MuggleCast 233 Transcript
Show Intro
[“Hedwig’s Theme” plays]
Andrew: Because it all ends here [pauses] except for MuggleCast, this is MuggleCast Episode 233 for July 2nd, 2011.
[Show music begins]
Andrew: This week’s episode of MuggleCast is brought to you by Hypable.com, a brand new entertainment website created by the staff of MuggleNet. Hypable is a MuggleNet for multiple fandoms: passionate, complete coverage for all the fandoms that we cover. Now with over forty fandoms including Glee, True Blood, Breaking Bad, The Hobbit, Doctor Who, Merlin, and many more. Visit Hypable.com for news coverage you can count on. That’s Hypable.com – H-Y-P-A-B-L-E.com.
[Show music continues]
Andrew: Welcome to MuggleCast Episode 233! We have arrived, it’s been five or six years of podcasting for this: it’s the final episode before the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2. And it’s going to be a different show today. A bit more relaxed, a bit more chill. No Chapter-by-Chapter, we have to get everybody into the movie mood, or at least that’s our excuse. Matt, Micah, Eric are here this week along with me. Hello gentlemen!
Eric: Hello host!
Matt: Good afternoon.
Micah: Hello Andrew!
Andrew: Eric in his attempt to create some extra show material is podcasting today from his vehicle.
Eric: Yes. Not while operating my vehicle…
Andrew: Oh good.
Eric: …but inside my vehicle. This is not a first on MuggleCast.
Micah: Taking after Ben.
Eric: Yes.
Andrew: Yeah, right.
Eric: I’m pulling a Ben.
[Matt laughs]
Andrew: There are – now you live in Illinois, right?
Eric: Yes, in…
Andrew: Okay, because I know at least twelve states it’s against the law to podcast while driving, so…
Eric: Ooh.
Andrew: I don’t think one of them is Illinois.
Eric: Not the beautiful Land of Lincoln. We’re all about freedom here, baby.
Andrew: [laughs] We podcast where we want!
[Eric and Matt laugh]
News: Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Posters & Billboards
Andrew: Okay. Well, let’s get into some news. There’s been so much news this week, Micah, so we’re not going to pick apart every little interview or whatnot, but we’re going to talk about some things that are going on leading up to the release of the film on July 15th.
Micah: Yeah, like you said, I mean, [laughs] there’s just so much news. It would take probably two or three shows just to go through all of it, bit by bit. But I want to talk a little bit about the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 posters, billboards, everything that’s showing up throughout the world, really. And somebody pointed out that not a lot of them have the title of the movie in it, but I think everybody in these films is so recognizable that it doesn’t matter.
Andrew: Yeah. It really speaks to the impact of the films. Every time I see another one of these posters or these billboards, it just says, “It ends here.” And I think about the marketing behind that, how interesting that is where they don’t have to put “Harry Potter” and I would love to speak to some marketing expert about the thinking behind that. But I really appreciate it.
Eric: I’m sure somebody forgot. Somebody else is going to lose their job, you know? They rolled out with these fifteen posters, and somebody is like, “Ahhh, it’s missing these…”
Andrew: “Oh no!”
Eric: “Oh no!” Yeah. I mean, you’re right.
Andrew: “They forgot the title!”
Eric: They’re recognizable, but I still don’t think you should be able to get away with it. I just don’t like that idea, because you know what? Everything Harry Potter does, Twilight does to follow it, and so pretty soon we’re just going to have these huge posters of Jacob shirtless, and we’re all going to know what it’s going to be.
[Matt laughs]
Andrew: Well, then it worked. Then the promotion worked.
Eric: Well no, it’s lazy advertising.
Andrew: Oh.
Matt: Oh.
Andrew: I think it’s very artistic.
Matt: I think Eric is just trying to redeem himself from the last episode when he outed himself as a Twilight fan.
Andrew: [laughs] That too. What else is going on in the news, Micah?
News: Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Clips
Micah: We’ve gotten a lot of Deathly Hallows – Part 2 clips, this last week in particular, and it’s interesting to see the feedback that we get: a lot of comments, a lot of tweets. And I’m wondering – Andrew, you wrote [laughs] in the document that we have here, “We’re done talking about ‘too much,'” and the fact that fans often say, “Well, are they going to leave any of the movie to the theaters?” And we got a look inside Gringotts, we got a look at the Chamber of Secrets. And these are things, I think, people don’t necessarily want to see until they go to the theaters, but there’s nobody that’s telling them they have to press the “Play” button.
