EXCLUSIVE: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 Blu-ray Cast Interviews

Nov 17, 2011 by B. Alan Orange

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 has finally arrived on Blu-ray and DVD just in time for the holiday season. As the magical series comes to its rousing conclusion, we are celebrating this must-own release, before it is locked away in Gringott's Vault on indefinite moratorium. We recently headed to Orlando, Florida to catch up with three of the film's stars at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter for a look back at the Harry Potter legacy. Joining us are Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy), and Mark Williams (Ron's Dad, Arthur Weasley). To watch our exclusive interviews, click on the clips below.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 was released July 15th, 2011 and stars Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Evanna Lynch, Domhnall Gleeson. The film is directed by David Yates.

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Harry Potter Moratorium Begins December 29th

Oct 24, 2011 by Brian Gallagher

Harry Potter Blu-ray and DVD titles will be unavailable starting December 29Warner Bros. has announced they will pull all of their Harry Potter Blu-rays and DVDs off the shelves starting December 29. Take a look at the studio's official statement below. "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."

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 will be released on Blu-ray and DVD November 11, along with the Harry Potter: The Complete 8-Film Collection on Blu-ray and DVD.

Disney employs a similar strategy, by pulling its titles out of the vault with brand new editions after being unavailable for several years. It is unclear how long this Harry Potter moratorium will last, but it seems fans only have a limited amount of time to complete their collections with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 or Harry Potter: The Complete 8-Film Collection.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 was released July 15th, 2011 and stars Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Evanna Lynch, Domhnall Gleeson. The film is directed by David Yates.

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EXCLUSIVE: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 Blu-ray Deleted Scene

Nov 15, 2011 by Brian Gallagher

We have an exclusive deleted scene from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, which is currently available on Blu-ray and DVD. Click on the video player below to watch a scene that wasn't included in the original theatrical release, featuring Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), a scruffy Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), Bellatrix LeStrange (Emma Watson), and Griphook (Warwick Davis).

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 is the final adventure in the Harry Potter film series. The much-anticipated motion picture event is the second of two full-length parts.

In the epic finale, the battle between the good and evil forces of the wizarding world escalates into an all-out war. The stakes have never been higher and no one is safe. But it is Harry Potter who may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice as he draws closer to the climactic showdown with Lord Voldemort. It all ends here.

Maximum Movie Mode hosted by Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) and other cast members (80 minutes) - As the epic showdown between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort approaches, don't miss a single detail as the forces of good and evil clash one final time throughout the grounds of Hogwarts.A Conversation with J.K. Rowling and Daniel Radcliffe - Join J.K. Rowling and Daniel Radcliffe for an exclusive conversation about bringing the character of Harry Potter to life, the last decade of films and how their lives have changed by the fame that they've both experienced.The Goblins of Gringotts - Hosted by Warwick Davis, you'll see the entire process of becoming a goblin in a Harry Potter film, from auditions and casting to makeup and prosthetic tests as well as filming the final scenes.The Women of Harry Potter - A look at the remarkable women in Harry Potter's life and the critical role they play in the films.WB Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry PotterDeleted ScenesGame demo of Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7 for PS3

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 was released July 15th, 2011 and stars Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Evanna Lynch, Domhnall Gleeson. The film is directed by David Yates.

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

Bill Gibron is a veteran film critic from Tampa, Florida.Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is not for the novice. As a matter of fact, to get the full dramatic and emotional benefit of this final chapter in the literary phenomenon's translation to the silver screen, you had better be heavily invested in the series. You need to know the Order of the Phoenix from the Sorcerer's Stone, the Chamber of Secrets from the Goblet of Fire. If you don't know who the Prisoner of Azkaban or the Half-Blood Prince are, now is too late. Director David Yates and franchise screenwriter Steve Kloves are not in the business of bringing you up to speed. Instead, they've got a whole lot of ground to cover and they want to make sure the faithful are happy, all newbies and Potter pretenders be (politely) damned.

When we left our last trek through the Deathly Hallows mythology, Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) had gained possession of the Elder Wand, and with it, the means of getting rid of Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) once and for all. Setting his sights on Hogwarts, he intends to bring all who practice good magic -- and support his nemesis -- to their knees. In the meantime, Harry and his exiled buddies Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) are searching for more Horcruxes -- talismans containing pieces of Voldemort's soul.  Destroying them will render the evil wizard vulnerable. However, the vile villain has gathered together a huge army of minions, Death Eaters, and Dementors, including Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter), Lucius Malfoy (Jason Issacs) and his turncoat son Draco (Tom Felton) and their combined power and cunning may be too much for Harry and his allies to handle.

