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New `Potter` book prompts look at films ahead
New York, June 18: With the new `Harry Potter` book hitting retail shelves this week, the movie industry has trained an eye on whether the films about the British boy wizard can continue casting their lucrative spell over box offices and merchandise sales.
New York, June 18: With the new "Harry Potter" book hitting retail shelves this week, the movie industry has trained an eye on whether the films about the British boy wizard can continue casting their lucrative spell over box offices and merchandise sales.
The stars, Daniel Radcliffe, who plays Potter, and Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, who portray his sidekicks Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, are aging beyond the range of their characters, and the series' loyal fans are growing older, too.
The movies have been major moneymakers for AOL Time Warner Inc.'s Warner Bros., which produced them and has an option to make movies of all of the seven planned books in the series by J.K. Rowling.
Combined, 2001's "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" and last year's "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" have raked in over $1.8 billion in global ticket sales and rank in the No. 2 -- behind "Titanic" -- and No. 6 spots, respectively, on box office charts.
Financial analysts said it is difficult to break down the exact impact of Potter magic on AOL Time Warner's bottom-line, but everyone agrees it has been a hugely profitable franchise.
All signs indicate the next movie, "Prisoner of Azkaban" will help "Harry Potter" replace "Jurassic Park" as the third-largest money-making franchise in history when it hits theatres in summer 2004, said Kaufman Bros. analyst Mark May.
It will be followed in November 2005 by "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," and the movie for this week's "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" will come about 18 months later, a Warner Bros. spokeswoman said.
Enthusiasm for the books is unlikely to wane, but Seth Siegel, co-founder of licensing agency and consultant The Beanstalk Group, said merchandise attached to the franchise may appeal to a smaller audience if the movies take an older, darker turn.
"Licensing will fade away but it will be a response of the aging of the core characters, not because it was a fad that has burned itself out," Siegel said.
Wendi Green who represents child actors for Abrams Artists Agency also finds issues with the stars growing older.
"If (they) are too old, kids can't relate to it," she said. "In a lot of movies and TV shows you have 23-year-olds playing 16-year-olds. That doesn't work, especially if a series goes on for five or six years," she said.
Current contracts for the three stars end after the third film. A Warner Bros. spokeswoman said new contract talks will start when filming for "Prisoner of Azkaban" ends.
One industry source familiar with the matter said indications are that the three will return for the fourth film. Bureau Report
The movies have been major moneymakers for AOL Time Warner Inc.'s Warner Bros., which produced them and has an option to make movies of all of the seven planned books in the series by J.K. Rowling.
Combined, 2001's "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" and last year's "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" have raked in over $1.8 billion in global ticket sales and rank in the No. 2 -- behind "Titanic" -- and No. 6 spots, respectively, on box office charts.
Financial analysts said it is difficult to break down the exact impact of Potter magic on AOL Time Warner's bottom-line, but everyone agrees it has been a hugely profitable franchise.
All signs indicate the next movie, "Prisoner of Azkaban" will help "Harry Potter" replace "Jurassic Park" as the third-largest money-making franchise in history when it hits theatres in summer 2004, said Kaufman Bros. analyst Mark May.
It will be followed in November 2005 by "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," and the movie for this week's "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" will come about 18 months later, a Warner Bros. spokeswoman said.
Enthusiasm for the books is unlikely to wane, but Seth Siegel, co-founder of licensing agency and consultant The Beanstalk Group, said merchandise attached to the franchise may appeal to a smaller audience if the movies take an older, darker turn.
"Licensing will fade away but it will be a response of the aging of the core characters, not because it was a fad that has burned itself out," Siegel said.
Wendi Green who represents child actors for Abrams Artists Agency also finds issues with the stars growing older.
"If (they) are too old, kids can't relate to it," she said. "In a lot of movies and TV shows you have 23-year-olds playing 16-year-olds. That doesn't work, especially if a series goes on for five or six years," she said.
Current contracts for the three stars end after the third film. A Warner Bros. spokeswoman said new contract talks will start when filming for "Prisoner of Azkaban" ends.
One industry source familiar with the matter said indications are that the three will return for the fourth film. Bureau Report