Andrew: Yeah, and I honestly hate that “Ooh, they’re showing too much!” This happens with every, every movie.
Matt: Yeah.
Andrew: But speaking about the clips, the Chamber of Secrets clip, I think that’s the only actual clip. The Gringotts one was a featurette. That featurette is really good because, yes, you do see new footage, but you also see lots of behind-the-scenes footage. And you see all the goblins, the actors playing the goblins, all in one room getting all their makeup on at the same time. It’s actually really interesting to see that process. And they also talked about designing Gringotts, and making it really big inside and just very pretty.
Eric: So Andrew, maybe you can answer me then. What is the benefit of them showing this? Behind-the-scenes stuff belongs in DVD features. We know that there are precious few DVD features for these Harry Potter films, yet they released these…
Andrew: Because with every film they’ve released a featurette. Simple as that.
Eric: Oh, every other film before, so that makes it okay for them to release five times as more, five times as many for the eighth film?
Andrew: It’s not five times as more or many. They’ve always done three or four featurettes.
Matt: I think people tend to forget how much they show on the previous film and think that this is the first time they’ve released so much.
Eric: Maybe it’s not…
Andrew: And people love to complain.
Eric: But this is the last film! I’m telling you, what is the benefit – or I’m asking you, what is the benefit of them releasing all these key, crucial scenes before the movie comes out? I mean…
Andrew: You don’t have to watch. You don’t have to watch.
Matt: Also, fans tend to get really upset with it because they go on fan sites every day, and fan sites have to post everything that Warner Bros. posts. So…
Andrew: Yeah, we’re slaves to Warner Bros.!
[Eric laughs]
Matt: So of course they’re going to have everything that Warner Bros. releases on the fan sites. But if you’re not a fan or if you’re just the general public, you’re not seeing all those clips. You may see one clip completely.
Andrew: That’s true.
Eric: We need an alternative to the Harry Potter fan sites, a Harry Potter fan site that only posts what fans want to see and not what…
Matt: So basically…
Eric: Yeah.
Matt: In order to not be spoiled, fans of Harry Potter have to not be fans of Harry Potter when the movies are in promotional stage.
Andrew: Yeah, these – right, these clips are for people who aren’t necessarily fans.
Matt: Exactly.
Andrew: It’s just to get the word out.
Micah: Yeah…
Andrew: What else is going on in the news, Micah?
Micah: I was just going to add, though, just one final bit to that – for example, the Chamber of Secrets. Say you’re just a moviegoer. You’re going to look at that clip and you’re going to say, “Wow, they’re going back to somewhere that they went in the second movie.” So it probably ties it together if you’re not somebody who has read the books. So I think the advantage of it though, Eric, is that they’re just promoting the film. That’s what it comes down to. This is their last film and they’re going all out to put as much out there as possible to drive people to the theaters. That’s what it is.
Eric: And yet they won’t even put the title in the poster. Because they’re going all out to promote this film…
[Andrew laughs]
Eric: …but yet they just show a picture without the title.
Micah: We’re going to agree to disagree, and we’re going to move on and just don’t look at anymore clips because I’m sure there is going to be more that come out before the movie is released.
Andrew: Oh yeah.
Micah: ABC Family is releasing some next weekend, so…
[Eric sighs]
Andrew: So is Larry King.
Micah: So is Larry King, yes.
Eric: Thanks for the forewarning.
Matt: So don’t go on MuggleNet.
[Micah laughs]
Eric: I can’t be alone. I cannot be alone on this. I need to hear…
News: Deathly Hallows – Part 2 World Premiere to be Live-Streamed
Micah: I’m sure you’re not. There are plenty of people in the comments and on Twitter and on Facebook who definitely agree with you. But one thing that they all want to do is check out the live-stream for the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 world premiere next week.
[Andrew laughs]
Eric: Ooh.
Matt: They’re showing the first hour of the film right before the live show.
[Eric and Micah laugh]
Micah: July 7th. I think that is next Thursday. It’s going to start at 11:00 AM Eastern. Google what time that is in your part of the world because that’s a question we always get. “What time is that where I live?” Well, where do you live? Google where you live and do the conversion.
[Everyone laughs]
Andrew: Yeah. And we’ll of course tweet when it starts on the MuggleNet Twitter. We’ll tweet, “Hey, the stream is starting.” So if you follow Twitter.com/MuggleNet, you’ll…
Micah: Well, won’t you be there?
