Thompson on Hollywood

Katniss Takes Down Harry on Amazon

News

Harry Potter's holly and phoenix feather wand is no match for Katniss Everdeen's bow and arrow -- at least, not on Amazon. The company reports that sales for the "Hunger Games" series have overtaken the "Harry Potter" books in both print and e-book sales, making the Suzanne Collins trilogy Amazon's best-seller.

By Beth Hanna
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August 17, 2012 12:53 PM
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London Opens 'Harry Potter' Studio Tour for Franchise Addicts; Cast & Crew on the Red Carpet (Video)

Video

Warner Bros. Studios has opened the doors to its "Harry Potter" studio tour in London, attracting franchise fans and many of the film's stars. Check out video below of Rubert Grint, director David Yates and more on the red carpet.

By Sophia Savage
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April 2, 2012 1:29 PM
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'The Harry Potter Wizard's Collection' Is A Nineteen Pound Bundle of Joy for Franchise Fans

News

"Harry Potter" fans, take note: Warner Home Video is releasing a limited and numbered collection of 31 discs, including all previously released content (eight films in Blu-ray, DVD and UltraViolet digital copy), an additional five hours of never-before-seen exclusive material and collectible memorabilia.

By Sophia Savage
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March 22, 2012 4:08 PM
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Immersed in Movies: The Makeup Nominees Talk 'Harry Potter,' 'Iron Lady,' and 'Albert Nobbs'

Awards

The race for the makeup Oscar is noteworthy study in contrasts: The fantastical characters for the most successful franchise in movie history, recreating Margaret Thatcher, the most powerful woman of the 20th century, and a creative exercise in gender-bending.

By Bill Desowitz
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February 17, 2012 1:41 PM
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IN THE WORKS: Guillermo Del Toro To Direct Another 'Beauty and the Beast,' with Emma Watson

News

Just as one "Beauty and the Beast," with French stars Lea Seydoux and Vincent Cassel, gets underway, Warner Bros. is pushing Guillermo del Toro to direct his planned production of "Beauty and the Beast," with Brit TV scribe Andrew Davies ("The Three Musketeers") working from his treatment, reports Variety. Del Toro would produce with Denise Di Novi and Alison Greenspan.

By Anne Thompson
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February 13, 2012 7:37 PM
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Immersed in Movies: Production Designer Stuart Craig Talks the Long Road of 'Harry Potter'

Awards

If anyone could rightly be called the face of "Harry Potter," it's production designer Stuart Craig, the architect of this fantastical world of author J.K. Rowling. He was there from the beginning to the end of the most successful franchise in movie history that touched off the millennium—and now beyond,

By Bill Desowitz
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February 3, 2012 12:38 PM
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John Hurt to Receive Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award at BAFTAs

News

John Hurt will receive the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award at this year's BAFTAs, to be held on February 12 at London's Royal Opera House.

By Jacob Combs
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January 27, 2012 1:03 PM
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Yates and Heyman Talk Harry Potter Finale, New Projects; Gravity, Curious Incident, Testament

Awards

After eight "Harry Potter" films, producer David Heyman (who discovered J.K. Rowling's unpublished manuscript in 1997) and director David Yates, the highest-grossing British director of all time after directing the last four, aren't throwing in the towel on the franchise just yet. They came into L.A. for Yates to accept the John Schlesinger Britannia Award for Excellence in Directing from BAFTA LA at Wednesday's Brittania Awards. Needless to say the Brits want to see some Oscar gold for this blockbuster series based on J.K. Rowling's bestsellers that has grossed $7.6 billion worldwide, a record for any franchise. Until now they have been largely overlooked by Oscar, earning nine nominations over seven movies, all in technical categories.

By Anne Thompson
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December 2, 2011 9:43 PM
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Now and Then: Growing Up is Hard to Do: How Harry Potter Won a Generation of Fans

Reviews

By Matthew Brennan
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November 14, 2011 1:19 PM
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Alexandre Desplat Scores Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Among Many Other Films

French composer Alexandre Desplat is having a busy 2011. He's racing to finish the score for one of several still-unfinished year-end releases, Stephen Daldry's Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, over the next few weeks. (The composer took over from Nico Muhly, who scored Daldry's The Reader.) Of course, music is always the last contribution to any movie, figuring in the final mix.