tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17845115681201538422024-03-13T14:57:29.014-04:00The Order of the Phoenix News NetworkWelcome to the Order of the Phoenix Network, the smash-hit Harry Potter blog, with views from over 30 countries!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger610125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-37192446040802757132013-09-12T22:50:00.000-04:002013-09-13T00:23:41.438-04:00J.K. Rowling & Warner Bros announce multiple new Harry Potter movies
underway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2aYfCq5sxcc/UjJ9VAN0e6I/AAAAAAAABgI/iS-KNZ--tQs/s1600/fantasticbeastsandwheretofindthem.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2aYfCq5sxcc/UjJ9VAN0e6I/AAAAAAAABgI/iS-KNZ--tQs/s200/fantasticbeastsandwheretofindthem.png" width="129"></a></div>
In a surprise announcement earlier today,<div>Warner Bros and Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling</div><div>jointly announced that they have just signed</div><div>a multi-picture deal, allowing Warner Bros.</div><div>the rights to additional, original films</div><div>based in the Harry Potter mythology.</div><div><br></div><div>Although details are sketchy when it comes to</div><div>just how many films are included in this deal,</div><div>we do know that the first upcoming film </div><div>will be very loosely based off the short HP spinoff book </div><div>Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them,</div><div>and will be set roughly 70 years before the first HP book/film.</div><div><br></div><div>It was hinted that, as the film is set only 70 years prior</div><div>to the first HP book/film, there may be some subtle Easter eggs</div><div>for fans of the Harry Potter series, HP book and/or film fans alike!</div><div><br></div><div>The screenplay for the film will be penned by J.K Rowling herself,</div><div>and it is presumed she will also act as an Executive Producer</div><div>for the film, as she did for all the previous Harry Potter films.</div><div> </div><div>Although their choice of material may strike people as unusual,</div><div>(The book was a 60ish page HP creature encyclopedia covering HP books 1-3,)</div><div>when J.K. Rowling, who vowed that both the Harry Potter books and films</div><div>would end after "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows", (The final book/2-part film,)</div><div>announces that multiple original Harry Potter films are on their way,</div><div>it can only be viewed at as a good thing for everyone all around.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-24170815787923686452013-08-28T15:00:00.000-04:002013-08-31T01:53:17.480-04:00Harry Potter: The Exhibition extends its stay in Japan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-syvHUl8HqKM/UiGDA_Ic0jI/AAAAAAAABfw/2RhhFwNVCAw/s1600/tokyoexhibition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-syvHUl8HqKM/UiGDA_Ic0jI/AAAAAAAABfw/2RhhFwNVCAw/s200/tokyoexhibition.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Good news for those of you living or visiting Japan!<br />
<br />
<strong><em>Harry Potter: The Exhibition</em></strong>, which has been <br />
enjoying a profitable stay in Japan at the moment, <br />
will be now open for an additional two weeks,<br />
until September 29th!<br />
<br />
Originally only intended to stay through<br />
June 22nd-September 16th, Warner Bros <br />
has stuck a deal with the Mori Arts Center Gallery,<br />
both parties mutually approving <br />
the exhibition's extended run.<br />
<br />
According to the press release:<br />
"<em>Due to popular demand from fans, Mori Arts Center Gallery, Roppongi Hills </em><br />
<em>is pleased to announce that <strong>Harry Potter: The Exhibition</strong> will extend its </em><br />
<em>Japanese run by two additional weeks. </em><br />
<em>The exhibition will remain open through Sunday, September 29th, 2013.</em>"<br />
<br />
So for those of you HP fans planning to visit Japan anyway, <br />
or for those of you living in Japan to begin with,<br />
there's never been a better time to go visit <strong><em>Harry Potter: The Exhibition</em></strong> then now!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-78404752507185516432013-08-07T15:00:00.000-04:002013-08-10T00:54:36.371-04:00Harry Potter gets its first official fan convention, starting Summer 2014!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-njimG1WV2Q8/UgXD4N9RxAI/AAAAAAAABfQ/4fIarWYQh4E/s1600/harry-potter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-njimG1WV2Q8/UgXD4N9RxAI/AAAAAAAABfQ/4fIarWYQh4E/s200/harry-potter.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Starting next Summer, Warner Bros. will be <br />
launching something HP fans have been requesting<br />
for a long time, an official HP fan convention.<br />
<br />
Well, it looks like Warner Bros. isn't yet ready<br />
to let go of the Harry Potter fandom anytime soon.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
As of next year, Warner Bros, and Universal Orlando, <br />
will be hosting “A Celebration of Harry Potter”<br />
at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the HP theme park<br />
located within Universal Orlando.<br />
<br />
The three-day event will will featured a number of Harry Potter events, <br />
from Q&As with talent and filmmakers, as well as numerous other presentations,<br />
including the art of dueling at a wand-master class hosted by Paul Harris, <br />
the choreographer who trained the Harry Potter film cast.<br />
<br />
The event will last from Jan. 24-26.<br />
<br />
Packages, which include hotel stays at Universal properties, <br />
start at $395 or $675 per person, depending on the bundle type chosen.<br />
<br />
It may not be a cheap event, but for the diehard Harry Potter fans <br />
who won't mind spending a little extra cash to hang out with the HP film crew<br />
at the Harry Potter theme park, this event looks like one well worth checking out.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-56268957704893539902013-07-06T00:05:00.000-04:002013-07-22T00:56:39.243-04:00Google Maps creates Diagon Alley virtual tour for HP fans<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1UIBdYf6qa0/Udzd2RYQ1zI/AAAAAAAABfA/kRTFHAl4wT4/s1600/o-HARRY-POTTER-GOOGLE-MAPS-570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1UIBdYf6qa0/Udzd2RYQ1zI/AAAAAAAABfA/kRTFHAl4wT4/s200/o-HARRY-POTTER-GOOGLE-MAPS-570.jpg" width="200" /></a>After Warner Bros. opened up its Harry Potter <br />
themed studio tour in London, Harry Potter fans<br />
throughout the world have been curious to see the <br />
expansive film sets that helped create the <br />
highest-grossing film franchise in history.<br />
<br />
For those lucky to be living in the U.K. already,<br />
It's a great deal, if you have the money to go.<br />
<br />
<br />
For those of us in the United States, or otherwise abroad,<br />
getting there can take a little (who am I kidding, A LOT OF) planning,<br />
as well as no small amount of money.<br />
<br />
Well, for now at least, Warner Bros is offering fans a bit of a treat.<br />
<br />
Now you can take an exclusive virtual tour of Diagon Alley, free of charge,<br />
simply by using Google Maps' street view mode, and boy, is it worth it.<br />