Andrew: You won’t miss it. Hmm?
Micah: Aren’t you going to be at the world premiere, Andrew?
Andrew: Yeah, I don’t know if – I mean, I’m going to try be on camera, like flashing the camera and doing inappropriate things. I don’t know if I’m actually doing the red carpet, that may be somebody else from MuggleNet. But yeah, we may tweet some pictures from the actual scene.
Micah: From MuggleNet Live, right?
Eric: Somebody else from MuggleNet?
Andrew: From MuggleNet.
Eric: Who else is there?
Andrew: Well, Richard.
Eric: Ahh!
Andrew: Yeah.
Eric: Cool.
Andrew: He may be – well, he has first priority to do it, and we’ll see what other access we get. But yeah, so we’ll be covering all of that when it happens.
Micah: Yes, follow Twitter.com/MuggleNetLive.
Andrew: MuggleNetLive, yeah. And we’ll plug it on the MuggleNet Twitter, too.
News: AMC Theaters to Play All Eight Harry Potter Films
Micah: Okay, and the last bit of news here, AMC Theaters is going to be playing all eight films. Is anyone of our group actually going to be attending something like this? That’s a lot of time to spend in the movie theater.
Andrew: Yeah. Well, what AMC is doing – they’re doing two films a day leading up to the film release, so I think it starts on a Tuesday. But I’m just wondering – and then there’s at least one theater in Texas, not AMC, that is doing a marathon, all eight back-to-back. It starts at like 4:00 AM and goes through the entire day. I’m just wondering, do people – it’s a good promo idea and all that, but do people really want to do this? Do people really want to sit there and watch all eight films in a theater? Go to a theater four times in one week to watch two films a day or sit there for eighteen to twenty hours, watching every movie back-to-back? Does this sound appealing to anyone?
Eric: Well – so how I would justify not doing it is that each film, different director, they don’t flow together as well as the books do. So I could justify not going to see the movies beforehand because we know that this eighth film is going to be completely different from the previous films. You’re not going to get the same sense of continuity and growing up as you would if you did a re-read. But you guys understand there are quite a few fans who do a re-read, where they’ll read all the books before seeing the latest film. Isn’t that the same thing? Isn’t that about – and isn’t it quicker to go and see all the movies back-to-back than it is to read all the books back-to-back?
Andrew: I just think you could watch them in the comfort of your own home without having to drag yourself to a movie theater four days in a week or camp out in a movie theater for an entire day.
Eric: But I just recently saw The Lord of the Rings extended editions in theaters, which was – they were four-hour movies but that was split across three weeks, so it’s obviously a little bit different. But the theater is special. The theater is a huge, huge screen, and it’s the way that certain films were meant to be seen.
Andrew: Yeah. No, that’s true.
Eric: I can definitely see that there’s a community aspect in going to the theater with your friends. But that said, I wouldn’t do it. I attended a re-watch of Movies 4, 5, and 6, leading up to Deathly Hallows – Part 1, and it was exhausting. It was five, six hours, and I was pooped afterwards.
Andrew: Now, I would like to see more theaters offer just Part 1 before the midnight premiere of Part 2. So you start watching Part 1 at 9:00 PM or 9:30 PM, take a little twenty-minute break, you come back into the theater, and you get Part 2.
Matt: Mhm.
Andrew: That would be great.
Micah: Yeah, that makes sense.
Matt: That’s about four hours.
Eric: Yeah, it does, and Andrew, you and I both said in our short review show from the preview that we had seen that these movies flow together. Part 1 and Part 2 are going to really flow together very well.
Andrew: Absolutely.
Micah: Well, here’s the important question though for the people who do go to those back-to-back-to-back, all the way through, and watch the final film: Are they feeding you at all? [laughs] If you pay this all-inclusive price…
[Andrew laughs]
Micah: …does the movie theater feed you throughout the day? Or are you on your own?
Matt: Well, I mean they probably may have an intermission between films, so you have enough time to go out and get yourself a bite to eat or something. I mean, most theaters are generally in a shopping center or something, too.
Eric: “Please visit our concession stand.” [laughs]
Matt: Yeah. “Bring a lunch.”
Eric: [starts singing] “Let’s go to the lobby.”
Andrew: Here, the one doing the major marathon is the the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, and it starts at 4:30 AM on July 14th, and they will play…
Eric: Wow.
