously the producers behind the film like what they have seen so far: director David Yates has once again been tapped up to take charge of the next instalment of the fantasy series.
Yates confirmed to the news to Sci–Fi Wire, saying "I am doing "Half–Blood Prince", and I‘m doing it because I love the world, I love the characters. I think I have more business with this world and these characters."
Yates also revealed that he‘s made what he describes as a "tonal shift with the fifth film, which I want to continue and develop into the sixth film. And I can see the fifth story evolving into the sixth story in a really interesting way. So I‘m on a journey with this material and this world, and I‘m keen to complete it."
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Radcliffe making last two "Potter" films
05 March 2007
He may currently be doing his best to escape Harry Potter by starring in a edgy West End play but Daniel Radcliffe has at last confirmed that he will be back as the teenage wizard in the last two films in the popular series. Dan made his announcement through website DanRadcliffe.co.uk, issuing the following statement:
‘I am pleased to inform you that it has been confirmed for us by Dan‘s Publicist that Dan has, in fact, signed on for the last two Harry Potter films. Dan will begin filming in September on "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince". He has also signed on to return and reprise his role as Harry in the very last film, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". This will "mark a place" in history for Dan and fulfill his wishes as he stated more than three years ago that he would like to portray "Harry" in all of the films.‘
The fifth film Harry Potter film, "The Order of the Phoenix", is due to open here on July 13th while "Half–Blood Prince" has been scheduled for November 21st 2008.
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"Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" set for Nov 2008
08 August 2006
If you‘re a "Harry Potter" fan we hope you haven‘t made any plans for November 21 2008! Warner Bros announced yesterday (Monday August 4th) that "Harry Potter and the Half–Blood Prince" will be opening that day in the US (the Thanksgiving holiday weekend) which, if the previous films in the series are anything to go by, suggests the sixth instalment in the blockbusting series will also open around then in the UK too.
Of course, before that we‘ve got volume five – "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" – to look forward to. The David Yates directed outing is due to hit cinemas across the globe next summer (it will open in the UK on July 13 2007), by which time work will presumably be well under way on "Harry Potter and the Half–Blood Prince". However its still very early days at the moment as the producers have yet to confirm that film‘s cast, director and screenwriter.
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