<br />
Although it's a shame that other sets are unavailable for online touring,<br />
it's understandable. Warner Bros. has got to make some money here, after all.<br />
(Setting aside the fact they've collected probably 8 1/2 billion dollars <br />
from the series, between theater releases, and DVD releases.)<br />
<br />
The link to the virtual tour is below. Take a look!<br />
<a href="https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Diagon+Alley+at+Warner+Bros.+Studio+Tour+London,+Warner+Bros.+Studio+Tour+London,+Studio+Tour+Drive,+Leavesden&hl=en&ll=51.690882,-0.417287&spn=0.004835,0.013411&sll=51.689718,-0.417566&layer=c&cid=10355248391383225485&panoid=u1gcE6cVKELE_xgImwtVHQ&cbp=13,274.23,,0,-1.66&hq=Diagon+Alley+at+Warner+Bros.+Studio+Tour+London,+Warner+Bros.+Studio+Tour+London,+Studio+Tour+Drive,+Leavesden&t=h&z=17&cbll=51.690875,-0.417249" target="_blank">https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Diagon+Alley+at+Warner+Bros.+Studio+Tour+London,+Warner+Bros.+Studio+Tour+London,+Studio+Tour+Drive,+Leavesden&hl=en&ll=51.690882,-0.417287&spn=0.004835,0.013411&sll=51.689718,-0.417566&layer=c&cid=10355248391383225485&panoid=u1gcE6cVKELE_xgImwtVHQ&cbp=13,274.23,,0,-1.66&hq=Diagon+Alley+at+Warner+Bros.+Studio+Tour+London,+Warner+Bros.+Studio+Tour+London,+Studio+Tour+Drive,+Leavesden&t=h&z=17&cbll=51.690875,-0.417249</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-89614480135971909622013-06-17T01:32:00.000-04:002013-06-27T02:01:15.969-04:00PotterMore announces big plans to expand!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JjWd-ocm9yc/UcvO5IqHh7I/AAAAAAAABew/T6clfAnDh6E/s1600/PottermoreBanner(238x179).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JjWd-ocm9yc/UcvO5IqHh7I/AAAAAAAABew/T6clfAnDh6E/s200/PottermoreBanner(238x179).jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
PotterMore appears to be all over the news<br />
these past few weeks. I think it's time for a recap:<br />
<br />
*<strong>PotterMore plans to expand services</strong>:<br />
This was an interesting newstory, <br />
not just because of it's title, because PotterMore<br />
always seems to be planning new expansions,<br />
but this quote from PotterMore's CEO,<br />
Charlie Redmayne caught my eye:<br />
"<em>As it stands, if you don’t know the books, </em><br />
<em>you won’t get much out of PotterMore. </em><br />
<em>What we want to do is open it out for those people who haven’t read the books, or who haven’t seen the films, but perhaps come to it via the LEGO, or the Harry Potter computer games</em>.”<br />
How does PotterMore plan to attract potential viewers using these existing franchises?<br />
I'd be all for embracing LEGO into PotterMore.<br />
<br />
<em>Dumb suggestion:Would LEGO PotterMore building sets seem an appropriate marketing tool?</em><br />
It'll be interesting to see what they end up doing. This update is scheduled for late Summer.<br />
<br />
<strong>PotterMore addresses complaints centered around poor commentating on its site:</strong><br />
One of the biggest "D'oh" moments on PotterMore is when you post a comment on the site,<br />
anywhere on the site, and it takes anywhere up to an hour to be approved, and then posted.<br />
PotterMore's seemingly overuse of user censorship has been said <br />
to be one of its biggest drawbacks. <br />
Fortunately, the PotterMore development team has, at last, you could say, <br />
taken an interest in the problem, quickly addressed it, and upgraded the entire <br />
user commentating system, which greatly speeds up the comment approval process:<br />
"<em>We recently improved the performance of commenting across the site. </em><br />
<em>As a result you should now see your posts appear almost immediately</em>."<br />
<br />
So? What do you think? Does this perk your curiosity? <br />
Will PotterMore change the game, and gain the loyalty of a whole different audience?<br />
We'll just have to hold our breath and find out...<br />
<br />
(<em>Don't seriously try to hold your breath that long. </em><br />
<em>PotterMore won't move THAT quickly</em>. <em>Cheers!)</em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-43495871574956616582013-05-08T16:59:00.000-04:002013-05-08T16:59:37.017-04:00Universal Orlando officially announces HP theme park expansion!<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d4CrjVcsipk/UYq6JArH56I/AAAAAAAABds/S7nicffPW7Y/s1600/400700_10151585209284313_1266954754_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" mwa="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d4CrjVcsipk/UYq6JArH56I/AAAAAAAABds/S7nicffPW7Y/s200/400700_10151585209284313_1266954754_n.jpeg" width="173" /></a></div>
After several months of speculation and rumors,<br />
Warner Bros. and Universal Orlando have officially<br />
announced that an expansion to the still-wildly-popular<br />
<strong><em>Wizarding World of Harry Potter</em></strong> attraction.<br />
<br />
The new addition, currently under the title of<br />
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter- Diagon Alley,<br />
is in fact, exactly what its name represents,<br />
A whole new area, of roughly equal size of the original<br />
<strong>Wizarding World </strong>portion, with all new shops, <br />
a restaurant and an innovative, marquee attraction <br />
based on the wizarding bank in Diagon Alley, Gringotts.<br />
<br />
More details have been said to be revealed over time.<br />
<br />
Universal has confirmed that they plan to open "Diagon Alley" in time for Summer 2014.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-27245139859067268332013-05-05T16:54:00.000-04:002013-05-07T01:22:11.449-04:00Review: PotterMore for PlayStation Home<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iB5xYzWSPQ0/UYgWZkDkgcI/AAAAAAAABdc/dUvcmbMAskI/s1600/ps3-game-6559-packart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" mwa="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iB5xYzWSPQ0/UYgWZkDkgcI/AAAAAAAABdc/dUvcmbMAskI/s200/ps3-game-6559-packart.jpg" width="173" /></a>As promised, and after much struggle in getting my <br />
PlayStation 3 to do so, I've finally had a look at what <br />
everyone in the PotterMore community have been <br />
talking about for the last month or so: <br />
PotterMore for PlayStation Home.<br />
<br />
PotterMore, as all HP fans probably know by now,<br />
has become J.K. Rowling's virtual home for <br />
all things Potter, including the Harry Potter e-books,<br />
and the free interactive visual re-creation of scenes<br />
taken from the book, in which users can see what<br />
the author saw when first writing the book,<br />
as well as some cheap 2-minute mini-games.<br />
<br />
All of it interesting, but not enough to keep the fandom going for years to come on its own.<br />
<br />
Now we come to PotterMore on PlayStation Home.<br />
<br />
PlayStation Home took a hard look at what PotterMore was, and how it could better fit<br />
on the PlayStation 3, and how the experience could be more interactive, fun, <br />
and overall offer a better experience for users.<br />
<br />
Only two Harry Potter locations have so far appeared in PotterMore in PlayStation Home:<br />
Diagon Alley, (pictured above,) and the interior
of the Hogwarts Express train.
