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Thursday, 14 October 2010

Harry Potter: A Return, A Lost Dimension & A Worry.

It all seemed to be coming to a climax: Harry Potter, the multi-million book and film franchise, had finished its seven-book run and was nearing the end of its blockbuster dominance in cinemas as the two-part finale was set to air in late '10 and Summer '11. Now, everything seems set to change. JK Rowling earlier stated this week that another series of Potter books was not out of the question in the forseeable future, stating that she could "definitely write an eigth [and] ninth book". Rowling, 45, is currently writing a picture book aimed at children and unrelated to her Potter franchise. Meanwhile, Warner Brothers Ltd also announced that the first part of their epic climax of the film franchise, dubbed "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" will not feature as a 3-D motion picture in cinemas this winter as previously planned due to time restraints and lacklustre technology. Director David Yates said of the decision: "[The crew] completely supports this decision [that] underscores the fact that Warner Bros put quality first". All sounds good, then, right? Warner Brothers are for once paying respect to a much-loved franchise by not simply ruining the first part with rubbish 3-D effects to milk the cash cow to its maximum yield, instead focusing on the emotional story. True, for the most part: Warner Bros has now revealed they may re-release the original six films in 3-D in the years to come after 2011. And this is that "worry" I mentioned. Is it not time to give the franchise a rest? Action figures, theme parks, annuals- we've seen the lot in terms of brand extensions, and want to move onto other film series and allow Radcliffe, Watson and Grint to move onto other franchises. Whether WB carries out on this possible threat remains to be seen...

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