@ShaggE: nah nah hard PG-13, for sure, but not a soft R.

It was violent yes, with a lot of kids and adults dying some in some pretty gruesome ways. But if they can show Anikans skin melting off at a pg-13 rating, they can show all of the last book.

Falconfire

holy smokes..

thats like a HUGE image

Contra maudi

I hope you can use the wiimote as a wand, goddamn thats what it was made for!

Kandoh

@mpmaley: They were talking to Disney about it (Disney still being stung by letting LoTR go only to watch it EXPLODE, and passing on the Harry Potter books). But JK Rowling was making too many expensive demands (like it not suck?) so they passed.

Here's hoping Universal hired these guys [www.kirkdesigninc.com] it's where all the good Imagineers Disney laid off went. These guys (and gals) designed Tokyo Disney Seas, they kick ass.

Zazu_Yen

@Ryumeka: Aye. It'll only get worse too, since some of the events in the later books could easily nab the movies a soft R rating.

But for all the bad, I still enjoy the movies. What they do keep in the films are exactly how I pictured them while reading.

ShaggE

Surprise, surprise. Can't wait for this sure-to-be mediocre film to game adaptation.

Aethyr

@ShaggE: I agree. Especially with the cutting parts of the book out. I get the idea that the director is making the film for people planning to read the book, not the other way around.

Ryumeka

Potter Cart Racer!

Zazu_Yen

@deathbunny:

You do know that they have a theme park in the works right? HP mania isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

mpmaley

I'm a Potter addict, but the games have always been awful. I'll just wait for the movie. (although those have been getting worse lately too... they've had to cut way too much from the books)

ShaggE

I'm still hopeing they'll make the film Hermione and the Hebophiliacs....

Cruithne

Lets hope the Wii version is better than than last year's trainwreck. Also, this probably means that the Order of Phoenix for 360 is going to drop even lower in price...a good cheap game to buy this summer(my achievement sense is tingling).

Soralinkyuna

@Candlejack: Oh no...the dreaded HOTCAKES!

I have decided to make my own game. It will be called Hotcakes.

And it will sell like...

...

Flapjacks.
:)

But in all seriousness, I was hoping for a RTS Harry Potter. Or at least a racing/cooking sim hybrid.

Spoony Bard

This is gonna be exactly like the other games. Just good enough that it's playable.

Dauragon C. Mikado

I wonder if it still has momentum since the last book came out.

Though, I guess if you loved the series, then you're dying for something to prolong the experience.

deathbunny

I didn't even know the film was coming out this year...

flukielukie

Gulp. Ew. Sorry for that. I threw up in my mouth.

In all honesty though, this game will sell like hotcakes, if only because it's on a shitload of platforms. Also, kids love it.

Candlejack

Test

liquid_kore

Hey Brian not sure if you guys are aware of this but when I go to the "friends activity" up at the top it shows your posts now along with the comments of the people I am following, and it's possible to read them before they are live and on the front page.

liquid_kore

@ShaggE: I think the biggest problem is that the directors felt like they had to keep making shorter and shorter movies to keep the audience's attention. Order of the Phoenix was the longest book and the shortest movie. I understand cutting secondary plots (SPEW, anyone?), but some of the things that have gotten cut are just frustrating.

/my nerdiest rant this week.

HootieMac: Section 9 Reject

The movie is going to be done in two parts, so how will this be addressed in the game? Will the game spoil the second movie before I even get a chance to see it?

Zaxxon Q Blaque

@Kandoh: order of the phoenix allows you to

teh_joe

@Sloopydrew: Boy, if you liked that game, do I have a garage for you to clean out!

Slap Bet

"Come on!"

Have you been watching Arrested Development lately too Brian?

dead_red_eyes

One thing that confuses me to no end is that you'd think something such as Harry Potter could make a good video game. But then, just about every Harry Potter game ever made has been a license cash-in and pretty awful. It still sells well of course but its a shame EA never apply any polish to it sadly.

Tiberian

@Falconfire: True. I forget how lenient the MPAA has gotten recently.

ShaggE

Pretty disappointing news, actually. I thought EA was pushing the video game series in the right direction with Order of the Phoenix and its open-ended gameplay. It was the first Harry Potter game I actually enjoyed playing enough to play all the way though. Apparently is will also be the last.

Sloopydrew

@HootieMac: Section 9 Reject: Ah, I stand corrected.

Zaxxon Q Blaque

The reason OOtP was diffrent than the past movies was because it had a diffrent Screenwriter. Steve Kloves wrote the screenplay of the first four movies. So when it was time to do "Order" he dicided to not do that one to have a little break. He is writing Half-Blood now and preparing to write Deathly Hallows. Anyway The game will most likley suck while the movie will be awesome.... I wonder if we see ********* die in the game.

StealthMaster86

@HootieMac: Section 9 Reject: Both, with any luck. One does the batusi at the Yule Ball, and the other rolls around in toxic waste to become a wizard. It'd be epic. EPIC.

ShaggE

@ShaggE: I kind of liked the newspaper part. It was cool.

Aethyr

@HootieMac: Section 9 Reject: The director just films it dude. The screenwriter is the one that decides what stays and what goes.