At its core, the Harry Potter series has always been the Hardy Boys with hocus pocus. Every installment introduced new characters and clues, the mystery of who our hero really is and his destiny as part of the hidden wizard's community a combination of deductions and denouement. This second half of the Deathly Hallows finale is no different. In between the massive action set pieces -- the break-in at the Goblin bank (and raid of Beatrix's vault), the battle for Hogwarts, the last enchanted man standing showdown between Harry and Voldemort -- we get lots of inquiries and clarifying Q&As. Our leads are always running into ancillary players with necessary information, leading to sequences which seem to stop the movie cold while calculated to enhance the emotional core of the journey. For the most part, they work.

On the other hand, Yates delivers the kind of visionary action the series has long lacked. The addition of 3D, while a bit gimmicky, makes the cave car journey to the vaults all the more harrowing, and the backdrop of a burning Hogwarts makes the sequences set there epic in scope. When Voldemort's spectral Dementors hand around the school like lethal lost souls, we finally get the intense imagination other installments lacked. Of course, it all leads to a classic heroes and villains face-off, and Yates handles that material quite well. Fans will know where everything is going, but Deathly Hallows Part 2 still finds that rare ability to make one doubt the outcome, even though the conclusion was long ago decided.

Granted, there are a few moments when the conversations sap some of the film's energy, and there will be purists who balk at the various omissions, composites, and shortcuts. Still, after ten years, eight films, and close to 20 hours of engaging storytelling, Harry Potter's cinematic saga is finally complete -- and the last act is just as compelling, if not more so, than the first.

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Interview: Harry Potter Cast and Crew Say Goodbye at Final Red Carpet

Sean is a senior critic for Filmcritic.com.

It all ends here. And here, this week, was New York City, where Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and the cast of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 walked their last red carpet for the final Potter premiere ... ever. FilmCritic.com was lucky enough to be on the carpet where we tossed questions at the Potter creative team as they posed for pictures, signed autographs for fans, and prepared to say farewell to this beloved film franchise after 10 magical years.

Q: Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy scored a Best Picture Oscar on its final try. Would it matter to you if the Harry Potter franchise managed to do the same?

Rupert Grint: It's never been something that really mattered to us. This [gesturing at the screaming fans] is a good enough kind of award, just seeing the enthusiasm from our fans. It's just as pleasing to us as it is to them.

Harry Potter producer David Heyman: Yes, this is our Academy. We are making films for an audience, and this is as rewarding as it gets. Academy recognition would be wonderful, but that's not what it's about for us. It's about these people out here, some of who have been camping out for 6 days. At the London premiere, people traveled from as far away as Brazil and Japan, camping out in the rain to show their support. They are amazing.

Q: Rupert, do you remember the very first scene you filmed as Ron Weasley?

RG: Oh yeah, I remember it clearly. It actually was the very last scene of the first film, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. And I remember it being so sudden. One week, I was in school reading the Harry Potter books, and the next week, I'm on a film set. It was just crazy, and such a high for me.

Q: David, you had such a key role in the casting of these iconic roles.

DH: Well, Emma Watson was always much more beautiful than the way Hermione was described in the books. [Laughs] But you know, [Deathly Hallows director] David Yates said something beautiful the other day, and it's true. He said that in some ways, we are all standing on the shoulders of [original director] Chris Columbus, because it was he who cast Dan, Rupert and Emma. He cast Alan Rickman and Maggie Smith. I helped and I supported, but it was mostly Chris at the time.

Q: For parents introducing their kids to the Harry Potter franchise for the first time, should they use the movies or J.K. Rowling's books?

Harry Potter screenwriter Steve Kloves: Start with the books. Well, OK, it depends on how old your kids are. But I would sit every night and read one or two chapters with your kids. That was a great joy that I had with my daughter. And then one of the little deaths of my life occurred when my daughter could read on her own, and she started reading the books without me. But I loved that time, reading Jo's books with her.

Q: Can you recommend a similar literary series Potter fans can use to fill the void now that the franchise is ending?

