New HBP Stills in EW

The most recent issue of Entertainment Weekly features a new image of Dan Radclffe as Harry Potter on it's cover. As such, the issue features quite a few new articles about and images from Half-Blood Prince. Of note, the magazine features a still of Snape and Narcissa making the unbreakable vow. All these new images can be viewed at hbpmoviepics.

UPDATE: More pictures are online tonight. Thanks to hbpmoviepics via Pipoca Combo, you can view these pictures here.

Half-Blood Prince Released Pushed to July 2009

Warner Brothers announced today that the release date for the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince film has been pushed back from November 21, 2008 to July 17, 2009.

Concerning the release date change, Alan Horn, President and Chief Operating Officer, said:

Our reasons for shifting 'Half-Blood Prince' to summer are twofold: we know the summer season is an ideal window for a family tent pole release, as proven by the success of our last Harry Potter film, which is the second-highest grossing film in the franchise, behind only the first installment. Additionally, like every other studio, we are still feeling the repercussions of the writers' strike, which impacted the readiness of scripts for other films--changing the competitive landscape for 2009 and offering new windows of opportunity that we wanted to take advantage of. We agreed the best strategy was to move 'Half-Blood Prince' to July, where it perfectly fills the gap for a major tent pole release for mid-summer.

Jeff Robinov, President of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, confirmed:

The release date change does not alter the production schedule for this or future Harry Potter films. Post-production on 'Half-Blood Prince' was completed on time, and the studio's release plans for the two-part 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' will not be affected by this change. We know Harry Potter fans are eagerly anticipating seeing the final chapters unfold onscreen. In fact, the good news for them is that the gap will now be shortened between 'Half-Blood Prince' and the first part of 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

David Heyman, the producer of all the Harry Potter films, added:

When Jeff Robinov explained the rationale behind moving the release date of 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' to July 2009, it was immediately apparent that this offered us the potential to reach the widest possible audience. I am extremely proud of this latest film and of the work of David Yates and our incomparable cast; I believe we have developed and pushed the series further still. We are all looking forward to sharing it with Harry Potter fans around the world, even if we have to wait just a bit longer.

David Yates, the director:

It has been a joy to work on 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.' Dan, Rupert and Emma and all our returning young cast continue to blossom, and our new cast members bring fresh color and life to Hogwarts. Even as we put the finishing touches on this latest film, we are already beginning preparations on the final two films--we start filming in February--and I am excited to bring this remarkable series to the exciting and moving conclusion its loyal fans deserve.

IGN Previews HBP for Nintendo DS

IGN has another new review of the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince video game. This review focuses on the Nintendo DS version of the game.

Since Potions Class is a major part of the storyline for the game, players will have to attend class and learn to make various concoctions. Unlike the Wii version, players can use the potions they make, usually in the Wizarding Duel portions of the game. The potions class is a pretty straightforward design. There's a cauldron and some ingredients, and players follow the on screen instructions. Grab an ingredient with the stylus, pour the specified amount into the cauldron. Stir. Pour some more. Fan the flames. It's all stylus controlled and measures players on accuracy and speed. There seemed to be a large amount of available potions to make, from pretty mundane health potions to more interesting things like shrinking potions.

The full and lengthy review can be viewed here.

Trailer Reaction and Terminus

The staff has been spread out since the release of the Half-Blood Prince teaser trailer reaction, and, as such, we have been unable to record our collective reactions. I'll be in Chicago for Terminus this week; I'll be at the airport at 5 in the morning tomorrow. Once in Chicago I'll attempt to record an mini-OwlCast, along with video interviews with conference attendees.

Until then, you guys can watch my youtube reaction to the trailer below:

New HBP Set Report from ACED Magazine

DR.com's ACED Magazine has a published a new set report from the set of Half-Blood Prince, which includes a new picture of Daniel Radcliffe on set.

Whether touring around the Great Hall, flopping on the chair in Dumbledore's office, or tinkering about in the Weasleys' kitchen -- there is always something to feast your eyes and fingers upon. If that's not enough, there are giant spiders and creepy-crawly hairy things awaiting you in the creature shack out back. Lets just say, they look real enough to freak any unsuspecting passer by to death past twilight.

After viewing some of the photography mounted on the press walls, I can definitely say Daniel Radcliffe (Harry) walks through fire in this upcoming installment of Harry lore. And after chatting with him, one definitely gets the notion that this release will make its predecessor look like a whisper in the wind by comparison.

New HBP Promos on Merchandise Covers

A couple new promo shots of some of the actors from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince have appeared on calendar, poster book, and sticker book covers. You can view these new images here, here, andhere.

