Warner Bros. Surpasses $2 Billion at the International Box Office!

Warner Bros. Pictures International has crossed the $2 billion threshold at the international box office, as it gears up for a fourth quarter that includes such highly anticipated releases as Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion, Clint Eastwood’s J. Edgar, George Miller’s Happy Feet Two, Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows, and Garry Marshall’s New Year’s Eve, among others. The Division hits this benchmark for the fourth time. The announcement was made today by Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

This achievement follows the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, the final adventure in the blockbuster film series, which smashed international records to become not only the biggest Harry Potter film but the highest grossing film of the year and the third-highest international release of all time, with an astounding $857 million and counting. The Studio kicked off the summer with Todd Phillips’ The Hangover Part II, which beat its predecessor to gross $327 million internationally and become the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time; followed by the surprise comedy hit Horrible Bosses, which to date has grossed over $35 million internationally, with many markets still to open.

DANIEL RADCLIFFE ENDS HIS “POTTER” JOURNEY IN “DEATHLY HALLOWS - PART 2”

We have seen him even before he entered Hogwarts and learned that he is a wizard. And now we will see him end everything in the last HP film. I am equally excited as the first time I have seen the movie, the anticipation is never gone.

PRESS RELEASE:

At the end of his decade-long journey playing Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliffe shares a sense of gratitude and pride as he, together with the cast and crew, brings the historic film series to a close in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.”  Radcliffe reflects, “I know I’ll never see a frame of these films that I don’t connect immediately to a memory of a place or a time or a person.  Even now I can’t fully express how important it’s been to me, but I can say it was a great time and it’s something I will never be able to recreate.”

 

 Question:  Has there been any crying since you all know the “Harry Potter” films are ending?

               Daniel Radcliffe:  There was lots of crying for Emma, Rupert and I, and the crew as well because a lot of them have been there for 10 years as well.  So, there were lots of tears from everybody, really.  It was very sad.  And, at the time, I remember sort of being quite inconsolable for like two hours.  And then four hours later I was on a plane and I was reading a script for another movie.  So, we move on.  [Laughs]

               Q:  We’ve seen over the ten years how you’ve changed.  But how haven’t you changed?  How have you remained the same?

               Radcliffe:  I’m still very hyperactive.  I’ve still got quite a lot of energy.  I think the one thing that’s different is that I have worked out a way in which I can sort of pace that energy more sensibly throughout the day so I don’t just go nuts for four hours and then crash and burn.  [Laughs] I’m probably still as curious now as I was then.  I think curiosity is probably the greatest thing anybody can have.  And I think I’m still quite respectful of a film set as I was then.  But when I was 11, it was out of a sort of awe that I had respect for film sets.  

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

Warner Bros. let us take a peek at the newly released poster of 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2.

 

Spectacular Final Harry Potter Premier Set

Warner Bros. announced last March 1, 2011 that the world premiere of the final installment of the Harry Potter film series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, will take place in Trafalgar Square and Leicester Square on the 7th of July 2011. This will be the first red carpet film premiere event in Trafalgar Square, the instantly recognizable landmark providing the iconic backdrop for one of the biggest film premiere to ever take place in the capital.

The cast, filmmakers and guests attending the final Harry Potter premiere will begin the night on the red carpet in Trafalgar Square with the world’s media in attendance. Special areas will be reserved within the square for fans and competition winners from all over the world to see the actors and creators of some of the most beloved characters of all time. Cast and guests will then make their way to Leicester Square’s cinemas to watch the film.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: "For the last decade we've been gripped by the on-screen battle between Harry Potter and his arch enemy Lord Voldemort and this is one of the most eagerly awaited films in history. As befits a great British triumph, I can think of no better venue than the iconic surroundings of Trafalgar Square in which to stage the most spectacular of send offs for this dramatic finale”.

Josh Berger, President and Managing Director of Warner Bros. Entertainment UK and Eire commented “We are delighted that our plans for the finale of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will take place in such a spectacular venue. We pride ourselves on the creativity of our premieres and the space within Trafalgar Square will lend itself to being a magical experience for both guests and fans.”

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson reprise their roles as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.

The final part in the film series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is directed by David Yates, director of the last three films.  The producers are David Heyman, the producer of all of the Harry Potter films; David Barron, who has produced six of the films; and J.K. Rowling.  Steve Kloves adapted the screenplay, based on the novel by J.K. Rowling.  Lionel Wigram is the executive producer, with John Trehy and Tim Lewis as co-producers. 

(Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows - Part 2 opens in cinemas 

across the Philippines on July 15th 2011.)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Character Posters

It's 4 days to go before we meet Harry and the Gang as they battle with Voldemort for their lives. Warner Bros. released the following character to promote the upcoming fantasy adventure "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" - Part 1.