<br />
<br />
<strong>Diagon Alley</strong>: <em>An amazing sight to behold, especially with the PS3's full 1080p HD</em>.<br />
<em>From the moment your PlayStation Home customized avatar steps into Diagon Alley,</em><br />
<em>they are given a temporary wizard's/witch's robe to blend into their surroundings,</em><br />
<em>and, (if you know where to go,) can participate in the fun exclusive "book herding" mini game.</em><br />
<em>In addition to this, users can, (sadly not for free) purchase their own animal companion.</em><br />
<em>(Which is either a cat, an owl, or a toad, of course!) As well as view Gringott's Bank,</em><br />
<em>although there appears to be no way to enter Gringott's Bank yet, </em><br />
<em>unlike the computer version of PotterMore.</em><br />
<br />
<strong>Hogwarts Express</strong>: <em>Players can explore this magnificent train from one end to the other,</em><br />
<em>sit down wherever they want to interact with other users, play some wizarding card game,</em><br />
<em>(which is overly-complicated and somewhat difficult to play when using a PS3 controller,)</em><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span><em> or challenge another wizard to a duel. The dueling mini-game has been vastly improved</em><br />
<em>from the previous version used on the PotterMore website, with simpler controls, </em><br />
<em>and overall, just a lot more fun.</em><br />
<br />
<strong>Final Verdict</strong>: <em>PotterMore at PlayStation Home greatly improves on what the PotterMore </em><br />
<em>website had started, and allows users to finally experience the wizarding world digitally in the </em><br />
<em>way J.K. Rowling had imagined it. But the exclusion of Hogwarts Castle cannot be overlooked.</em><br />
<em>The one major downside is that a visit to see everything in Diagon Alley and Hogwarts Express would only take 15-20 minutes. </em><em>Hopefully Sony will address this in the future,</em><br />
<em> and add more visitable locations over time.</em><br />
<br />
<strong>Grade</strong>: <strong><em>A-</em></strong></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-87134440072419313562013-04-25T00:35:00.001-04:002013-04-25T00:35:07.585-04:00Wizarding World of Harry Potter on its way to Hollywood!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LY7BXqoPMSg/UXitJBQZoiI/AAAAAAAABdM/vAKlyZGdik0/s1600/IMG_2297.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LY7BXqoPMSg/UXitJBQZoiI/AAAAAAAABdM/vAKlyZGdik0/s200/IMG_2297.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">I</span>nevitably, it would seem, </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Warner Bros and Universal </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">have finally answered </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">what many of the Harry Potter </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">fandom </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">h</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ave long been asking: </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When will a </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">"Wizarding World of Harry Potter" theme park </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">reach the west coast?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Well, those worries are now over.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In a press announcement made by Ron Meyer, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">President and COO of Universal Studios,</span><br />
<br />
he revealed that the addition of the "Wizarding World"is one of the many things <br />
being added to Universal Hollywood in its estimated $1.6 billion budget for its upcoming <br />
additions and expansions, including the induction of the "Wizarding World of Harry Potter."<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The park will be located at Universal Hollywood, with constuction beginning sometime this Summer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">With production to begin so soon, it can be expected that we'll hear more updates on it soon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">With one "Wizarding World" location in Florida, another one in the works in Japan,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">and this one packing its bags for Hollywood, the question now is: Where to next?</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-35854795707003195232013-04-05T01:14:00.001-04:002013-04-05T01:14:24.247-04:00PotterMore launches on PlayStation home today!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qIFa-xL8Nwo/UV5aeGlINgI/AAAAAAAABco/vyBujLHF_u0/s1600/pottermore_home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qIFa-xL8Nwo/UV5aeGlINgI/AAAAAAAABco/vyBujLHF_u0/s200/pottermore_home.jpg" width="200" /></a>For those of you who've been, <br />
as Fred and George Weasley would say,<br />
"hiding under a rock," we thought we'd give <br />
a somewhat important announcement<br />
concerning PotterMore, <br />
and its future on PlayStation Home: <br />
<strong>It's been released to the public</strong>! <strong>Go see it now</strong>!<br />
<br />
<br />
We won't waste your time with a lot of needless blabber on our part,<br />
but here's a press release issued today to everyone who subscribed<br />
to PotterMore's e-mail notification system. (Including us.)<br />
<br />
"<em>We’re delighted to announce that from today, April 3, </em><br />
<em>owners of Sony’s PlayStation® 3 will be able to experience Pottermore </em><br />
<em>in a completely new way. </em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>A selection of the beautifully illustrated Moments from <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1365138127_1">Pottermore.com</span> have now been </em><br />
<em>developed into virtual 3D environments, to bring you Pottermore at PlayStation Home.<br /><br />Step inside Diagon Alley™ and board the Hogwarts Express </em><br />
<em>as your own customisable avatar, and enjoy four new mini-games; </em><br />
<em>experience the mayhem of Book Herding, test your knowledge with a Pottermore quiz, </em><br />
<em>share and collect Pottermore Trading Cards, and take part in an illicit Wizard’s Duel. </em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>Dress your avatar in a wizard outfit – whether house robes or more casual wizard attire </em><br />
<em>– and purchase a companion from a choice of 14 owls, cats and toads.<br /><br />As a Pottermore.com user, you can link your account with your <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1365138127_2">PlayStation Network</span> ID </em><br />
<em>to access additional content and spaces</em>."<br />
When it says "A selection of the...moments...have now been developed," It may mean <br />
that some of the content that has appeared on the computer version of PotterMore may not <br />
be visable to <strong>PotterMore on PlayStation Home</strong> users, or at least, not yet, so be warned.<br />
<br />
Also, and this probably goes without saying, <br />
you'll need a PlayStation 3 to access <strong>PotterMore on PlayStation Home</strong>.<br />
<br />
We'll try to have a full review of <strong>PotterMore on PlayStation Home</strong> up for you all soon!<br />
<table id="yui_3_7_2_1_1365138137030_1847"><tbody id="yui_3_7_2_1_1365138137030_1846">