Rupert Talks Teaser Trailer With MTV

MTV has a new interview with actor Rupert Grint, in which he talks about the recently released Half-Blood Prince teaser trailer.

When asked about some of the negative fan reactions to the trailer (a.k.a. too-much-Riddle-not-enough-everything-else complaints), Rupert said: "It’s only a teaser, just to get people excited."

Despite being Riddle-centric (no complaints here), the teaser trailer did show us a glimpse of Rupert's character, Ron, who is shown on the ground after being poisoned.

“He gets poisoned quite a bit in this film,” Grint laughed, referring to Romilda Vane’s chocolate cauldrons and Slughorn's tainted firewhisky. “That was a really fun scene,” Grint said.

Half-Blood Prince Teaser Trailer Online

UPDATE #2:
MTV has posted a shot by shot breakdown of the trailer, which you can read here

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UPDATE:
AOL Moviefone now has the trailer in three High Definition formats:
480pp
720pp
1080pp

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It's finally here! The long awaited Half-Blood Prince teaser is online and can be viewed exclusively at AOL Video.

Two New Teaser Trailer Stills

In addition to yesterday's two stills from the Half-Blood Prince teaser trailer, which will be released online at 9pm EST tonight, USA Today has posted two additional photos. The first of the new photos shows Harry looking at the container of Riddle's memory, while the second shows Dumbledore looking into a cabinet with memory in "little tubes".

UPDATE: Another still from the trailer (another Dumbledore office pic) is now online and can be viewed over at Portus.

First Look at Young Tom Riddle (In Costume) And Other Important HBP News

A few weeks back we had out first look at young Hero Fiennes Tiffin, who will portray an 11-year-old Tom Riddle. Tonight we have our first look at the actor in costume (minus the long flowing Lucius hair). USA Today has a new sneak peek at the upcoming sixth Potter film, which not only includes a still of young Riddle (check out young Dumbledore in background), but a still of Dumbledore surrounded his magical rings of fire (UK cover art moment).

These images ARE from the teaser trailer, that AOL will debut online tomorrow. The article further confirms that the trailer is indeed attached to the Mummy 3 and that film editing is complete for Half-Blood Prince, with test screenings begining next month.

UPDATE: A leak of the trailer is now online!

HBP Teaser Trailer to Debut Online Tuesday

Yesterday, we reported that the Half-Blood Prince teaser trailer would broadcast via satellite on on Tuesday, July 29th from 9:00pm – 9:15pm EST (6:00pm – 6:15pm PST) and Wednesday, July 30th from 6:00am – 6:15am EST (3:00am -3:15am PST).

Our friends over at BlogHogwarts have let us know that Warner Brothers has confirmed that the teaser trailer will also become available online the same day, Tuesday, exclusively on AOL.

IGN Previews HBP Wii Demo at Comic-Con

As many of you already know, Comic-Con 2008 is being held in San Diego this weekend. IGN now has a report online from the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince video game demo on the show floor.

You can take an easy potions course or an advanced potions course, play a Seeker mini-game, or face off in a wand duel. Now, don't panic; the segments of the today's demo will just be integrated into the story mode. Half-Blood Prince is going to stick with the gigantic, living Hogwarts that you wander around to get missions. The game's even adding changing times of day so it won't perpetually be noon outside and different student moods to accompany those times -- i.e. a kid who is super-energized in the morning might be rundown by the evening.

The preview goes on to talk of the Potions and Seeker mini games in detail (including discussion of Wii flight controls). It also talks about how the game has improved it's combat sequences for the Wii, which were one of the biggest complaints about the Order of the Phoenix Wii game.

Thankfully, those complaints have been addressed in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Not only will you be able to move while you cast spells, but you can also tap the A button for quick dodge. When I raised my wand to go up against Draco Malfoy on the famed dueling platform, I got a crash course in a few of the spells available to me. Pushing the Wiimote down and then raising it up cast the Stupefy spell, lifting both the nunchuk and Wiimote into the air called for Wingardium Leviosa, and slashing both controllers in a diagonal line cast a protective spell. Expelliarmus and Petrificus Totalus were also part of my Potter arsenal, but my bout came down to me running from side to side while firing off energy orbs.

Speaking of the HBP video game, a larger shot of the game cover art is now online, and can be viewed over at hbpmoviepics.

HBP Sticker Book Scans

A handful of new sticker book scans and promotional banners, featuring new shots from Half-Blood Prince, have made their way online. These new images can be seen here, here, and here, thanks to hbpmoviepics.

