[NOTD] News Of The Day 22/04/07

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Freaky Genious

@albusdumbledore

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Posted: 18 years ago

More on Harry Potter Theme Park Rumor

Previously we have reported about a long rumored proposal for a Harry Potter theme park, possibly in Orlando, Florida. The Scotsman is reporting tonight some additional news about this possible project and says that "Universal Studios is seeking a deal with Rowling to build a $500m Harry Potter mini theme park in Florida." The newspaper has an interview with a former Universal executive who had this to say about such a venture:

Peter Alexander, a former vice president of Universal Studios and founder of a theme park design consultancy, said: "People keep screeching that it's an entirely separate park, but according to Steve Spielberg, who we talked to about it, he says it's going to be a 'land' within the confines of the existing Islands of Adventure theme park. If it's a 'land' it will cost at the very least $500m."
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Sources say that both Universal Studios and Rowling, who owns the rights to the Harry Potter franchise, are agreed on the principle of the mini-park, but are still hammering out the details of a settlement.
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Once an agreement is reached, the attraction could be built in as little as 18 months.

The article also state that reps for Jo, Warner Brothers and Universal Studios "all declined to comment." While this is all very exciting, this is still very much unconfirmed and we will update with more on this when we can.

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Freaky Genious

@albusdumbledore

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Posted: 18 years ago

J.K. Rowling: Winner of 2007 Wired Rave Award

"Honoring the mavericks, dreamers and innovators "changing your mind", The WIRED Rave award recognizes leaders in a wide range of categories including technology, business, music, industrial design and blogs." So says the popular technology magazine, which has just announced their new 2007 winners of these Rave Awards, including Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling. Thanks to TLC reader Tami, we now know the May issue of the magazine features the 22 winners, and has the following about our favorite author:

The Mogul

J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter, Inc.

"In 1990, before the rise of Second Life and World of Warcraft, before the triumph of MMORPs, a young woman named Joanne Rowling was stuck on a delayed four-hour train ride to King's Cross station in London. She began to conjure up an outcast boy heading to a sorcery school called Hogwarts. Seven years and countless drafts later, the first Harry Potter novel plunged readers into a parallel universe more compelling than any online world imaginable. Rowling was paid a $4,000 advance. Today she is the first person to become a billionaire by writing books. And when "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the seventh and final volume in the series, apparates on July 21, it will mark the conclusion of an incredible run: more than 325 million books sold in 200 countries, not to mention the $3 billion or so earned by the first four movies and billions more from games, action figures, and product tie-ins. Rowling is the reigning master of what you might call MMFWs-massively !
multireader fictional worlds-inspiring a generation of screen-fed kids to devour old-fashioned books on paper." -Liesl Schillinger

The magazine is due on newsstands Tuesday, April 24 and the winners will also be featured online at wired.com. The magazine states the winners will be celebrated at a ceremony in San Francisco,California on April 27, however we do not know if JKR will be attending, and will update with more on that when we can. Congratulations Jo!

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Freaky Genious

@albusdumbledore

Inactive

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Posted: 18 years ago

Scholastic CEO on Life after "Deathly Hallows" and More

The New York Times newspaper has a new interview with Scholastic Chief Excutive Officer Richard Robinson, who answers quite a few questions on working with Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, discussing the impact her books have made on the US publishers of the Harry Potter series, as well as answering a few questions about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

When asked specifically if this was in fact, the last of the Harry Potter books, Mr. Robinson answered "we can believe this is the last book on Harry Potter." He was later asked again about any possible additional Potter books or any other book J.K. Rowling may write and responded with the following:

NYT: Going back to our first question, I noticed you emphasized the words Harry Potter when you said Ms. Rowling's last book on Harry Potter. Do you have a first option on any other series she might be doing?

RR: No, but we refer to ourselves as her U.S. publisher and she's very loyal to us and we're very loyal to her. We'll keep working together. It's less likely we won't get it. It's more likely it won't be another Harry Potter."

Later on during the interview, the executive was asked if he knew details and the outcome of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

NYT: Yes, speaking of how it ends, we've heard that two people get killed. Can you say who they are? And people also want to know if Harry and Hermione finally, er, get together in the end?

RR: (Laughs) I don't even know. Really. There's a small number who read the book. I don't. I'm sure she thinks of the ending of Charles Dickens's Little Nell, when people were waiting at the boat docks for the last sequel — to see if Little Nell was going to die. You know, one of the great things is getting people to imagine what's going to happen: my 10-year-old has an absolutely brilliant interpretation. We're starting a campaign for teachers to use in classrooms: seven questions, including who lives and who dies. Many people, including world-famous authors, are trying to figure out how it will end.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be released on July 21, 2007.

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Freaky Genious

@albusdumbledore

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Posted: 18 years ago

New OotP International Trailer Description

The new international trailer for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix that is set to become properly released online tomorrow has now been leaked and put on youtube. This video was taped off a Japanese television station and contains subtitles as well. If you wish to watch this poor copy version, click here. A few (spoilers!) details are described below for those who wish to wait for a better copy when the trailer is officially released.

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Freaky Genious

@albusdumbledore

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Posted: 18 years ago

More from IGN on "Order of the Phoenix" Video Game

There is another new preview online via IGN of the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix video game, which also includes one new shot of the XBOX 360 game. You can see this new image here.

In this new interview, we learn more how the team from EA worked very hard and meticulously to create a wonderful magical world for fans to explore in this game, as the team constructed " a 3D virtual Hogwarts -- getting their blue prints of the movie sets, going to the exterior locations with tape measurers and high-end digital cameras, and reviewing how these locations have been translated into the movies, poring over every detail." In addition, they really worked on trying to ensure a realistic look to the game including the older trio:

IGN: In The Order of the Phoenix, Harry, Hermione and Ron are growing up. How has that been reflected in the game?

Harvey Elliott: Well, for starters the obvious change is that they are visually older. We facial scanned each of the actors as they came off set to get up-to-the-minute data to ensure that they look exactly like the characters they portray in the movie. We also see their magic has improved and they are becoming more powerful wizards. And finally, with the vast majority of the cast reprising their roles from the movies, their characters really come out in the game -- as a result, they are definitely more determined and a little less prepared to listen to 'authority.'

This game is available for pre-order via our Cauldron Shop and will be released on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PC, PSP, XBOX 360,Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, and Gameboy Advance platforms.