Aitrus233

Anyone remember how sweet the consoles version of Chamber of Secrets ruled? I still have that game to this day. Unlocking the broom and flying around for simple fun was amazing.

Ashurahori

@ShaggE: Adam West as Batman or Adam West as Mayor Adam West? Because, despite being horribly, horribly non-canon, I could totally support a cameo by Mayor Adam West. (This is true for pretty much any TV show, film, book, comic strip, or stage production.)

HootieMac: Section 9 Reject

@Zaxxon Q Blaque: It's the last movie (HP and the Deathly Hallows) that's going to be in 2 parts, not this one, so play away.

I am a little sad for you if your HP experience is limited to the games and movies, though. The books really are very fun to read.

HootieMac: Section 9 Reject

@Tiberian: I agree completely. Hopefully when all is done someone would make a good game out of the HP universe.

I mean, you've got a great set of villains, great locations, herbology, potions, transfiguration, animagi, charms, jinxes, and the oh ever so lovely unforgivable curses.

How cannot there be good game out of that?

ask EA.

Hugoku

@HootieMac: Section 9 Reject: Hehe, such is Hollywood. They've spent so long dumbing down the audience that even 2 hour movies are criticized for being too lengthy.

And yeah, OOTP was a big offender. They explained away half of the movie with newspaper clippings... almost expected Adam West to make an appearance.

ShaggE

@Aitrus233: @HootieMac: Section 9 Reject:
WOAAAH

WOAAAAAAH

WOAAAAAAAAH!!!!

disregard my last comment. I just realized what both of you said!

first off, the screen writer has NO say in what stays and goes in the final project. He or she writes the script, gets a big fat check for it and goes off on his or her merry little way. If the script needs any kind of modification afterwards they MIGHT bring the screenwriter back to fix it up, but most likely they hire someone else to do it on the fly.

Secondly, in many cases (especially with a big fat budget studio film) the director does not have a whole lot of say in terms of editing. Unless he or she has what is called "Final Cut". The director can potentially have a big influence on the editing process (if they have a good editor to work with) but if the studio doesn't like his or her cut they will modify it to their liking.

Dauragon C. Mikado

"players will return to Hogwarts to help Harry survive a fraught sixth year."

Fraught sixth year? Uh, someone forgot to bring this to their editor.

Fraught with what? Fraught with sixth?

Eville1

@HootieMac: Section 9 Reject: In many cases the director does not have big hand in the editing process.

Especially with a giant cash cow franchise such as Harry Potter. The studio has the last say there.

Dauragon C. Mikado

@Fnor: Funny. Did not expect that and now soda everywhere. Damn you.

Spoony Bard

I sense epic fail for anyone who cares about getting good game.

For the remaining millions, it's Harry Potter... yaaaay!

To be fair, I really liked the design and mechanics of Prisoner of Azkaban (proper exploration, Zelda-esque combat, spells that could be equipped) and the co-op from the Goblet of Fire.

However, I was quite disappointed with the Order of the Phoenix. The "tie in" aspect was non-existent, the poor gameplay harangued the player and it was overall a really lacklustre game.

As for the first two... can't remember much about them... the games that is :P

Chupakun

EA's Harry Potter games are equally as casual as most "hardcore" games on the market ...

GhaleonUnlimited

I understand that interracial couples are still somewhat controversial, but "half-blood?" That's just offensive.

Oh, Potter, not Poitier. My bad.

Fnor

@Aitrus233: I'm not a film expert, but I think the director has a pretty big hand in the editing process. Plenty of what gets filmed ends up getting cut.

@StealthMaster86: Thanks for that insight. Hopefully DH will feel a bit more like the first 3 films. OotP had its moments, but it was pretty darned shallow. And that's a great question about the death scene. I really hope it's in there.

General question- are any of the HP games worth playing? Despite being a huge fan, I've never actually played any of the games, figuring they were mostly aimed at a younger audience.

HootieMac: Section 9 Reject

@Dauragon C. Mikado: Thanks for the info!

Now can you just tell me who is the rightful recipient of my ire for everything that's been cut from the last few HP movies? Studio execs? Editors? Marketing types? JT??

HootieMac: Section 9 Reject

For PS2? If Sony wants people to adapt games on PS3 they should just axe the support for the thing. It had its run of eight years, it's time to let it go.

kylo4

Popular film to spawn video game adaptation; film at 11.

Laute

Interesting. I kind of liked the Wii version of the last game (despite all of the dumb side quest crap), so I might take a peek at this one.

mquest

While I would never buy one of these, I found HP and the Order... to be a pretty fun rental for awhile. But I am a Potter nerd, so I was more willing than others to maybe overlook some flaws.

lionkitten

Off topic, how are they going to make the seventh movie? The guy who plays Harry is, what, twenty something?

On topic, ooh, pretty magic lights. Sold!

rdj

@lionkitten: Yeah, like the fact that you couldn't die. At all. I tried to jump off the drain pipes at Hogwarts a billion times, but Harry was one tenacious bugger when it came to preserving his own life.

peAr_nectAr

@Ryumeka: I like the fact that parts of the book were cut out - Order of the Phoenix benefitted from actually having a point and direction.

mcderek3000

@rdj: Harry Potter is meant to be an adult in the seventh book.

mcderek3000