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Topic: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Tim Rectanus
Film Handler

Posts: 51
From: Raleigh, NC, USA
Registered: Jul 2005

posted 06-21-2006 01:03 PM

It's Official, Friday the 13th, July 2007.
IMAX Press Release

quote:

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix to be Simultaneously Released as IMAX(R) Film in July 2007

Fifth Installment of Popular Harry Potter Franchise Marks First IMAX Title for 2007 Film Slate
LOS ANGELES, CA, June 21, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- IMAX Corporation and Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - the third Harry Potter film to be converted into IMAX's format - will be simultaneously released to both IMAX(R) and conventional theatres on July 13, 2007. The film is based on the best-selling J.K. Rowling book and is the fifth installment of the widely successful Harry Potter film series. The last installment of the series, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire which opened on November 18, 2005, shattered numerous IMAX 2D box office records and grossed more than $20 million in IMAX theatres worldwide.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is Warner Bros. Pictures' thirteenth title scheduled to be digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience(R) with IMAX DMR(R) (Digital Re-mastering) technology. Warner Bros. Pictures will be the exclusive distributor of the film to IMAX theatres worldwide.

"The Harry Potter series has been a huge success in IMAX theatres, and we are delighted to combine this next exciting installment with The IMAX Experience to offer Harry Potter fans another magical adventure for 2007," said Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures. "The IMAX theatre network is a proven source of incremental revenue that we believe will grow exponentially as more IMAX theatres continue to open around the world."

"We're delighted to be working with Warner Bros. Pictures on our 2007 film slate this early in the year," said IMAX Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. "The last two Harry Potter films we released to IMAX theatres grossed a combined $34 million, demonstrating the strong worldwide appeal of Harry Potter and The IMAX Experience. This new title gives us a powerful kick-start to next year's film slate."

"We are proud of our partnership with Warner Bros. and producer David Heyman, and we're excited that once again Warner Bros. Pictures will be delivering a film that lends itself perfectly to The IMAX Experience," added Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. "As we explore the possibility of converting some of the picture into IMAX(R) 3D, we expect to have an even broader audience base for the release of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in 2007."

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Brian Michael Weidemann
Expert cat molester

Posts: 944
From: Costa Mesa, CA United States
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 06-21-2006 03:50 PM

Let me guess ... with "selected scenes" in 3D? I trust that Warner Bros. is going to wait back on the Superman numbers before they ink THAT deal.

They're really churning these sequels out quickly. I guess they'd have to, since the kids are getting older by the second, and 25-year-olds don't play 16 that well. This will be only one year and eight months following the release of Goblet of Fire.

It's nice to know that I'll have a job assembling 70mm cores of film for years to come! [thumbsup]

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Mark J. Marshall
Film God

Posts: 3188
From: New Castle, DE, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 07-18-2006 02:14 PM

Does anyone doubt that WB will release ALL of the remaining HP films in IMAX?? Given that, and the amount of time and money they spent on Superman 3D, why not start FILMING IN 3D AND/OR 65mm, WARNER BROTHERS???

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Brian Michael Weidemann
Expert cat molester

Posts: 944
From: Costa Mesa, CA United States
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 07-18-2006 03:17 PM

Different learning curve to change the whole process. Besides, the DMR-conversion route is probably much more affordable, and the results using that route have been successful. If it ain't broke! ... [Roll Eyes]

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John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 07-18-2006 03:30 PM

Hopefully films that they KNOW will be released in IMAX will be shot on film, and any DI/SFX work done at 4K or higher resolution. The image quality of the latest Kodak VISION2 Color Negative Films (especially the slower ones like 50D 5201 and 100T 5212) should produce 70mm blow-ups of superb quality.

65mm origination is great, but the supporting infrastructure (processing labs, scanners) is more limited than 35mm origination. Not sure if there is a truly quiet 65mm 15-perf camera yet that could be used for feature production.

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John Wilson
Film God

Posts: 5438
From: Sydney, Australia.
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 07-19-2006 01:13 AM

I would think all the really BIG films will come out in IMAX from now on.

As for the 3D thing...they may re-think that one. Would Superman have done nearly as well in just IMAX2D as IMAX3D? Once the cost of all the black 70mm was factored in...the 'profit' may not be so appealing as to try it out again.

...And, has anyone said they were 'blown away' by the 3D? Not that I've seen...and IMAX can definately do that with their 3D.

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Mark J. Marshall
Film God

Posts: 3188
From: New Castle, DE, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 07-19-2006 01:36 PM

Maybe WB should get James Cameron to direct the last one. He seems to have it pretty well figured out, and he's a pretty good director too. I bet the last one would be more than awesome if they got him to do it. Or at least consult on it.

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Bob Brown
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 146
From: Grand Rapids, MI
Registered: Apr 2002

posted 07-19-2006 02:02 PM

I hope that you all give this format a chance. The decision to convert parts of SUPERMAN into 3D was made late into the production, and IMAX did not have enough time to do a really great job. Now don't start yelling that it should not have been released if it did not meet the high requirements of IMAX and Brian Singer, but I have heard that SUPERMAN was slated as the first full length oonversion from live action 2D to 3D, but due to the director not finishing the editing, this is what we got. I think they now have this one to use as a reference, learn from it, and HP should ROCK!!!

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Mark J. Marshall
Film God

Posts: 3188
From: New Castle, DE, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 07-19-2006 03:11 PM

I'll give it a chance, but why rely on the conversion process for new movies?

Convert the old stuff (like Star Wars) to 3D. But if Hollywood is serious about this, then they need to start filming new movies in 3D moving forward.

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