<tr id="yui_3_7_2_1_1365138137030_1845"><td align="center" class="yiv1783451169bodycopy" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1365138137030_1844" rowspan="2" style="color: #505050; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.3;" valign="top" width="625"> <br /><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1365138137030_1882"><a href="http://email.shopmail.pottermore.com/wf/click?upn=pqJnaxIr-2FNiSd5hwTs96Kklra7Hq7OTWN7aTlIPWvwt0TK8LXXZ9vT41leWfExEA5wpR3l4Gflespbj-2Bt3Qd1VSYVFLsZtvlmPRd7IgYvDZcQlXUS-2B8EBN8I-2F7TQzYRTdmXL-2BxQ7-2Fzi38byEa4WwAzXK6LDUCjagRF-2FnU2-2ByYiVOcNVaS5X8OnwePKqfwODxsa4u3HinvuAIV-2Fvg42e1NmzgSfrit5x0xtT747yEOy4-3D_A-2BoN-2BGl-2BzallhR6vVOGG5BbcYmYJnYMFR-2FbWuUVZvSIbqnpuH53Y6tBiXMPN-2BgduQqGZJaZMKF7pdb4sJeR4eL3nQpN-2BEygcKrcVevBcFsiKuL-2BjEw21Zgs1b8wpvLr7Y1UZPWlrRv7TMFwve3-2BvPbE-2FHFvdb7U8R4ciwSW4hmDZcxBkahZxCdMw9qc-2B8aA2gq9XOoVhtPCHG7zzoUCNjEtoodLafeIRwmLYbQVks3vBdzt-2Ftxd0NC75xfKU94TBz3C2ys764kFPy-2BqA9ZrpjvsZGHLANL1RR9hirDpCbrsB0FIohS6ICGA0U8dMI4PGEmcwg07O4uWGlFt9bD1IhHrEk5n3U6vuyaCskjWLV-2BMeBfdlpqHPjfoEcRcDHc-2Fq" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1365138137030_1881" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jusZVbn36Ng/UV5dg2zxkzI/AAAAAAAABc4/zrdA4CX557E/s1600/8614085180_21b962c592_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jusZVbn36Ng/UV5dg2zxkzI/AAAAAAAABc4/zrdA4CX557E/s400/8614085180_21b962c592_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-33886666580934326392013-03-31T00:26:00.001-04:002013-03-31T00:26:13.093-04:00HP actor Richard Griffins dies at age 65<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_BFC5V1lrXY/UVe3M_HMJBI/AAAAAAAABcY/yaRd-bzFYNk/s1600/004HPA_Richard_Griffiths_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_BFC5V1lrXY/UVe3M_HMJBI/AAAAAAAABcY/yaRd-bzFYNk/s200/004HPA_Richard_Griffiths_002.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Richard Griffins, the famous and respected <br />
british actor, who quickly gained favor with<br />
movie audiences worldwide for his role in the <br />
Harry Potter films as Harry's Uncle Vernon,<br />
a constantly prejudiced and ill-tempered figure<br />
with a distaste for Harry's magical potential,<br />
out of a sense of fear which boarders paranoia.<br />
<br />
Griffins passed away this past Thursday<br />
as a result of complications from heart surgery. <br />
<br />
Daniel Radcliffe released a reactionary statement following the news:<br />
<br />
"Richard was by my side during two of the most important moments of my career,<br />
In August 2000, before official production had even begun on 'Potter,' <br />
we filmed a shot outside the Dursleys' [house], which was my first ever shot as Harry. <br />
I was nervous and he made me feel at ease. <br />
Seven years later, we embarked on 'Equus' together. It was my first time doing a play,<br />
but … his encouragement, tutelage and humor made it a joy."<br />
<br />
I think I can speak for the Harry Potter fandom when I say that Richard Griffins <br />
will be missed, and his role in the Harry Potter films, as well as the numerous other films <br />
and stage productions he's been a part of, will not be soon forgotten. <br />
<br />
Our sympathies reach out to the Griffins family in their time of grieving and loss.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-68041806865498535152013-03-19T00:14:00.001-04:002013-03-19T00:14:38.925-04:00PotterMore coming to PlayStation 3!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WiwqKYznKyI/UUflc6jZu7I/AAAAAAAABcI/ls47ZcKzOGo/s1600/PottermoreBanner(238x179).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WiwqKYznKyI/UUflc6jZu7I/AAAAAAAABcI/ls47ZcKzOGo/s200/PottermoreBanner(238x179).jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Just earlier today, PotterMore announced that, <br />
in partnership with Sony, they have developed <br />
a new, state-of-the art social version of PotterMore<br />
for the PlayStation 3, using the full modern <br />
visual graphics and social media capabilities <br />
that the PlayStation 3 has to offer.<br />
<br />
The PlayStation 3's social media/gaming software <br />
"PlayStation Home" will act as the main home <br />
for the PlayStation 3 version of PotterMore.<br />
<br />
"PotterMore at PlayStation Home" will still stand unique,<br />
and will be heavily connected with the original computer version,<br />
even letting PlayStation 3 users connect their "PotterMore at PlayStation Home"<br />
accounts to their computer "PotterMore" account.<br />
<br />
Here's the official description for "PotterMore at PlayStation Home":<br />
<br />
"Our latest development from Pottermore enables you, as a PlayStation 3 user, <br />
to actually step inside Diagon Alley™ and board the Hogwarts™ Express as your own <br />
customisable avatar. <br />
<br />
Once inside these 3D environments, you can also enjoy four new mini-games: <br />
experience the mayhem of Book Herding, test your knowledge with a Pottermore quiz, <br />
share and collect Pottermore Trading Cards, and take part in an illicit Wizard’s Duel. <br />
<br />
If you have a Playstation Home account you’ll be able to actually step inside Diagon Alley <br />
and board the Hogwarts Express as an Avatar, and once inside these 3D environments,<br />
experience the mayhem of book herding, test your knowledge with a Pottermore quiz,<br />
share and collect Trading Cards, and take part in an illicit Wizard’s Duel. <br />
<br />
There’s the choice to customise your avatar with a selection of outfits <br />
ranging from uniforms to house robes or more causal wizard attire. <br />
And there’s a selection of 14 owls, cats or toads from which to purchase a companion.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a><br />
<br />
Pottermore at PlayStation Home arrives in April
<br />
<br />
Opinion: Although I was one of the few who were not overly-impressed with<br />
the computer version of PotterMore, I must admit this PlayStation adaption<br />
is amazing, and I will certainly be among the first to give it a try.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Wbr97SVUPGI?rel=0" width="510"></iframe><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-37784434531096763842013-02-21T20:48:00.001-05:002013-02-21T20:48:07.116-05:00Harry Potter books to be re-released with new covers!<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xH6MK0HL0gs/USbMZnN267I/AAAAAAAABbw/QDxWrXWAeBw/s1600/OB-WI522_harrpp_EV_20130213000047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" mea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xH6MK0HL0gs/USbMZnN267I/AAAAAAAABbw/QDxWrXWAeBw/s200/OB-WI522_harrpp_EV_20130213000047.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the first Harry Potter book,<br />
Scholastic will be re-releasing all seven Harry Potter books,<br />
featuring new, re-imagined covers, illustrated by Kazu Kibuishi,<br />
the well-established illustrator of the best-selling "Amulet" <br />
graphic novels.<br />
<br />
At this time, only the trade paperback versions of the <br />
Harry Potter books seem to be affected.<br />
<br />
Hardcover copies of the Harry Potter will remain in their original state.<br />
<br />
Kibuishi answered some questions about his new Potter covers via email last night.<br />
<br />
<br />
Why redo the Harry Potter covers?<br />
Anything that brings more people to the series is fantastic, and creating a new set of images <br />
is a great way to introduce the fantasy to a new audience. <br />
