by Jeff Labrecque, Source: EW.com
Harry Potter said his last goodbye this summer, with the release of the franchise’s final chapter, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2, and Warner Bros. seems determined to prove they really meant it. As of Dec. 29, no more Harry Potter theatrical film titles (including Harry Potter: The Complete 8-Film Collection) will be shipped to stores, initiating a profitable home entertainment model not unlike the one at Disney, which periodically re-releases its classics for home purchase. (Warner Bros.’ moratorium on Potter will not include digital — Electronic Sell-Through and VOD — or games.)
Since Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was released in 2001, the Harry Potter franchise has grossed more than $12.1 billion for Warner Bros. Entertainment — $5.1 billion of which came from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. It’s fair to say that figure will grow even larger this holiday season, as children and young adults who grew up with the books and movies feel the pressure to snap up the Complete 8-Film Collection — at around $60 — while they still can.