Andrew: …all eight films in a row. It’s timed so Part 2 will screen at midnight, of course.
Eric: I admire them.
Andrew: Yeah. Really cool theater, by the way.
Eric: You said they’re the Drafthouse, though?
Andrew: Yeah.
Eric: The Drafthouse?
Andrew: Yeah.
Eric: So is that like alcoholic beverages?
Andrew: No, no, it’s just the name of their theater.
Micah: Is it really cold in there from time to time?
[Eric and Matt laugh]
Andrew: It’s seventy dollars for a ticket to this thing.
Eric: Seventy dollars?
Matt: Geez.
Micah: There’s got to be food.
Eric: There’s the IMAX, actually.
Matt: Memories aren’t cheap.
Eric: Memories are not cheap. My cousin e-mailed just yesterday, actually, and told me that the IMAX in my hometown of Reading, Pennsylvania, is doing it, a re-watch. They’re spreading it across three nights, but I think he said tickets are only ten dollars to see all the films. I’m going to double-check that, but that would obviously be a tremendous value to go and see the films in an IMAX for cheap. But they’re doing a re-watch. So there are other theaters out there, non-AMC, but it’s really kind of spread out kind of random. But…
Andrew: By the way – yeah.
Eric: It seems like a good opportunity for people who want to do it.
Andrew: By the way, at LeakyCon – they’re not allowed to talk about this on the website because of the rules and stuff, but I’m pretty sure we can. Deathly Hallows – Part 2 will be premiering at LeakyCon at – [laughs] Matt already has an angry look on his face.
Matt: No, I’m – you’re looking at me like I’m going to say something.
Andrew: Like you’re going to be pissed. It’s going to premiere at I think 6:00 PM on July 14th. We get to watch it really early at LeakyCon, which is really cool.
Matt: Whoa.
Eric: Oh, I’m pretty sure we actually can’t tell anybody just yet.
Andrew: No, no, we can. It – they can’t post about it on their site. You can talk about it. They can’t officially talk – because it’s like a private screening.
Eric: Well, they said in their e-mail that we have to swear them, or whoever we tell, to secrecy. So listeners, MuggleCast listeners, you are sworn to secrecy.
Andrew: Well, let’s double-check that before I release it, but I’m pretty sure – I think that was before – Melissa was talking about – Eric, that was when they hadn’t announced it on LeakyCon’s site yet. I’ll double-check it, but I’m pretty sure.
Eric: Okay, yeah, yeah.
Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Expectations
Andrew: I’ll e-mail her to make sure. Okay, anyway, so that’s it for news this week, besides the billion other stories you can go and see on MuggleNet.com. We also just wanted to talk about expectations for the film now. I mean, the first movie came out in 2001. It’s been ten full years now, and we’re at this place in time where we’re about to experience the final movie. A lot of people are a bit sad, but at the same time a lot of people are really excited. I personally am excited for this franchise to wrap up. It’s going to be a very interesting feeling with all eight Potter films out.
Matt: Mhm.
Andrew: So Matt, what are your expectations going into this final movie?
Matt: [laughs] I’m trying to find the best word for it but my guess would probably be closure, just to have it end full circle. I just saw a clip of the Chamber of Secrets scene that they released…
Andrew: Mhm.
Matt: …and it just made me even more excited about it because I got to see a set piece from four, five films ago.
Andrew: Mhm.
Matt: So…
Andrew: Six!
Matt: Six. So I’m really just excited to see everything come together and be – come full circle and complete. So I’m really excited.
Andrew: Micah? What are your expectations, Mr. Micah?
Micah: Well, I mean, I really expect it to be the best film of all eight of them. And I know I was pretty critical when it came to Deathly Hallows – Part 1, but I’m not going into Part 2 with the same sort of mind set after having seen Part 1. I’ve watched Part 1 over a bunch of times since that show that we did, and I think I was a little too overly critical of it. But just from everything that we’ve seen – and that’s part of the reason why WB releases everything that they have, is so that people can get excited for the upcoming film, and I think that they’ve done a great job getting people ready. I mean, this is it. Everything comes to an end, all the questions are answered, and we finally have that last piece to be able to watch. So not just pick up a book and read, you can finally watch it on screen, and I’m really – I’m pumped up for it.
Eric: I’m expecting to see the best acting from all of the actors. And the best explosions.
[Andrew laughs]
Eric: I think that’s fair.