<br />
Being the author of a graphic novel series for middle grade readers, <br />
I’ve spent several years working to teach kids to read- to help them understand and enjoy literature <br />
– so they could take the next step into reading material like Harry Potter and beyond. <br />
<br />
So when I have an opportunity to better pave that road- or help open that door – <br />
to literature and learning, I’ll jump at the chance and put a tremendous amount of effort <br />
and thought behind it.<br />
The new generation of readers will likely never have heard of Harry Potter before. <br />
I would love for them to see why the series is a classic.<br />
<br />
Scholastic has announced these new paperbacks will hit store shelves sometime this September.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-33595832057838187162013-01-29T16:56:00.001-05:002013-01-29T16:56:18.293-05:00PotterMore Insider reveals how a PotterMore scene is created!<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l8DApwt7obw/UQhCuYsP47I/AAAAAAAABbc/ueGu4Dvs0gg/s1600/PM_B3_Moment6_Sketch_CB02(1_0).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ea="true" height="72" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l8DApwt7obw/UQhCuYsP47I/AAAAAAAABbc/ueGu4Dvs0gg/s200/PM_B3_Moment6_Sketch_CB02(1_0).jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
In a new "Making-Of" blog post launched <br />
just a few days ago, the PotterMore Insider<br />
goes into detail with Harry Potter fans<br />
how a scene from the books is selected,<br />
and re-created for use on PotterMore.<br />
<br />
The artwork featured to the left is taken from an upcoming <br />
PotterMore chapter of "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban."<br />
<br />
"Many of you have expressed curiosity about how a Pottermore Moment is produced, <br />
so we’re going to take you behind the scenes for an insight into how a Moment is created, <br />
starting with the Magical Menagerie Moment from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. <br />
<br />
In order to provide a faithful companion to the reading experience without replicating <br />
each and every passage from the books, we select key or interesting scenes <br />
from the stories to depict on Pottermore.<br />
<br />
Each potential scene is weighed against various criteria, from its relative importance <br />
in the narrative, to how it might look when visualised, and if it lends itself to the inclusion <br />
of interactive features and content. <br />
<br />
We also like to highlight scenes that were omitted from the films, <br />
or those where the film depiction differs from the books. <br />
<br />
Like all Pottermore.com Moments, the Magical Menagerie Moment began its life as a black and white sketch that was drawn from a detailed brief based on thorough research into the location and moment being depicted."<br />
<br />
What do you think of this process? <br />
Does PotterMore accurately depict what was in the books through using this process?<br />
It's an interesting creative process, if nothing else.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-16206011690089049412012-12-17T16:50:00.001-05:002012-12-17T16:50:26.249-05:00PotterMore announces release date for third Harry Potter "book"<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-frvd63H9cHg/UM-ReUQAKyI/AAAAAAAABas/EJSEUYHYCAY/s1600/B3C6M3_Animation_01SM_cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eea="true" height="93" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-frvd63H9cHg/UM-ReUQAKyI/AAAAAAAABas/EJSEUYHYCAY/s200/B3C6M3_Animation_01SM_cropped.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Just earlier this morning, the PotterMore Insider<br />
announced on its blog that PotterMore will be<br />
undergoing a new update next Thrusday,<br />
and uploading all-new content for fans to enjoy,<br />
including the first few "chapters" of its third<br />
interactive Harry Potter book adaption: <br />
<strong><em>Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.</em></strong><br />
<br />
This picture, (seen at top-left,) is a sneak peek at one of the upcoming chapters<br />
from <strong><em>Prisoner of Azkaban, </em></strong>which is a reference to the chapter in which<br />
Hagrid first starts teaching Care of Magical Creatures class,<br />
and introduces his class to an array of unusual animals with even stranger abilities.<br />
<br />
Here is the official announcement statement issued by PotterMore Insider:<br />
"<em>We can now officially confirm that you’ll be able to explore this Moment </em><br />
<em>in full for yourself from this Thursday, 20th December, </em><br />
<em>when the first chapters of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban </em><br />
<em>will be released on Pottermore.com. </em><br />
Look for the new update on Thursday, December 20th! Happy holidays!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-73971392176522859312012-12-04T20:00:00.000-05:002012-12-05T01:48:45.915-05:00The Tales of Beedle the Bard celebrates its 4th birthday!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QQpvku0Xkuc/UL7sVmGt7dI/AAAAAAAABaY/oDrDTlTDFuU/s1600/tumblr_loo9twV4BI1qzy1su.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QQpvku0Xkuc/UL7sVmGt7dI/AAAAAAAABaY/oDrDTlTDFuU/s200/tumblr_loo9twV4BI1qzy1su.jpg" width="200" /></a>Today, four years ago, <br />
J.K. Rowling once again entered the spotlight,<br />
returning to the Harry Potter world she created, <br />
and released <strong><em>The Tales of Beedle the Bard</em></strong>, <br />
a book that played a key role in the <br />
seventh and final Harry Potter book, <br />
"<strong>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</strong>"<br />
as well as its two film adaptions.<br />
<br />
The book, despite its short length, <br />
was well-recieved, and recieved praise for <br />
delivering engaging and thought-out storylines, with many critics comparing it with <br />
the original Grimm fables, as well as Aesop's fables, <br />
two of the most recognized fable collections.<br />
<br />
Just a few weeks ago, it was re-released on PotterMore,<br />
J.K. Rowling's new digital platform for all official Harry Potter content,<br />
for sale in both e-book and audiobook formats.<br />
<br />
Complete with all 5 fables mentioned in both the book and the two films,<br />
The Tales of Beedle the Bard is still a must-read for anyone who loves<br />
classic fantasy fables with subtle, ingrained morality lessons.<br />
<br />
To celebrate Beedle the Bard's 4th birthday,<br />
here is its most iconic fable, "The Tale of the Three Brothers".<br />
Read on, and experience the magic.<br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Lusu8YxV_SV7f_Y8n8SxJl1b-gNQWynVNEsqyAXkLoE/edit" target="_blank">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Lusu8YxV_SV7f_Y8n8SxJl1b-gNQWynVNEsqyAXkLoE/edit</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-24976808591848914642012-11-21T00:21:00.002-05:002012-11-21T00:21:24.988-05:00J.K. Rowling announces the release of "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" ebook!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VpeosqA7uWE/UGZZ6cs3T4I/AAAAAAAABYM/9h65KpYELiQ/s1600/JK-Rowling-SUM_2348620b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="124" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VpeosqA7uWE/UGZZ6cs3T4I/AAAAAAAABYM/9h65KpYELiQ/s200/JK-Rowling-SUM_2348620b.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Earlier this morning, J.K. Rowling officially <br />
