“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2,” the eighth and final installment in one of cinema’s most successful series, has its premiere in London in a week, and experts predict records could tumble when it hits theatres on July 15. The cast and crew have promised the most explosive Potter movie yet, even though computer-generated special effects and action scenes have been predominant throughout. “The last movie is going to be really, really fast-paced with loads of action like a war film,” Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe told.
The final film, the first Potter installment to be available in 3D, will reveal whether boy wizard Potter prevails over his evil nemesis Lord Voldemort in a classic good-versus-evil climax, although J.K. Rowling’s novels provide the answer. Knowing what happens next is unlikely to dampen enthusiasm among the huge fan base Rowling has built up through the seven books and movie adaptations, for whom Deathly Hallows Part 2 will be a bitter-sweet moment.
For millions of mostly young people around the world, the release of each Harry Potter novel or movie was a major event. Befitting such a landmark film, Hollywood studio Warner Bros will take over London’s historic Trafalgar Square for the red carpet premiere, making space for the anticipated crowds dressed in Potter costumes and intense media interest. For weeks plasma screens in Tokyo and advertisements across Britain have been flagging the sendoff, which is set to be marked with parties, stunts and promotional events. On the red carpet will be the actors playing Harry, Ron and Hermione, aged between nine and 11 years old when they were cast and who have grown up in the bubble of super stardom. For Rupert Grint (Ron), Radcliffe (Harry) and Emma Watson (Hermione), the transition to life post-Potter may not be easy, despite the fact that all three have sizeable personal fortunes and other acting options to pursue.
For Warner Bros, the end of Potter, its most bankable property, is equally daunting.
