Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc, announced on Thursday the push back of the sixth Harry Potter movie, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” from its original slot in November 2008 to July 2009.
The studio said it had decided to make the change knowing that the summer season is an ideal window for a family movie release, as proven by the success of the last Harry Potter film, the second-highest grossing film in the franchise.
Warner Bros. President Alan Horn said the studio was also still feeling repercussions from the three-month Hollywood screenwriters strike that ended in February, however the change of date would not alter production plans for the final, two-part Potter movie adventure, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” The release date for part one is set for November 2010.
“Chinese Democracy” Guns N’ Roses’ long-delayed album is about to come out as an exclusive at one of the big-box retailers — either Wal-Mart or Best Buy.
Irving Azoff’s Front Line Management, Guns N’ Roses’ management team is a well-known proponent of issuing albums exclusively through retailers; however negotiations are also ongoing for conventional record company distribution, a source said.
Either Front Line or Interscope, the band’s label, representatives nor Wal-Mart representative couldn’t confirm this fall’s exclusive album offerings.
After eight years of “silence” on August 28 the radios all over America will play “Rock ‘n’ Roll Train”, the first single from the new AC/DC album - “Black Ice”.
The album will be sold exclusively in the U.S. via Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club and the band’s Web site, beginning October 20. On September AC/DC’s label home, Columbia, will release “No Bull: The Director’s Cut,” a DVD of AC/DC’s show at Madrid’s Plaza De Toros De Las Ventas, from July 1996.
R&B star Usher hires back his mother, Jonnetta Patton, as Manager, after he dissolved his management arrangement with Benny Medina, due to the lackluster album sales.
Usher and his mother, who previously managed her son’s career, parted ways professionally in May 2007, when the R&B singer got engaged to Tameka Foster. At that time a source said that the couple postponed their wedding, partly because of the tense relationship between Foster and Patton.
In an interview with Vibe earlier this year, Usher characterizes the split from his mom as “the ultimate compliment” by having her retires.
Brad Pitt officially has joined the cast of Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglorious Bastards,” signing on to play Lt. Aldo Raine, the head of the Jewish resistance in the writer/director’s World War II film.
Pitt’s character is a Southern rebel who leads a band of eight Jewish American soldiers as they exact vengeance on Nazis in German-occupied France.
The Weinstein Co./Universal co-production starts shooting October 13 in Germany, with hopes of having it finished in time for a debut at the Cannes Film Festival in May.
Sheryl Crow new Bootheel Trading Co. line of jeans, vests and T-shirts named after where she grew up (“the boot heel of Missouri”) debuts in Dillard’s department stores on August 7.
Sheryl wanted the denim-based line, inspired by her own closed, to be “comfortable and earthy” and affordable for her friends back home.
Afraid of offending viewers, America’s TV networks have banned the actress’s new commercial for the Calvin Klein scent Secret Obsession.
In the ad, Eva Mendes rolls around on a bed clad only in a sheet, whispering: “Between love and madness lies obsession”. An edited version may air after 10pm; however international viewers will get to see the commercial as created.
Cosmetics Company L’Oreal denied that it lightened Beyonce’s skin tone for an ad promoting Feria in Elle magazine where she looked noticeably paler and lighter than usual.
Tim Burton’s version of the classic Lewis Carroll fairy tale, Alice in Wonderland is slated for release in 2010. The film will be live action until Alice jumps down the rabbit hole and meets the loopy tea party host. Disney won’t confirm whether Depp, who is about to play Mad Hatter in the film, will wear a Hatter outfit or will lend his voice to the computer-generated version.
The Batman sequel which was the fastest flick to earn $400 million has grossed a total of $441.5 million over 24 days.
The film moved four spots on the all-time list, bypassing Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest ($423 million), Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom Menace ($431 million), E.T. ($435 million) and Shrek 2 ($441.2 million).
If The Dark Knight maintains its current place, by the end of next weekend, the movie should overtake the original Star Wars ($461 million, including rereleases). Titanic ($601 million) is the next box office challenge to be break.