announced the release of the newest HP e-book,<br />
"<strong><em>The Tales of Beedle the Bard</em></strong>".<br />
<br />
If online opinions are anything to go by,<br />
supporters of the Harry Potter e-books have long <br />
wondered why <strong><em>Beedle the Bard</em></strong> hadn't yet been <br />
included in the HP e-book franchise.<br />
<br />
Well, now it has been. <br />
<br />
Complete with all five wizarding fables referenced in the final Harry Potter book/movies: <strong><em></em></strong><br />
<strong><em>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,</em></strong> (In the case of the movies, mainly DH Part 1,)<br />
now you and everyone else can enjoy this book at home, or while you're out and about,<br />
thanks to the Nook, Kindle, iphone, ipad, and other portable devices.<br />
<br />
All proceeds go directly to Lumos, a charity organization set up by J.K. Rowling <br />
dedicated to helping children trapped in institutions, and reforming or shutting down <br />
those same institutions.<br />
<br />
You can see her announcement video below for more details on the e-book and on Lumos.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ErwoCLxXBag?rel=0" width="510"></iframe><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-12390299823428834122012-11-12T23:51:00.001-05:002012-11-12T23:51:13.105-05:00Harry Potter: Page to Screen Collector's Edition announced!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cnB2OEWxXSw/UKHOyraCTSI/AAAAAAAABaA/WaQ1yu34wLY/s1600/51bn9hb8eHL__SS400_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cnB2OEWxXSw/UKHOyraCTSI/AAAAAAAABaA/WaQ1yu34wLY/s200/51bn9hb8eHL__SS400_.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
It was just announced that the long-awaited <br />
mysterious Harry Potter $600 book set, <br />
aimed at a collector's market, now has a name,<br />
<strong><em>Harry Potter: Page to Screen</em></strong><br />
<strong><em>-Collector's Edition</em></strong>.<br />
<br />
Harry Potter: Page to Screen was a book <br />
released last year, describing the process <br />
of turning the Harry Potter books into films.<br />
<br />
Here is the official description,<br />
provided by amazon.com:<br />
<br />
<br />
"Worthy of a vault at Gringotts, this amazing limited edition collection <br />
includes eight exquisitely crafted volumes shelved with a scale prop replica <br />
of
<i>The Monster Book of Monsters</i> and a gilded, oversized portfolio with <br />
five
frame-able prints of concept art. <br />
<br />
Featuring never-before-published art and text
chronicling <br />
the making of the Harry Potter films, the set is limited to just
3,000 copies worldwide. <br />
<br />
<div>
Seven of the volumes were created expressly for this collection and delve
into <br />
different aspects of the filmmaking, showing how the team designed
locations, <br />
graphics, costumes, creatures, and special effects. <br />
<br />
A book of the
paintings of Hogwarts showcases the exquisite artistry of each. <br />
A keepsake book
filled with snapshots and personal photos looks at the <br />
lasting relationships
between cast and crew. <br />
<br />
The eighth volume is a cloth-bound edition of the <i>New
York Times</i> Best-seller, <br />
<i>Harry Potter: Page to Screen.</i> <br />
<br />
All of these
precious objects are housed in a collectible box that looks like <br />
it came from
Diagon Alley. <br />
<br />
Arriving at your doorstep with a numbered certificate of
authenticity, <br />
this limited edition is the ultimate collectible for any wizard or
Muggle.
<br />
<br />
<b>This collector’s edition includes: </b><br />
• A deluxe cloth-covered
case, styled to look like a shelf from a shop in Diagon Alley <br />
• A
cloth-bound edition of <i>Harry Potter: Page to Screen </i><br />
<em></em><br />
• Seven
additional volumes detailing the Harry Potter creative team’s ten years of
extensive efforts:<br />
<br />
*<i> The Creature Shop Compendium: Flora and
Fauna from the Harry Potter Films <br /> * Environments Envisioned:
Building Fantastic Sets and Scouting Dramatic Locations <br /> * A
Guide to the Graphic Arts Department: Posters, Prints, and Publications </i><br />
<i>from the
Harry Potter Films <br /> * Movie Magic: Practical Props and Exciting
Effects <br /> * The Paintings of Hogwarts: Masterpieces from the
School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Sets <br /> * Ten Years Later: Life
on Set with the Harry Potter Cast and Crew <br /> * Wizard Wear and
Muggle Attire: Costuming the World of Harry Potter</i> <br />
• A replica of
<i>The Monster Book of Monsters </i>film prop <br />
• A gilded portfolio of
five frame-able prints of original Harry Potter concept art<br />
<br />
All sound like a fan's dream, but wait to you read the fine print.<br />
<br />
The Collector's Edition is available at a sizable retail price of $1000!<br />
If you order from amazon.com, you can save 40%, paying only $600.<br />
Still, for the average fan, that may still leave too big a hole in your pocket.<br />
<br />
The Collector's Edition is released in the U.S. on December 4th,<br />
marking the 4th anniversary
of The Tales of Beedle the Bard,
<br />
J.K. Rowling's spinoff HP book.<br />
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-78038712794875539442012-10-31T23:08:00.000-04:002012-10-31T23:08:08.349-04:00PotterMore launchs final COS chapters!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1MsrggltWc4/UJHlKRI_AII/AAAAAAAABZs/T9qWV5wUQDQ/s1600/COSact3article.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="102" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1MsrggltWc4/UJHlKRI_AII/AAAAAAAABZs/T9qWV5wUQDQ/s200/COSact3article.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
As of this afternoon, the third and final launch<br />
of new virtual chapters from PotterMore's<br />
<em><strong>Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets</strong></em>,<br />
are available to the public.<br />
<br />
Here is the official announcement,<br />
issued by PotterMore to its fans earlier today:<br />
<br />
"<em>The last chapters of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets have arrived on Pottermore, </em><br />
<em>with Chapters Twelve to Eighteen now ready for you to explore on Pottermore.<br /><br />Experience Professor Lockhart’s Valentine’s day festivities, survive the spiders in the </em><br />
<em>Forbidden Forest, and of course, confront what’s hidden within the Chamber of Secrets. <br /><br />As well as these latest Moments, there is also new exclusive content from J.K. Rowling </em><br />
<em>on subjects including ghosts and the history of the Chamber of Secrets.<br /><br />We hope you have a fantastic time exploring these concluding chapters on Pottermore</em><em>. "</em><br />
<em></em><br />
Eager to check out these new chapters for youself?<br />
Head on over to PotterMore and experience the magic for youself!<br />
<a href="http://www.pottermore.com/" target="_blank">http://www.pottermore.com/</a><br />
<br />
