Last month it was discovered that Warner Bros Home Video was working on Ultimate Extended Editions of the Harry Potter films, which spawned rumors of possible theatrical rereleases. Unfourtunately it doesn't appear like the extended cuts will be released on the big screen, but today Warner Home Video unveiled their plans, complete with photos and a trailer, for a new Ultimate Edition release of the series on DVD/Blu-Ray.
I've always wished that Warner Bros had filmed extended editions of the Harry Potter films, in the same vein as Peter Jackson filmed the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Of course, anyone who knows the many differences between the books and the released films knows that it really wouldn't have been possible. To squeeze the most important plot points into the films, scenes, characters and information have been combined in a way that sometimes eliminate the wonderful side stories that we loved from the novels.
Over the course of the series, there have been only a few scenes, sequences and moments that were filmed but ended up on the cutting room floor. So how much longer can we expect from an "extended edition"? Not much. Year one will be seven minutes longer to be exact. Year two will include 13 extra minutes. Thankfully, the Ultimate Editions are Ultimate because of a bunch of other additions. Details below.
The Ultimate Editions of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets will hit stores on December 8th 2009. The DVD editions will be 4 discs, and the Blu-ray editions will be 3 discs. Preorder now on Amazon:
- YEAR 1 - Sorcerer's Stone: DVD | Blu-ray
- YEAR 2 - Chamber of Secrets: DVD | Blu-ray
Here are the details:
Sorcerer's Stone:
Creating the World of Harry Potter Part 1: The Magic BeginsFor the First Time Ever …
- Uncover the intimate details of the search to cast Harry Potter and his friends
- See Daniel, Rupert and Emma's never-before-seen audition tapes
- Be there with stars and filmmakers walking onto the set of the exciting first day of shooting
- Learn about Chris Columbus' critical, step-by-step decisions behind the creation of Harry Potter's world on screen
- Look back on an amazing decade's worth of movies with Daniel, Rupert and Emma in new and vintage interviews never seen before.
- Plus: Exclusive Introduction by Daniel Radcliffe
DISC 1: Theatrical Version
DISC 2: Extended Version with 7 Minutes of Footage Not Shown in Theatres.
DISC 3:
- Diagon Alley
- Tour the Gryffindor Common Room, Harry's Room and the Great Hall - Welcome to the self-guided tour of Hogwarts, home of witches and wizards in training, and take in the sights.
- Classrooms: Defense Against the Dark Arts; Spells and Charms; Potions; Transfiguration;
- Third Floor Corridor; Deleted Scenes.
- Sorting Hat
- Library: Gallery of Art & Architecture; Hogwarts Yearbook; Guide to Ghosts - Discover the many marvelous and mysterious ghosts of Hogwarts.
- Hogwarts Grounds: Quaffle and Bludger - Get a lesson from Oliver Wood on how to play Quidditch; Tour Hagrid's Hut - Welcome to the self-guided tour of Hagrid's Hut, home of Rubeus Hagrid, the keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts, and his faithful companion, Fang.
- Extra Credit
- Interview - Capturing the Stone: A Conversation with the Filmmakers - Director Chris Columbus, Producer David Heyman, Screenwriter Steve Kloves and Production Designer Stuart Craig talk about casting and bringing the novel to life
DISC 4:
- Introduction by Daniel Radcliffe - An introduction to the many special features for the Harry Potter films [NEW]
- Creating the World of Harry Potter, Part 1: The Magic Begins - Discover the story of how one vision for the Harry Potter films came together out of limitless possibilities to create the visual world we have come to know and love. [NEW]
- A Glimpse Into the World of Harry Potter 2001 I
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