Listener Tweets: Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Expectations
Andrew: Mhm. I just genuinely hope that nobody really feels let down. I hope that everybody, every fan, goes and sees it and just feels closure. I think that’s a really important thing, too. And we’ll talk about this more at our live show at LeakyCon when we’re doing our big review. But on Twitter.com/MuggleCast earlier today we asked people, “What are your expectations for the film?” Wikmans said:
“I try not to have any expectations but some of my favorite parts are in the film, so I’m happy. Some things still bother me though.”
This is a weird Twitter name, iAMtheBRA writes… [laughs]
[Eric laughs]
Andrew: [continues]
“From what I’ve seen, looks great. They have stayed true to the book, devoting two hours for the battle scene. I have high expectations.”
domnchips wrote:
“I expect ‘Part 2’ to be nothing short of amazing. I am so excited it’s unhealthy.”
[Matt laughs]
Andrew: lynn2223 says:
“I’ve avoided all the promo stuff like the plague, but based on the trailer alone it looks like the epic finale the series deserves.”
christyvourcos writes:
“I’m really looking forward to an incredible final movie of the series. It will be a great movie, even if things have changed.”
And finally, kelsey0403 writes:
“I stopped watching all the promotional material. After they showed the forest scene in the last trailer, I said I’d seen enough.”
So generally everybody is really happy. I mean, I really didn’t read much about people being sad. You know, something that’s been around for ten years, it’s kind of just time. This franchise has not been rushed in any way, shape, or form. There’s still a lot to look forward to in the Harry Potter fandom, between Pottermore…
Eric: Do you think that’s why, that you’re no longer hearing about – because I used to hear about people really upset that “Harry Potter is ending!” and the first posters that said “It all ends” everybody was upset. But now with the announcement of Pottermore, do you think people are a little bit more able to come to peace with the end of the films? I mean, the films are only one aspect of the series, right?
Andrew: Yeah, yeah.
Matt: I think also people have been getting themselves in the frame of mind about it ending and have learned to – just to not be upset about it and just to take it…
Andrew: Be prepared.
Matt: Yeah. It’s better to enjoy it rather than to be emotional about it.
Micah: Yeah.
Matt: I mean, sad about it.
Micah: Well yeah, I mean, I don’t really know what there is to get sad about. But I don’t know, maybe that’s just my own take on it. But – and I think the announcement of Pottermore though was timed not to take anything away from Deathly Hallows – Part 2 but to do exactly what you guys just said, and that is continue it on. The movies are not the end. There is more Potter beyond July 15th, and JK Rowling has seen to that.
Eric: That said, do you guys expect to be emotional at the end of the film, come the end of the film? Are you expecting to be moved? I mean, there is a certain – now, we know the world isn’t ending, Potter is still going on.
[Andrew and Matt laugh]
Eric: But it is still the end of an era. It is the end of these – first round, I should say, of film adaptations.
Andrew: Well…
Eric: Will you be sad because of that? Or will you be so detached from it that you don’t anticipate being upset? Not even a little bit moved now?
Andrew: Being – seeing it with your friends, I think that helps a lot because everybody’s kind of feeling the same way. At LeakyCon it will be very interesting, at all these midnight screenings across the world it will be very interesting. I just hope everybody supports each other, you know?
Matt: Mhm.
Andrew: I know your answer, Eric. All I heard during the test screening was [fake sobbing] from you.
Matt: Awww.
Eric: I am not convinced that was me.
Andrew: [laughs] I think – I thought you ‘fessed up. Well, I exaggerated slightly.
Eric: [laughs] You thought I ‘fessed? I’m denying it now.
Andrew: Yeah, you’re in denial. I am not going to sit next to you, I don’t need those noises interrupting my movie-going experience.
Eric: I’m going to bring a recorder in and I’ll record you guys crying then. It’s a sad scene when…
Micah: I’m sure there are going to be moments during the film that are like that. I mean…
Matt: Are you going to cry, Micah?
Micah: I don’t know, you never know.
Andrew: Whoa!
[Micah laughs]
Andrew: I didn’t even expect that confession.
Eric: Micah is keeping an open mind!
Matt: Awww, Micah sniffles.
Micah: But Andrew, you brought up seeing it with your friends. I mean, the four of us and others would not be friends right now if it wasn’t for this series.
Andrew: Right.
Matt: That’s true.
Micah: We wouldn’t even know each other.