Happy Halloween, and thank you all for your continued support!<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-86417299059009645142012-10-30T19:32:00.001-04:002012-10-30T19:32:40.488-04:00PotterMore announces release date for final chapters of COS!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j9njDKB0eVE/UJBdNuky-jI/AAAAAAAABZY/65Lnz37WpF4/s1600/02_ChamberOfSecrets.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j9njDKB0eVE/UJBdNuky-jI/AAAAAAAABZY/65Lnz37WpF4/s200/02_ChamberOfSecrets.png" width="200" /></a></div>
Announced exclusively through <br />
a link in the latest facebook post<br />
by PotterMore, which led to a short post<br />
on the PotterMore Insider blog,<br />
the release date for the final chapters of<br />
the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets<br />
interactive experience has been revealed:<br />
Tomorrow, Halloween, October 31st, 2012.<br />
<br />
Here is the original announcement,<br />
issued earlier this afternoon:<br />
<br />
"<em>We're pleased to officially announce that </em><br />
<em>from</em> <b>tomorrow, 31st October, 12 noon GMT</b>, <br />
<em>the final chapters of</em> <i><strong>Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets</strong></i> w<em>ill be available </em><em>on PotterMore</em><em> for you to explore. <br /><br /> Help us spread the word to your fellow </em><em>Harry Potter and Pottermore fans </em><em>about the great news!"</em><br />
<em></em><br />
Happy Halloween! And remember: Follow the spiders!<br />
Enjoy the new chapters on PotterMore!<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-15626745480861342792012-10-29T00:48:00.004-04:002012-10-29T00:48:53.623-04:00PotterMore to launch final COS chapters for Halloween!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JMYP2FPBNJQ/UI4IH_w1k_I/AAAAAAAABY8/zytfu5LVVI4/s1600/Dumbledore+Returns+Mk2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="71" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JMYP2FPBNJQ/UI4IH_w1k_I/AAAAAAAABY8/zytfu5LVVI4/s200/Dumbledore+Returns+Mk2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Just in time to celebrate Halloween,<br />
PotterMore has announced their intention<br />
to launch the final interactive chapters of <br />
<strong><em>Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets</em></strong><br />
within the next day or two. <br />
<br />
Here is the official announcement, issued through the PotterMore Insider:<br />
"You may have seen the spiders here on the <i>Insider</i> and on our <a href="http://on.fb.me/OaQEMf"><span style="color: #8b0d38;">Facebook</span></a> and <a href="http://bit.ly/MVQ299"><span style="color: #8b0d38;">Twitter</span></a> <br />
pages recently. Yes, we’re talking about our many-legged visitors and if you’ve <br />
noticed them, then you may have remembered Hagrid’s advice ‘ter follow the spiders’...<br />
<br />
Now, it’s your turn to <i>find out some stuff</i> as we can announce that the final and last <br />
installment of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets will be released sometime <br />
this coming week.<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a><br />
<div class="cenx bxfix">
<div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">
<img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uyi4pMsW0J8/UIUm21JugiI/AAAAAAAABqc/_Aqa2rc47fo/s1600/spider_medium_02.png" /></div>
<br />
Chapters Twelve to Eighteen will shortly be available </div>
<div class="cenx bxfix">
for you to delve into and explore. <br />
<br />
Brewing Polyjuice Potion, accessing the Slytherin common room </div>
<div class="cenx bxfix">
and uncovering the secret of Tom Riddle’s diary are amongst </div>
<div class="cenx bxfix">
the many exciting Moments awaiting you.<br />
<br />
These concluding chapters will also contain brand new exclusive content from J.K. Rowling, including material on the Chamber of Secrets; its origin and history."</div>
<div class="cenx bxfix">
</div>
<div class="cenx bxfix">
I expect we can look forward to unlocking more hidden material,</div>
<div class="cenx bxfix">
which usually is well worth the effort in seeking it out.</div>
<div class="cenx bxfix">
</div>
<div class="cenx bxfix">
But for now, we will have to follow PotterMore and "follow the spiders".</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KWsffl6vpYA/UI4KP50Ct_I/AAAAAAAABZE/NvFa29X7d7U/s1600/herbology_moment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KWsffl6vpYA/UI4KP50Ct_I/AAAAAAAABZE/NvFa29X7d7U/s400/herbology_moment.jpg" width="490" /></a></div>
<div class="cenx bxfix">
<br />
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-73148262775612663862012-10-11T23:45:00.000-04:002012-10-11T23:45:27.885-04:00PotterMore CEO discusses future of PotterMore<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F4zJzb_GIX8/UHeOCbfM5yI/AAAAAAAABYk/Cgb5k40hsZw/s1600/charlie-redmayne_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F4zJzb_GIX8/UHeOCbfM5yI/AAAAAAAABYk/Cgb5k40hsZw/s1600/charlie-redmayne_thumb.jpg" /></a>This past Monday, while speaking at the <br />
Frankfurt Book Fair about the future of digital publishing, <br />
and how PotterMore stands as the model for future <br />
digital publishing methods, PotterMore CEO<br />
Charlie Redmayne had quite a few things to say<br />
when it came to the subject of PotterMore's future.<br />
<br />
He discussed several things PotterMore has done <br />
in the past that set themselves apart from traditional <br />
digital marketing methods, what they are now doing, <br />
and even hinted some things that PotterMore is planning <br />
for its future, both immediate, and longer-term.<br />
<br />
<br />
Here is a rough outline detailing slightly more specific details<br />
on PotterMore's plans for future expansion:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>"Connected TV,"</li>
<li>"Apps,"</li>
<li>"Physical Products" that will be sold on the PotterMore Shop,</li>
<li>"Enhanced e-books"</li>
<li>The addition of a "Games" hub on PotterMore,</li>
<li>"In-Flight Entertainment,"</li>
</ul>
<br />
And finally, the release of the final chapters of <strong><em>Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets</em></strong>, <br />
which, according to Redmayne, will debut on PotterMore by the end of this month.<br />
<br />
Quite a lot of details at one time! Let's hope they all come true sooner rather then later.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-83507120796209682892012-10-08T21:56:00.002-04:002012-10-08T21:57:22.375-04:00J.K. Rowling reveals new details about upcoming children's book!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VpeosqA7uWE/UGZZ6cs3T4I/AAAAAAAABYM/9h65KpYELiQ/s1600/JK-Rowling-SUM_2348620b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="124" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VpeosqA7uWE/UGZZ6cs3T4I/AAAAAAAABYM/9h65KpYELiQ/s200/JK-Rowling-SUM_2348620b.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
In a new interview with The Telegraph,<br />
J.K. Rowling has revealed more details<br />
on her upcoming, unnamed, children's book.<br />
<br />
"As the writer of Harry Potter, <br />
I'm always nervous of committing myself <br />
to
another children's book, but yes, <br />
the next thing I write will be for children,"
she said. <br />
<br />
<div class="thirdPar">
"I have a lot of things on my laptop currently, <br />
including a couple of things
for children - for a slightly younger age group than Harry Potter <br />
was aimed at -
which are nearly done and will, I think, be the next thing I publish. <br />
I have run
them by my children and they seem to like them which is always a good sign.
