Can't wait for this to be released on this side of the pond!
Harry's back!
As Spider-Man grabs box-office title, the Potter franchise counters with DVD
By JIM SLOTEK -- Toronto Sun
LONDON, England -- Sometimes, timing is unavoidable. On the week when Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone had its opening-weekend box-office record smashed by a spider, its studio launched the Prince of Hogwarts on DVD, aiming at a whole new record.
It might not be the king of the box office anymore -- Spider-Man took that title this week with a $114.8-million opening weekend, eclipsing Harry's $90.3 million -- but Warner Bros. has in mind a new title: that of biggest-selling video ever. It goes on sale tomorrow here, and May 28 in North America.
The target: Shrek, which has sold 20 million copies in North America alone since its pre-Christmas release. Warner thinks it can break that record by the end of the month.
To that end, they threw the biggest-ever DVD launch party at this city's King's Cross station on fabled Platform 9 3/4 Wednesday, bringing most of the cast of little wizards and supernatural beings in on the familiar black steam engine -- with Robbie Coltrane (aka the gentle giant Hagrid) riding the engine just ahead of the, um, coal train. The train actually came in on Track One, tracks 8 & 9 being off the beaten path and decidedly grimy for a VIP party.
And VIPs there were, of a British sort. The entire cast of children was represented, save Harry himself (Daniel Radcliffe, who was filming some of the final scenes of the sequel, Harry Potter And The Chamber of Secrets). Director Chris Columbus was along, with Richard Harris, Richard Griffiths (Harry's uncle Vernon Dursley), plus local Harry fans David Beckham (on Manchester United's injured list, and sans pregnant wife Victoria "Posh" Beckham), Jamiroquai lead singer Jason Kay and All Saints' Natalie Appleton. All of them carted away DVDs and Harry Potter electric train sets and were entertained by hired magicians who worked the crowd.
Not in attendance was author J.K. Rowling, who was presumably ensconced at home, still wrestling with writer's block on the fifth book in the billion-dollar kids' series, Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix (it was first due in July, was re-skedded for November, but now could be delayed until next year).
Also missing was Maggie Smith (Prof. McGonagall) who, by accounts, is starting to feel about Harry Potter the way Alec Guinness did about Star Wars.
Columbus has yet to see the movie that knocked him out of the record books (Spider-Man hasn't opened in Britain yet). But he was sporting about it.
"Spider-Man was one of the reasons I got into filmmaking," he said. "I was a huge fan of (Spidey) creators Steve Ditko and Stan Lee and their vision. To see that break Harry Potter's record is an honour. If it had to happen, I couldn't think of a better film."
Not as sanguine was Harris, who, champagne and cigarette in hand, defiantly pronounced Spider-Man "a one-shot ... let's see if it goes for seven years breaking every record in the world."
Rowling is contracted for seven books, and theoretically that many movies will be made.
As for the next movie, Rupert Grint (Harry's best friend Ron Weasley) assured us that "it's basically just the same (as the first) but a lot more exciting."
Of course he would say that, since "I get to do a lot more in this movie."
Such as? "For one thing, I get to cough up slugs!"
Harry's back!
As Spider-Man grabs box-office title, the Potter franchise counters with DVD
By JIM SLOTEK -- Toronto Sun
LONDON, England -- Sometimes, timing is unavoidable. On the week when Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone had its opening-weekend box-office record smashed by a spider, its studio launched the Prince of Hogwarts on DVD, aiming at a whole new record.
It might not be the king of the box office anymore -- Spider-Man took that title this week with a $114.8-million opening weekend, eclipsing Harry's $90.3 million -- but Warner Bros. has in mind a new title: that of biggest-selling video ever. It goes on sale tomorrow here, and May 28 in North America.
The target: Shrek, which has sold 20 million copies in North America alone since its pre-Christmas release. Warner thinks it can break that record by the end of the month.
To that end, they threw the biggest-ever DVD launch party at this city's King's Cross station on fabled Platform 9 3/4 Wednesday, bringing most of the cast of little wizards and supernatural beings in on the familiar black steam engine -- with Robbie Coltrane (aka the gentle giant Hagrid) riding the engine just ahead of the, um, coal train. The train actually came in on Track One, tracks 8 & 9 being off the beaten path and decidedly grimy for a VIP party.
And VIPs there were, of a British sort. The entire cast of children was represented, save Harry himself (Daniel Radcliffe, who was filming some of the final scenes of the sequel, Harry Potter And The Chamber of Secrets). Director Chris Columbus was along, with Richard Harris, Richard Griffiths (Harry's uncle Vernon Dursley), plus local Harry fans David Beckham (on Manchester United's injured list, and sans pregnant wife Victoria "Posh" Beckham), Jamiroquai lead singer Jason Kay and All Saints' Natalie Appleton. All of them carted away DVDs and Harry Potter electric train sets and were entertained by hired magicians who worked the crowd.
Not in attendance was author J.K. Rowling, who was presumably ensconced at home, still wrestling with writer's block on the fifth book in the billion-dollar kids' series, Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix (it was first due in July, was re-skedded for November, but now could be delayed until next year).
Also missing was Maggie Smith (Prof. McGonagall) who, by accounts, is starting to feel about Harry Potter the way Alec Guinness did about Star Wars.
Columbus has yet to see the movie that knocked him out of the record books (Spider-Man hasn't opened in Britain yet). But he was sporting about it.
"Spider-Man was one of the reasons I got into filmmaking," he said. "I was a huge fan of (Spidey) creators Steve Ditko and Stan Lee and their vision. To see that break Harry Potter's record is an honour. If it had to happen, I couldn't think of a better film."
Not as sanguine was Harris, who, champagne and cigarette in hand, defiantly pronounced Spider-Man "a one-shot ... let's see if it goes for seven years breaking every record in the world."
Rowling is contracted for seven books, and theoretically that many movies will be made.
As for the next movie, Rupert Grint (Harry's best friend Ron Weasley) assured us that "it's basically just the same (as the first) but a lot more exciting."
Of course he would say that, since "I get to do a lot more in this movie."
Such as? "For one thing, I get to cough up slugs!"
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