Book-turned-movie will open three weeks earlier than planned, on November 21.
By Shawn Adler
When news broke Thursday that "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" was shifting its release date from November until next summer, we wondered: Did the Boy Who Lived move because of "Twilight"?
Maybe not, but guess who's moving because of "Harry Potter"?
Summit Entertainment announced Friday (August 15) that "Twilight," the first film adaptation to be made from Stephenie Meyer's blockbuster series, has moved its North American release date up three weeks from December 12 to November 21, the weekend previously occupied by "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."
"When Warner Bros. decided to move 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' to the summer of 2009, we saw a unique opportunity to slot in our film, which has been gaining tremendous awareness and momentum over the past several months," Rob Friedman, co-chairman and CEO of Summit Entertainment, wrote in a statement. "We by no means are trying to fill the shoes of the incredible Potter franchise for 2008, rather we are just looking to bring the fans of Stephenie Meyer's incredible book series the film as soon possible from a programming perspective."
The move allows for "Twilight" to premiere on more screens than it otherwise would have and to stay in theaters for a longer time prior to the major holiday season, according to the press release.
"Twilight" will now face off against Disney's "Bolt," the animated story of a hero dog, for the box-office crown. Previously, it would have competed against Scott Derrickson's "The Day the Earth Stood Still" starring Keanu Reeves.
Every Tuesday is "Twilight" Tuesday here at MTV News! Check back here each and every week for the hottest scoop on the film adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's beloved vampire series, and we'll still bring you breaking "Twilight" news throughout the rest of the week. And make sure you check out the MTV Movies Blog for our ongoing "Twilight" discussions each and every day.
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August 15, 2008
Movie News Flash!
So, many of you have heard that the release of the sixth Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, has been moved from this Thanksgiving to next summer. First and foremost, please know that this schedule change has absolutely nothing to do with Twilight, me, or Summit Films (so enough with the imdb death wishes, okay?). This is Warner Bros. decision, and it was not motivated by anything Twilight-related.
Now for the good news! Though we're all sad to have to wait for Harry Potter, this open spot at the theater creates a cool opportunity. The good people at Summit were thrilled to let me know that now Twilight fans are going to get their movie three weeks earlier than scheduled. That's right—Twilight will be released in theaters November 21st! Let the merry-making commence!
--Stephenie
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