VOLDEMORT HUNTS DOWN HARRY IN “DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 1

In Warner Bros.’ “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” -- the seventh and final adventure in the Harry Potter film series told in two full-length parts -- Lord Voldemort is on a mission: to end the life of “the Boy Who Lived.”

Director David Yates says, “Voldemort is on the cusp of absolute power. He’s been hiding in the shadows, biding his time until he could come back and impose his will on the rest of the world. Everything else in his master plan has come together; he just needs to deal with this one tiny detail. Voldemort doesn’t understand how this ‘child’ has become his strongest adversary, but he does know he must be the one to kill Harry Potter. First of all, it was destined and, secondly, there is the sheer satisfaction of it after being thwarted so often. It’s beyond personal at this point.”

 The Death Eaters regard the Dark Lord with a mixture of reverence and fear, knowing he needs little provocation to turn on even his most loyal followers. If they need a reminder of that threat, it is there in the companion always at Voldemort’s side—and the only living creature Voldemort treats with actual tenderness—the great snake named Nagini. Voldemort has summoned his most elite Death Eaters to Malfoy Manor to plan when, where and how to ambush Harry Potter. The last to arrive is Severus Snape, played by Alan Rickman. Snape informs those assembled when Harry will be leaving his Privet Drive home, warning them that he will be “given every protection” by the Order of the Phoenix. Nevertheless, Fiennes states, “Voldemort believes he is finally going to defeat Harry Potter. He is enjoying his rule, emperor-like.”  However, Voldemort has discovered that he cannot kill Harry Potter with his own wand. He has extracted from wand maker Ollivander (John Hurt) that his and Harry’s wands are “twins,” possessing the same core and thereby robbing them of their power against each other. In a voice dripping with thinly veiled malice, he suggests that Lucius Malfoy have the “honor” of giving up his wand to Voldemort.

Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1” will be released worldwide starting November 18, 2010, and “Part 2” starting July 15, 2011.

Warner Bros. thanks Harry Potter Fans

“HARRY POTTER 6” OPENS WITH P104.77-M, BOOSTING FRANCHISE
AS BIGGEST EVER"

MANILA, July 20 -- “The Half-Blood Prince” is the full-fledged king of Philippine box-office! The sixth installment of the “Harry Potter” saga rewrote the record books, posting a royal P104.77-million nationwide four-day opening weekend (July 16-19) in 310 screens. This was announced today by Francis Soliven, general manager of Warner Bros. Philippines, the film’s local distributor.

That figure represents the all-time biggest four-day opening weekend in Philippine history (beating 2007’s “Transformers’ at P103.87-million). “Prince” also broke the fastest time (four days) for a “Harry Potter” film to breach the P100-million milestone (outpacing 2007’s “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” which achieved the feat in five days).

The incredible opening of “Half-Blood Prince” now makes the “Harry Potter” saga the undisputed most successful franchise ever in local history, with an accumulated gross of a staggering P959-million (surpassing the “Spider-Man” franchise’s P910.32-million overall take).

“The victorious streak of `Harry Potter’ continues with this sixth installment, and we couldn’t be happier with the results,” said Soliven. “It has been an unbelievable run, and we know the best is yet to come with the final two `Harry’ movies in 2010 and 2011,” he added.


“Prince” bowed in only 123 locations across the country, with SM Mall of Asia (including IMAX) as the box-office champion with a magical gross of P8.70-million. Close to its heels are SM North EDSA (including IMAX Digital) at P7.79-M, Trinoma (P5.68-M), SM Megamall (P4.11-M), Glorietta 4 (P3.86-M), Gateway (P3.67-M), Power Plant (P3.14-M), Eastwood (P2.98-M), Greenbelt 3 (P2.74-M) and Shangri-la (P2.54-M).

Completing the Top 20 cinemas are Alabang Town Center (P2.48-M), Robinsons Ermita (P2.33-M), Ayala Cebu (P2.09-M), SM Cebu (P2.08-M), Robinsons Galleria (P1.99-M), Festival (P1.91-M), SM San Lazaro (P1.79-M), Greenhills (P1.75-M), Market Market (P1.59-M) and SM Fairview (P1.57-M).

In “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) suspects that new dangers may lie within Hogwarts, but Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle that he knows is fast approaching. He needs Harry to help him uncover a vital key to unlocking Voldemort’s defenses—critical information known only to Hogwarts’ former Potions Professor, Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent). As romance blossoms around him, Harry remains aloof with far more important matters on his mind. He is determined to make his mark, albeit a dark one. Love is in the air, but tragedy lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again.

Still playing across the Philippines, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Entertainment Company.



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