WB Confirms HBP Teaser Trailer to Air Via Satellite Tuesday

Warner Brothers confirmed today (FINALLY!) that the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince teaser trailer will air via satellite on Tuesday, July 29th from 9:00pm – 9:15pm EST (6:00pm – 6:15pm PST). The trailer will air a second time on Wednesday, July 30th from 6:00am – 6:15am EST (3:00am -3:15am PST) as well.

I most undoubtedly believe that the trailer become available online shortly after (if not at the same simultaneously) it becomes available via satellite.

Also included in the press release was the below film description:

Voldemort is tightening his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven it once was. Harry suspects that dangers may even lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle that he knows is fast approaching. Together they work to find the key to unlock Voldemort's defenses and, to this end, Dumbledore recruits his old friend and colleague, the well-connected and unsuspecting bon vivant Professor Horace Slughorn, whom he believes holds crucial information. Meanwhile, the students are under attack from a very different adversary as teenage hormones rage across the ramparts. Harry finds himself more and more drawn to Ginny, but so is Dean Thomas. And Lavender Brown has decided that Ron is the one for her, only she hadn't counted on Romilda Vane's chocolates! And then there's Hermione, simmering with jealously but determined not to show her feelings. As romance blossoms, one student remains aloof. 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.

15 IMAX HBP Teaser Trailer and High-Res Harry & Slughorn Picture

Okay first up, the 15 second long teaser trailer that debuted in front of Batman: Dark Knight IMAX is now up on youtube. While it only shows the logo, the trailer does have a one-liner from Dumbledore:



Secondly, Warner Brothers has released a high resolution version of the new photo of Harry and Slughorn that was featured in Entertainment Weekly. You can view it over at hbpmoviepics.

New HBP Image of Harry and Slughorn

Entertainment Weekly published a new still from Half-Blood Prince in their issue for this week, which coincidentally features Robert Patterson (Cedric Diggory) as Edward Cullen (a highly photoshoped Edward Cullen) on the cover. The new still shows Harry and Slughorn in the potions classroom, and can be viewed here.

In other photo news, several new promotional shots from Order of the Phoenix have cropped up online, which can be viewed here, here, here, and here. Also, some new sticker book covers have cropped up as well; however, the shots of Hermione, Snape, and Voldemort are from Order of the Phoenix.

HBP Teaser Trailer to Release With Mummy 3?

Our friends at BlogHogwarts is reporting today that Warner Brothers Mexico has sent them an email confirming the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince teaser trailer will be attached to The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, which will hit theaters on August 1, 2008. The trailer will be released online the same day.

This news has also been sent out through Warner Brother Brazil, according to Oclumencia. No official word from Warner Brothers US or UK has yet been heard of.

While this all seems like an official and final announcement about the trailer. I can't help but say to take it with just a tiny tiny grain of salt; there has just been so many trailer rumors over the weeks. Hopefully we will hear more in the next few days.

Picture of the Cave Scene?

Potterish discovered an image at Mega Calendars of the cover of a 2009 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince calendar. We've already seen the picture of Harry featured on the cover; however, the background shows a new picture of Dumbledore and Harry in the cave. However, the background image, which can be seen here, seems a bit illustrated and may not be an actual still from the film. Treat the image as a rumor until we find out more.

15 Second HBP Trailer With Dark Knight IMAX

As we've previously mentioned, there is a lot of speculation that the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince trailer debut with Batman: The Dark Knight. ComingSoon.net is now reporting that the trailer will not appear with the film, but a short 15 second trailer will appear along side the Dark Knight IMAX.

There's been much speculation that we'll be seeing the first trailer for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, but it looks like Harry Potter fans will have to wait a bit longer for the first footage. Our guess is it will be shown with the studio's Star Wars: The Clone Wars on August 15, but that's not confirmed.

It looks like moviegoers who go see it in IMAX, however, might just get a super brief glimpse at the sixth installment. Scooper 'Renata' contacted IMAX who told her that there will be a 15 second teaser for "Half-Blood Prince." Our guess is that it's just announcing that the movie is coming to IMAX as well.

This 15 second trailer may not show any new footage. It is possible that it might just be a title screen advertising HBP IMAX. As always, we will continue to update as we learn more.

Old HBP Stills in High Res

Warner Brothers has released some gigantic high resolution versions of some of the Half-Blood Prince pictures that were released last week. In addition a brand new still (very similar to the recent Harry and Ginny still) from the film is online showing Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint in the Burrow with David Yates. You can view all of these here.