A new press release states that the hours for Harry Potter: The Exhibition in Chicago will be extended for the last few weeks of the tour.

The exhibition–which made its world premiere at the Museum in April 2009–will close on September 27, 2009. Beginning Friday, September 18, the Museum will offer extended exhibit hours until midnight on both Friday and Saturday nights though the exhibition’s closing date, September 27.

Hours and Ticket Information
This exhibition offers extended hours and beginning Friday, September 18, it will be open 9:30 a.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday, and 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday. After the Museum’s regular hours, only the Harry Potter exhibition will be open. (The Museum regularly closes at 4 p.m.). Combination admission into the Museum and Harry Potter: The Exhibition during the day is $26 for adults; $25 for seniors; and $19 for children ages 3-11. After the Museum closes, tickets are $18 for adults and seniors and $15 for children ages 3-11. The tickets to Harry Potter: The Exhibition are timed-entry, and advance purchase is recommended at www.msichicago.org or by calling (773) 684-1414. Audio guides are also available for purchase.

Director, Writer, Actor and Producer Terry Gilliam recently discussed how he almost directed Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone.

The former Monty Python legend was J.K. Rowling’s first choice to helm Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 2000, but Warner Bros. studios decided to go with Chris Columbus.  At the time, Gilliam was furious – denouncing Columbus’ work as “terrible” and “pedestrian”.  But looking back, the 12 Monkeys moviemaker is glad he was overlooked – insisting he couldn’t have handled studio bosses meddling with his work over revenue fears.

He tells Total Film magazine, “That was one of my lucky moments. I would have gone crazy. It’s a f**king factory, working on Harry Potter. It is. The studios are staking everything on the success of those movies.  It was way too expensive. Too much at stake. So they (studio bosses) interfere. It’s about serving something higher than yourself. It’s the film. The film is God and I’m worshipping… while I’m making it I become a zealot. Basically, I’m a like a suicide bomber when it comes to my films!”

Amazon France has a limited “Prestige edition” collection of Harry Potter DVDs in a special container at the base of a replica of Hogwarts on their website. The set which contains DVDs of all six Harry Potter films, including Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, will be released on November 16, 2009.  The price of this AWESOME collectible (that I would DIE for) is set at $287 (if I converted correctly).  It is unknown whether it will be released in the US or anywhere else as of yet.

They also state that the standard, blu-ray and double-dvd will be released on November 18th and November 25th.  If you recall the release date for the US was last rumored as December 8th, so who knows which is right!  Hopefully we will find out soon.

Thanks Sue!

If you guys can remember wayyy back to last month I reported about WB releasing Extended editions of the dvds.  Chamber of Secrets has now been rated.

Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets (Extended Version)
Rated PG For scary moments, some creature violence and mild language.
Release Date: TBA 2009

Thanks TLC!

Two Harry Potter films are on Empire’s list of The 50 Greatest Movie Sequels!

#24 – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
DIRECTED BY ALFONSO CUARON
RELEASED: 2004

Why’s it so good? Alfonso Cuaron took over from original director Christopher Columbus, and with the difficult task of world-building out of the way was able to take the story and run with it, making Potter feel like a real adventure story for the first time, and one taking place in somewhere bordering on the real world.

#15 – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
DIRECTED BY DAVID YATES
RELEASED: 2007

Why’s it so good? David Yates took over the directing reins for this fifth film, based on the longest – and, some would say, dullest – book in the series, and knocked it out of the park. Excising large swathes of not much, he cut it down to one of the leanest films and delivered a barnstorming last act in the Ministry of Magic, with the sort of magical duels we’d been waiting four-and-a-half films to see.

Thanks SS!

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban will be on tv tonight and tomorrow night on ABC Family!  Check your local listings to be sure of the times, but they are as follows:

• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – 4:30 – 7:30 pm (both nights)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – 7:30 – 11:00 pm (both nights)