Get 'em while you still can!

[Reba]

I don't know any fan who doesn't already have their DVD copies of the Harry Potter movies, but according to news posted on hpana.com they'll be pulled from shelves by 2007.

All 'Potter' DVDs to be shelved by 2007
JULY 25, 2006 at 3:46 PM

Posted by CHEESER
Source: HPANA

Warner Bros. has confirmed to HPANA that it plans to pull all of the first four Harry Potter DVDs off store shelves by early 2007, with no announced plans for their return.

Sorcerer's Stone, Chamber of Secrets and Prisoner of Azkaban will become unavailable after December 29, 2006. Goblet of Fire will follow suit on February 9, 2007.

First reported by Home Media Retailing Magazine, the move may indicate WB's interest in stoking sales this non-Potter holiday season, or preparing for newer editions of the films on HD-DVD or Blu-Ray technology.

Called a "moratorium," the practice is commonplace in the home video industry. The most notable instigator is Disney, which often locks away movies in their "vault" to stimulate sales and publicity.

Thanks to Matthew for the tip.

[Elwen]

Weird.

I wonder why? They are not going to stop selling those films, that would just be a wrong marketing decision. Perhaps they'll only be available in box sets, or in the new HD formats....


I AM a fan who doesn't have any of the Potter film DVDs now... this is a little inconvenient because I'll now have to make up my mind about buying them after all. If I could do without them so far I guess I'll be fine, though....

[Reba]

distribution companies do it all the time really. They'll likely be re-released at annivesary times or somesuch in a few years. Maybe, as you suggested, in a boxed set with all of them once they're all done. And again at the 10 year anniversary, 20 year anniversary etc etc ad nauseum ;)

[Eriol]

And you can always get them used.

[Lembas]

Well, I'm glad I've got the four DVDs already. I've got a HDTV but I'm not going to invest in a HD or Blu-Ray DVD player. I'm waiting until they come up with a hybrid player and the competing studio camps join together as one on a format (as they eventually did in the scuffle between DVD or Divx). So, until then, I'm buying regular DVDs and enjoying them as they are because they look pretty darn fine to me.

[Pilgrim Grey]

I thought there already was a hybrid player. Wasn't LG making one? Hang on, I'm gonna get to the bottom of this...

Hmm, nope, seems I was wrong. The only info I can find about a combo player is that LG (and Samsung) were going to make one, but due to certain companies' egos, that isn't going ahead. But as the article pointed out, company executives often find it very easy to ditch their egos when faced with the bottom line on their products.

[Moxie]

I second Lembas. I don't want to spend significant money on a new player only to find that I've invested in technology that isn't getting continuing support. (I did know one family that benefited somewhat from buying a laser disc player in the 1980s - a movie rental place in their area had also gone in for laser discs, and when the rental place decided to get rid of their laser disc stock my friend's family got loads upon loads of movies for wicked cheap. Of course, by now they've had to buy a DVD player like everyone else to watch more recent films.)

As for the Potter DVDs, I still very much prefer the books to the films - I do have the first DVD (a gift from my mom) but no particular urge to pick up the others. In fact, I didn't even see Goblet of Fire in the theatre as I expected I'd be too upset by differences between film and book.

[lithorose]

Well, I've seen plenty of Potter DVDs still on shelves. Target has all the full-screens on sale though, so I wonder if they are just going to continue selling the widescreen, and discontinue fullscreen. FS is slowly falling into disuse, it seems.

I can't see them discontinuing DVDs yet though. Too few people have HD or blueray right now.

[Reba]

I'm not in any hurry to run out and replace our DVD players either, although one of our older ones is starting to show its age, it may need to be replaced sometime. We did get a new HDTV this fall, but regular ol' DVDs look just fine on it, so, as Lembas said, unless someone comes up with a hybrid player, I don't think we'll be spending all our money to replace what we've got.

I do enjoy watching the movies though, just for the sake of watching a movie. Like the LoTR films there are parts that annoy me, but if I suspend my knowledge of the books, as stand alone movies, they're quite enjoyable IMO. :)