SK: Well, actually, the thing that's different about Potter is that in a way it wasn't a franchise. We had one long tale written by Jo Rowling. We didn't end up with Harry fighting Nazis on the moon. [Laughs] I think there will be other decent series out there, but there's not going to be another Potter because there'll never be another Jo Rowling.

Q: Any parting words to Harry Potter fans?

Tom Felton: Just a thank you. Every year, they have surprised us with their support and passion, so thank you so much.

DH: Yes, thank you, thank you, thank you. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't be here. Thank you very much, Potter fans.

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Can the Potter Magic Be Replaced?

John Scalzi is an award-winning science fiction writer.Unless you live in a hole (and who knows? You may just!), you know that this week Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II, the latest -- and last -- Harry Potter film arrives in theaters, bringing to a close an eight-film series that spanned a decade. Potter fans are packing the theaters and mourning the end of Harry's adventures, because no matter how much they wave their wands, after the film, it's all over.

It's a sad moment for them, but it's a sad and interesting moment for Hollywood, too, and particularly for Warner Bros., the film studio behind the Harry Potter series. Warner now has the unenviable task of trying to find something to replace the most successful film series ever (in terms of worldwide box office grosses) and a series which features six of Warner Bros.' top ten films of all time.

I wish the studio luck, but I'm not entirely convinced they'll pull it off. In many significant ways, the Potter series is entirely unique in recent film, and the elements of its success may not be repeatable. Here's some of what Potter has that most film series don't -- and won't:

1. So many films: There are eight Potter films, out of seven Potter books (the final book was split into two movies), which makes Potter one of the longer film series in recent history. There are existing film series with more installments -- James Bond comes to mind, as does the Star Trek series -- but the majority of film series struggle to make it to film number three (See: The Chronicles of Narnia, or the Matrix movies). And almost no long-running series has what the Potter series has:

2. No production pauses, reboots or recasting: There are 22 James Bond films over 44 years, which have included six different actors in the lead role and at least two significant production pauses to the series, including the current one (due to the woes of the MGM studio). There are eleven Star Trek films, which includes three separate casts (Original Series, Next Generation, Reboot) and a seven year pause between 2002's Nemesis and 2009's reboot. Star Wars has six films, with two separate (human) casts and a sixteen year production pause. Batman: six films, four Batmen, one reboot, one significant production pause. And so on.

Potter, in contrast, has eight films all completed in a decade, with all the same cast save for one role recast because of the death of the actor. Much of the crew has been consistent as well, including the same director for the last four installments (David Yates) and the same screenwriter Steve Kloves writing seven of the eight scripts. That sort of consistency in a major film production may be unique in modern times, and has allowed Warner to rely on the series as a major economic engine. Which brings us to the next point:

3. Scarily consistent (and high) returns: The lowest-grossing Potter film, The Prisoner of Azkaban, pulled in $250 million domestically. The average Potter gross is $286 million. Year in, year out, Warner Bros. could set its financial clock to the Potter grosses, which is not something all film series can boast. The Star Trek film grosses, for example, range from $250 million to $43 million, with the average gross being $92 million, making it far less reliable for Paramount than Potter's been for Warner. (The Bond films have a similar range, but the five-decade length of the series skews the box office reports.) This sort of consistency is due to something Potter had which other series can't often rely on:

4. A significant, established fandom: Harry Potter was a cultural phenomenon long before the films arrived on the scene, and even now the films are seen as an adjunct to the "real" story of the books -- something which almost never happens because films generally become the template for the cultural imagination (see: The Wizard of Oz). Other books-to-movies have fandoms as well, of course; just ask the makers of the Twilight films, or those currently making the Hunger Games films -- or any comic book series you care to name. But the Potter fans cut across both age and gender, and make that fan base wide and deep.

And there's one final thing Potter has that many film series don't:

5. It has an end: Meaning that Harry Potter's story goes somewhere and means something, and the film series has a shape to it, rather than being an open-ended thing that exists simply to feed money into a studio at irregular intervals and which eventually peters out from anomie. We can thank J.K. Rowling for that; one, for tying up her book series so definitively, and two, for retaining the rights to Harry in such a manner that Warner Bros. can't just keep going on without her. Good for her, and good for her series (and its fans).

Now you see why it'll be hard for Warner Bros. to make the magic happen again. But don't feel too bad for the studio. It still has the next Batman film to look forward to. 

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