Harry Potter and the Wizarding World

[Ben]

I don't mind admitting the mistake...since I'm no fan of films five and six they blur into one, but I still stand by what I said about them, just shifting the plot of the flashbacks into Prince instead.

Yeah, Half-Blood Prince is certainly the nadir of the series, throwing out the book and losing any real reason it had that title too.

I remember now that Pheonix is the one with the house in Grimauld Place (yes, I can't be bothered to check the spelling), the only bit I remember of it is the admitted exciting chase in the ministry at the end.

Was it Half-Blood that was the only one that Steve Kolves didn't adapt? I know he was off the series due to exhaustion for one entry and I always think it's the bad one, but I've a feeling it maybe wasn't. He'd done all the rest and came back for the end, but there's one he didn't do and, while its easy to think it's Prince, I'm not sure it is (and again can't be bothered to check).


(And, again, it's "disc")

[Bill1978]

I always say to my Potter obsessed friend that Half Blood Prince is the worse in the series mainly cause of Snape's random outburst at the end to justify the title of the movie. It was like they had filmed the whole movie and then someone pointed out that there had been no mention of the title in the movie so they got Rickman to run across the film shouting I am the Half Blood Prince.

My other big gripe with Half Blood is that it was the first time watching the movies that I was grateful I had read the books. I honestly don't know how a non booker viewer could have understood anything that was going on in that movie, especially relating the Voldemort's background and how it influenced his motivation in the present.

I don't mind studios planning for a franchise per se, I have an issue with them announcing the franchise before it has a chance to connect with the audience. Surely you can sign the actors to a franchise without having to declare it to the world?

[Dacey]

Was it Half-Blood that was the only one that Steve Kolves didn't adapt?

It was Order of the Phoenix. He loved Half-Blood Prince so much after reading it that he was coaxed back into the franchise for that one. You can notice the difference since most of Phoenix's dialogue is just directly lifted from the book, even if it doesn't work within the context of the scene (case in point: Mrs. Weasley exclaiming to Fred and George that "Just because they pull their wands out anytime they choose, doesn't mean they should!" even though they are just snapping their fingers).

[Dacey]

Alan Rickman discussing Snape at the premiere of the final Harry Potter film:

http://www.mtv.com/news/2728839/alan-ri ... s=_s.fb_ew

[Dan]

A brief featurette introducing the central characters of Fantastic Beasts.

[Ben]

Is it me, or is there a feeling of "trying too hard" with this?

[Dan]

I wouldn't argue against the idea.

In a sense, this is kind of an original story so they have to develop the look and feel from scratch. Sure it's set in the Harry Potter universe, but it's set away from what is familiar. Thus there is very little for them to fall back on.

[EricJ]

Is it me, or is there a feeling of "trying too hard" with this?

The new attempt to "sell" it to America with US wizards does somewhat seem less like "Expanded story universe" and more like Warner, Rowling and the UK producers hedging their US-market bets by any means necessary. ("Will they see it without spunky British schoolchildren?")

That, and basing it on a book that didn't have a plot to begin with and wasn't part of the Hogwarts-verse, and may end up having that "Made-up crap by screenwriters" quality to it, might make Warner even more nervous than they are the other 23 hours of the day.
Keep your eyes on this one, folks, as a lot of "universe" franchise spinoffs (Disney/Lucas's solo-Han movie, Marvel's post-Avengers, more Fox X-spinoffs) are literally living and dying on the fate of this one.

[Dacey]

Keep your eyes on this one, folks, as a lot of "universe" franchise spinoffs (Disney/Lucas's solo-Han movie, Marvel's post-Avengers, more Fox X-spinoffs) are literally living and dying on the fate of this one.

No, they aren't.

[Dan]

Eric, that statement is so exaggerated beyond belief I can't even think straight.

[Ben]

As we say over here... What a load of bollocks!

[Bill1978]

If anything, Eric's statement would best be applied to something like a Hunger Games prequel that has been thrown around, since that series wrapped.

[EricJ]

I dunno, I just look at the trailer and think "X-Men Origins: Wolverine", which, bad or not, just dispatched so many other planned "spinoff" movies into limbo/retooling with one sweep of its scythe...
That was before "Linked universes" necessitated "Solo spinoffs", of course, but that doesn't suddenly make audiences care.

[Bill1978]

So after actually watching that featurette I think my main concern is that this is a world seen through the eyes of adults. And yes I know the original Harry fans have grown up etc but I do wonder if part of the wonder of the series will be lost because it is adult focused instead of children/teenage focus. Probably not explaining myself well, but it definitely seems like a bit of a different world and a world that just may be a little corny as it is adults using magic all the time.

My other concern is the lack of Britishness to it all. For me it will be jarring to return to the Potterverse and be immersed in American culture instead of British culture.

Of course all these concerns won't mean that I won't be checking it out. But at the moment, there is nothing I am seeing to drag me to the cinema for a viewing.

[Dan]

A teaser for the Pottermore stories that look to give some backstory leading up to Fantastic Beasts.