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Being a star of the Harry Potter franchise has some pretty nice perks, and we don't just mean earning millions and having adoring fans around the world. Rupert Grint, who played the goofy and loyal Ron Weasely in all eight of the Potter movies, got a chance to carry the Olympic torch. Grint carried the torch in northwest London, starting at Middlesex University. Apparently, quidditch really is the game for him because the actor admitted that running was "kind of a new thing" for him.
It's a pretty big deal to actually get to be a torchbearer. After all, Prince Harry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge — William and Kate — only got to look at the torch passing by.
watch our coverage >> Posted 07.27.12 by Mandy -
Harry Potter movies will be hard to come by in stores next year, seeing as Warner Bros. is going to stop shipping Potter DVD and Blu-rays starting December 29th. But stores are sure to be chock-full of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 discs starting on Friday, November 11. If the upcoming moratorium isn't enough to convince Hogwarts lovers to buy the movie right away, perhaps the whole host of special features that have been steadily leaking out will.
One of the best special so far, found at Snitch Seeker, features a press conference held this past summer. Cast members were asked to recite their favorite line spoken by their character during the series. While Emma Watson's (Hermione) and Jason Isaacs' (Lucius Malfoy) choices are a little unexpected, nobody will be surprised by the line Julie Walters (Molly Weasely) chose.
watch the clip >> Posted 11.09.11 by Mandy -
In a rather obvious attempt to bolster 4th quarter Blu-ray and DVD sales for the Harry Potter franchise, Warner Bros. announced yesterday that it will stop shipping all Harry Potter titles starting on December 29th of this year. The final movie in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, isn't even available until November 11, giving it only seven weeks on store shelves.
No reason for the moratorium was given in the official announcement, which leads us to believe that the Dark Lord, himself, must have been behind the decision.
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.
Posted 10.25.11 by Mandy -
What does actor Gary Oldman think of most "behind-the-scenes" featurettes that show up as special features on DVD and Blu-ray releases? Well, he apparently doesn't think very highly of them, and he isn't shy about saying so.
In the trailer for When Harry Left Hogwarts, a true documentary directed by Morgan Matthews, it's clear that this isn't just another "Look What Fun We Had Making This Movie!" type of special feature. From the candid responses from Helena Bonham Carter, Jason Issacs, and Oldman, to the frank conversations with stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, to the very serious advice Emma Thompson has for her for young co-stars, this is obviously a documentary that delves a little deeper.
Watch the trailer >> Posted 10.19.11 by Mandy -
It was one of the moments Harry Potter fans had been dying to see throughout the entire series — the kiss between Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson). And in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, fans got what they wanted.
In a scene taken from the upcoming Blu-ray release of the final Harry Potter movie, director David Yates talks about how Watson and Grint prepared for their big onscreen kiss.
They're like brother and sister, they were both very nervous. Emma's really smart and she decided that if she was going to avoid 27 takes she was going to get it right the first time.
watch the Blu-ray clip >> Posted 09.20.11 by Chris -
We've known him as Harry Potter's BFF Ron Weasely for 10 years, but it's clear that birthday boy Rupert Grint's career will continue beyond the Harry Potter series.
The 23-year-old former boy wizard was interviewed while attending V Festival, an annual music festival held in the UK, and talked about his upcoming movie, Comrade. It will certainly be a departure from his goofy side kick character as Grint plays a WWII soldier who ends up having to spend the winter in a Norwegian cabin alongside a Nazi pilot. Grint reportedly has three more movie roles lined up after that.
It's no wonder that everybody is wanting to work with Grint after seeing how cute and charming he was in all those Deathly Hallows: Part 2 interviews, especially this one. And this one. And this one, too. So happy birthday, Rupert! We can't wait to see you in more movies, and we hope you find a pair of real-life omnioculars among your birthday presents!
Posted 08.24.11 by Mandy -
The kids at Next Movie have given us a little something to brighten the work day. Along with Old Red Jalopy, they've remade classic album covers with Harry Potter characters as stand-ins for the musicians. We always knew there was something vaguely Elvis-y about Snape, and these guys have confirmed it. Though we have to admit the angry scowl doesn't have quite the charm and charisma The King's smile conveyed. We also agree that Dobby would have been a great addition to the Queen lineup. The only thing that disappoints us? We would've liked to have seen Voldemort with Joey Ramone's haircut as well as his outfit. Check out the full set.
Posted 08.10.11 by Mandy -
It doesn't open for another two days, but according to Deadline the final chapter of the Harry Potter saga already has record-breaking box office numbers.
Right now, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 accounts for 91% of Fandango's daily ticket sales, and the 3-D ticket sales alone have the highest ticket sales of any movie on Fandango for this year. This means, that just the 3-D sales have already beat out the pre- and post-release Fandango ticket sales for The Hangover Part II, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and Transformers: Dark of the Moon with 48 hours to go until the official release.
More Crazy Harry Potter Numbers Posted 07.13.11 by Mandy -
It all ends July 15, and the promotional tour is well under way. The Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 cast is making the rounds at talk shows this week, and some interesting tidbits are coming from the interviews. From David Letterman making Emma Watson uncomfortable with his interrogation of her drinking experiences, to Kathie Lee Gifford apparently suggesting that she never learned how to read, some of these interviews are quite entertaining. There's bound to be more to come this week, but these two are probably our favorites so far.
Watch the interviews >> Posted 07.12.11 by Mandy -
Can fan expectations be any higher for the final chapter in the Harry Potter franchise? Now that the movie has premiered in London (see our video coverage of the Trafalgar Square event below), the first reviews are out. How close do critics think Deathly Hallows: Part 2 comes to those sky-high expectations? Much closer than even we dared hope.
"...this is an exciting and, to put it mildly, massively eventful finale that will grip and greatly please anyone who has been at all a fan of the series up to now."
— Todd McCarthy, The Hollywood Reporter"Fans can rest assured... that their patience will be paid off fully, and some, in the final epic Harry Potter chapter."
— Elisa Roche, Daily Express"...not only does justice to the whole series, but ends on a high and satisfying note an adventurous journey that began in 2001."
— Emanuel Levy, emanuellevy.com"The effects have never been better, the sets more beautifully designed nor the explosions bigger — but it's still the human moments that grip... It's one of those cases that leaves you wishing for a longer director's cut — an unusual feeling on departing a Harry Potter film."
— Helen OHara, Empire Magazine"Sensational, satisfying, surreal... an explosive final chapter puts the magic back into the Harry Potter franchise."
— Peter Bradshaw, Guardian