I don't really remember much about The Half Blood Prince, except Harry finds "that book," the ending and everyone seems to be getting off with everyone else.

I also seem to remember it being longer than it needed to be, though not as bad on that score as The Order of the Phoenix - hopefully they will do just as good a job of condensing it down this time around.

That does look rather good, not least of all because Gambon appears to have nailed his accent finally.

It does indeed look good - I now have a sense of optimism after the seriously disappointing Order of the Pheonix.

Kev W

I actually thought OotP was the best of the movies so far, but this trailer does look pretty fantastic. I loved "Half Blood Prince" as a book. It's too bad the seventh one was such a pile shit. There! I said it. LOL! I hate saying it out loud because I know people get mad, but I really was SO disappointed.

I think Order of the Phoenix is certainly the best adaptation, but I prefer The Goblet of Fire as a film (if that makes any kind of sense . . .).

For the most part, I didn't go a huge bundle on any of the last three books, I didn't have a problem with the basic story, but OotP and THBP were way too long and TDH took far too long to get going.

For me, HBP was easily the worst of the whole series (and TDH wasn't that much better), so it's the one I've been most reluctant about going to see. However, I do think that looks quite good. As long as they stick with focusing on Voldy, then it should be okay.

One of the main reasons i loved HBP so much was the amount of voldemort backstory. Looks like i'll be getting my wish with the film. The trailer looks very bleak. HBP is pretty much my second fave out of the books.

I think the amount of back story was part of the problem with the later books. Yes, a lot of it was interesting, but there was so much of it in some of the books that it distracted and sometimes stalled the main story.

I thought Rowling said she wasn't going to have this go into general publication?

Looks like all the money made from sales is going to charity from the description. Did you see the collectors version? I want it, it looks fab.

EDIT
More news here.

EDIT 2:
Oh If you want the collectors edition they are limited to 100,000 copies only, so best pre-order one now.

There was a main story in HBP?

I haven't read it for a very long time now, but all I can remember (aside from the Voldy back story) is the ridiculous Ron/Lavender and Hermione/Can't-even-remember-his-name thing going on, and the excessive use of the word snog.

I do hope they tone those parts down a lot or I shall be walking out of the cinema in disgust.

Well. I just pre-ordered the special edition as Jennifer's Christmas present. Even though it's out the day before my birthday.

I really should read them all through again, now I can do them all in one hit, but books five, six and seven - to varying degrees - do put me off the idea.

Half-Blood Prince pushed back to July 2009.

Ahh crap!
Why? I'm sick of stuff like this happening!

It is explained in the article, it's mainly a knock-on effect from the writers strike earlier this year.

Watson: 'Next Potter is a romantic comedy'.

Cool!

I always enjoy romantic comedies that end with the brutal murder of the hero's mentor.

More I say, More!!

The awkward teenage love scenes are my favourite bit. That and the endless camping scenes .

Ole' Fiennesy is fab without nose. They should make him have more sexy romances. I keep asking but to no avail.

The word from people who have seen previews of The Half-Blood Prince aren't particularly favourable.

I personally thought the The Order of the Pheonix was a bit of a duffer.

Kev W

I thought Order of the Phoenix was the best adaptation they have done - they distilled the film down to a well paced story and cut out the dead wood that bogged down the book.

Hopefully they will do a similar job with the last two films, although if the money-grabbing goblins at Warner are stretching the last book over two films, I doubt that will be the case for The Deathly Hallows.

She sure does love the word "fun"...

And now I'm considering simply not going to see it because it was all of the "romantic" stuff that annoyed me in the book. I was kind of hoping they would keep it to a minimum, but apparently they haven't.

New trailer for Half-Blood Prince

Not sure about the lightness of tone shown in the trailer, but it did raise a few chuckles from me. I should probably catch up with Order of The Phoenix soon, then.

I like it, that looks good!

Oooh, I quite like the look of that!

Looks pretty damn cool.

Much as I dislike Emma Watson, I do love her hair at the "What you see before you is a curious little potion" bit near the beginning.

Final Potter to get 2011 release

Still don't see why they have to split the final book into two films (well apart from cashing in on an extra movie), they can quite easily cut half the crap out from the final book and still tell the story.

Yet they managed to cram the fifth book's 766 pages into one film?

Hmm. I guess people will complain either way. As long as they are entertaining I'm all for it.

Rhys Ifans joins 'Deathly Hallows'.

ETA:

New Potter Posters.

If he is playing who they say he is playing, it will be bloody excellent. I saw Bill Nighy in the role but hey - Ifans would work too.

New main trailer now up on the Harry Potter website.

Clicky.

Still looks good despite bad test reviews.

Agreed.

Some stunning visual ideas in this by the looks of it. I recommend watching the HD trailer...

That's looking pretty good.

I have to admit that even I'm impressed by the trailer, and I utterly despised that particular book (except for the stuff set in the past of a certain character).

It does look stunning in HD. They have it up in HD on youtube now, best to be viewed in full screen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BDVbxop-eo...player_embedded

By Jingo, it looks pretty!

Mild spoiler
Harry Potter heads for the beach.

The house looks pretty.

I think I need to re-read Deathly Hallows - there was a beach involved?

I think so..

I'm sure they got transported to someones house on the beach when Dobby got killed.

My boyfriend is in amongst that lot somewhere. He is on the Video crew. Can't see him no matter how much I pause and squint though!

JEALOUS.

Oh yeah, I think you're right.

Bill Nighy joins cast of 'Deathly Hallows'.

Well, he was about the only British actor not in it already!

Luna's Dad?

I wonder if he has encountered Fireman James while working, he makes sure there are plenty of fires on-set.

Luna's dad is Rhys Ifans - genius casting. Bill plays Rufus Scrimingeor (sic) - the Minister for Magic after Fudge (I think).

I've been re-reading the 6th book. I think it is my favourite in a Season 6 Buffy 'a bit darker' way. I'm all Pottered up now although rewatching the films makes me realise that Emma Watson is TEH WORST ACTRESS EVA. She is just ... shit. But that is another topic.

I got asked the other day what the new film was about by a non HP books reader and I honestly couldn't really remember. I'm going to have to do a rewatch of the movies and perhaps even a re-read of the books. Although I'm still not a fan of the last book.

I love the Miranda Richardson's P-take of Emma Watson in French and Saunders HP sketch. Down to a T.

Ax

Coooool. I will ask him - chances are they will have seen each other in passing at least. Was he on location in London on Saturday? There was some fire there - they were drying the pavement with some fire on a stick.

Invitations to the crew screening came today. Roll on Saturday - I can't wait! Eeeeee!

She looks like me in that. Jeremy Irons did a brill Snape.

Miranda as Rita is one of my favourites though. She and Luna are what I saw in my head. I hope she comes back.



Lucky Ella! Enjoy it.

Rupert Grint has swine flu.