</div>
<br />
<div class="fourthPar">
"I also have some ideas for another book for adults but it isn't too far on
[in development]," <br />
She added.<br />
</div>
What are these possibly two books, and what are they about?<br />
Even if she has even planned them out it won't be likely that J.K. Rowling<br />
will be revealing any major details concerning them anytime soon.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-11839044693601877252012-09-28T22:30:00.002-04:002012-09-28T22:30:17.184-04:00J.K. Rowling reveals plans for possible eighth Harry Potter book!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VpeosqA7uWE/UGZZ6cs3T4I/AAAAAAAABYM/9h65KpYELiQ/s1600/JK-Rowling-SUM_2348620b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="124" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VpeosqA7uWE/UGZZ6cs3T4I/AAAAAAAABYM/9h65KpYELiQ/s200/JK-Rowling-SUM_2348620b.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
In a new interview earlier this week,<br />
to promote her new book <strong>The Casual Vacancy,</strong><br />
J.K. Rowling openly announced her interest in <br />
possibly writing an eighth Harry Potter book.<br />
<br />
On behalf of the fandom as a whole, I believe that <br />
this is an excellent sign, because when <br />
J.K. Rowling says she's interested in writing <br />
something, she usually commits to doing so.<br />
<br />
Here was the actual quote:<br />
"Harry Potter truly liberated me in the sense that there's only one reason to
write, <br />
for me -- if I genuinely have something I want to say, and I want to
publish it," <br />
she told the BBC. And she added: "Now if I had a fabulous idea that
came out of that world -- because I loved writing it -- I'd do it."<br />
<br />
This, combined with her saying to Oprah a few months back<br />
that she would be open to the idea to re-visiting the HP world in some form,<br />
are both excellent indicators that, at this rate, we'll likely hear something definitive soon.<br />
<br />
Look for <strong>The Casual Vacancy</strong> in stores now!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-16752447772161504202012-09-19T20:23:00.004-04:002012-09-19T20:24:53.581-04:00PotterMore updates, new content launched!<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EQTlhI32Zp4/ToEtd7ngkvI/AAAAAAAAA_4/CUAgLf7mabM/s1600/secondgate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="123" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EQTlhI32Zp4/ToEtd7ngkvI/AAAAAAAAA_4/CUAgLf7mabM/s200/secondgate.jpg" width="200" /></a> In a new update today, PotterMore plans to </div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
launch new, additional virtual chapters from</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<strong><em>Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets</em></strong>,</div>
along with new exclusive HP content from<br />
author J.K. Rowling.<br />
<br />
Here is the announcement that was revealed<br />
to those who signed up to be part of PotterMore's <br />
e-mail notification list:<br />
<br />
"<em>Discover the next chapters...</em><br />
<em>We're pleased to announce that </em><em>the second instalment of </em><br />
<em><strong>Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets</strong> is now ready.</em><br />
<em><br /></em><em>Fly back to Hogwarts; encounter the Whomping Willow; </em><br />
<em>recapture escaped Cornish pixies; attend the Deathday Party and much more…</em><br />
<em><br /></em><em>There's also more exclusive J.K. Rowling content waiting to be discovered</em>."<br />
<br />
At the moment, it does not appear that this new content has been yet fully uploaded,<br />
or PotterMore may currently be experiencing tech-releated issues.<br />
<br />
Either way, look for a full review of PotterMore's latest update coming soon.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784511568120153842.post-65352804466390301512012-09-17T20:35:00.002-04:002012-09-17T20:36:15.190-04:00Wonderbook: Book of Spells game coming November 13!<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4yJlhKfdn2U/UFe9e3rUpbI/AAAAAAAABX0/ZdMUPWfpvl8/s1600/81QIUUpzFrL__AA1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4yJlhKfdn2U/UFe9e3rUpbI/AAAAAAAABX0/ZdMUPWfpvl8/s200/81QIUUpzFrL__AA1500_.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Originally kept somewhat under-the-radar,<br />
the upcoming Harry Potter spin-off video game<br />
<strong>Wonderbook: Book of Spells </strong>has been <br />
quite active in terms of marketing tactics.<br />
<br />
Just within this past week, the release date<br />
was announced publicly: November 13th,<br />
along with the official game cover.<br />
(See left.)<br />
<br />
Here is the official game description:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /><br />
"Book of Spells is the first title for Wonderbook, a unique single-player <br />
virtual reading/entertainment experience exclusive to PlayStation 3. <br />
<br />
The latest addition to the PlayStation augmented reality series,<br />
the Wonderbook system combines game software, <br />
and the Wonderbook peripheral (sold together as a Book of Spells bundle,), <br />
along with PlayStation Eye camera and PlayStation Move motion controller <br />
(both sold separately), to bring words to life for readers as never imagined. <br />
<br />
The story and interactive activities built into Book of Spells are steeped in the Harry Potter <br />
universe, and are designed to capture the imaginations of new and longtime fans alike. "<br />
<a name='more'></a><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Gnns8lkyPYw" width="520"></iframe>Written by Miranda Goshawk over two hundred years ago, <br />
Book of Spells can be found in the restricted section of the Hogwarts library-<br />
and now it has come to you. <br />
<br />
Book of Spells provides students with a safe environment in which to read, <br />
discover, learn and practice spells they already know and love, such as Incendio, <br />
Wingardium Leviosa and Expelliarmus, as well as discover mischievous notes and spells <br />
scribbled into the margins by previous Hogwarts students, and humorous anecdotal facts <br />
relating to the spells. <br />
<br />
J.K. Rowling has written a conundrum that leads you through the experience, <br />
providing insight into the values a witch or wizard has to learn, and inviting you to journey <br />
through the book to unlock new content, rewarding successful students along the way. <br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><em>Key Game Features</em></strong><br />
<br />
*One of the most advanced uses of augmented reality anywhere, <br />
that brings stories to life in your living room, and allows you to explore <br />
and interact with stories like never before.<br />
<br />
*The most accessible interface - just turn the pages.<br />
<br />
Partner with PlayStation Eye camera and other peripherals, such as the PlayStation Move <br />
motion controller, to create unique and immersive experiences.<br />
<br />
*A safe and engaging environment built around the player, <br />
where they can discover, learn and interact in exciting new ways.<br />
<br />
Looks like HP fans have another thing to add to their christmas lists after all!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com