Andrew: Yeah. And we’ve discussed the – well, yeah. No, we wouldn’t have known each other which – I still don’t know if that would have been a good or bad thing.
[Eric and Micah laugh]
Andrew: But I think – the fandom – as we’ve talked about before on the show, on the website, and in various ways – is such an important thing to a lot of people because a lot of people met through the fandom. And by the fandom I mean through MuggleNet, through MuggleCast, through all the websites and podcasts. And not even just the people who work on them, but communities like MuggleSpace, you meet people through there.
Micah: You hear stories too, at a lot of these conventions, people who have met, they’ve gotten married, they’ve had kids, [laughs] and it’s all because of this series. It’s kind of crazy.
Andrew: It is crazy.
Matt: Mhm.
MuggleCast 233 Transcript (continued)
More Pottermore Discussion
Andrew: Mhm. All right. Well, we’re going to talk a little more about the movie in a bit, but first we wanted to update everybody on Pottermore. Our last episode was all about Pottermore. We were live – streaming live on Ustream as it happened. It was 4:00 AM on the West Coast. It was 7:00 AM on the East Coast. It was a good time had by all, I thought. We had quite a few listeners, thanks to everybody who tuned in live. We had, I think, close to 4,500 people listening live at one point which was great.
Micah: It was over five at one point.
Andrew: We didn’t expect that at all because it was just so early in the United States. But that was great. So after our podcast, JK Rowling did hold a surprise press conference about Pottermore, and she released – she gave a few more specific details about it. For one, we know now that Pottermore – when it opens to the public in October, it will have 18,000 new words from JK Rowling. That’s about, I think, a quarter of Sorcerer’s Stone. So you’re getting an extra 25 percent of Sorcerer’s Stone through new information that JK Rowling has been hoarding, like she said. And also, new information she wrote up just for Pottermore which is awesome, I think.
Micah: Right. And she also said that that 18,000 is only one-third of what she plans to write for Pottermore.
Eric: I’m just overwhelmed. I’m completely overwhelmed. This is going to be totally awesome.
Andrew: And the first book comes out in October on Pottermore, and then there’s six more books that are going to be released! So Pottermore will continue to be updated throughout the next few years. I mean, I would say this is going to be happening through 2013, 2014.
Eric: It’ll be something nice to look forward to where – I mean we’ll – not like we’ll go our own separate ways, but every couple of months we’ll just have this new content to really pore through and it’ll be like a new book to read from our favorite author, only it’s the old books but with new fun facts and all those histories. It’s a really great way to experience Potter. I’m really happy with everything I’ve heard about Pottermore.
Matt: I have a question about Pottermore, actually, and I don’t know if you guys answered this, but is Pottermore going to be purely Flash?
Andrew: [laughs] Yes.
Matt: Because I don’t – because I want to use it on my iPad.
Andrew: I’m sorry, it will not be accessible on your iPad, but never say never, in the words of Justin Bieber, so…
Matt: Or Steve Jobs.
Eric: Are you saying JK Rowling launched a war against Mac? Against Apple?
Andrew: No, you can use it with Apple…
Eric: JK Rowling versus Apple?
Andrew: …just not iPad.
Eric: Oh.
Matt: We all know she’s a Windows user anyways.
Andrew: Because iPad does not have Flash. And for a site that’s as intense as Pottermore in terms of the experience, I think they thought Flash would be the best choice.
Eric: Do we have any more details about that Sony partnership to create the new technology that they’re using? Because it’s cutting edge, right, isn’t it?
Andrew: It is – well no, I don’t think there’s anything really cutting edge about it. I think Sony is the partner that’s going to help distribute the e-books primarily. I think that’s their main purpose.
Eric: Oh okay. Cool.
Micah: Here’s what it says…
Andrew: Some other things…
Micah: Oh, I was going to read what it said on the website.
Andrew: Sure.
Micah: It says:
“As a leading company in entertainment and electronics including games and digital books, Sony is proud to partner with JK Rowling to create this interactive story-telling experience. Sony’s philosophy of ‘make.believe’ is woven throughout the Pottermore journey, where users are inspired to believe that anything they can imagine, they can make real. Through Pottermore, Sony will be able to reach both current and future generations of ‘Harry Potter’ fans, and introduce them to products and services beyond their imagination.”
Matt: Anything we can imagine, we can make real.
Micah: Sony can make real.
Matt: Wow.
Andrew: They’re magical.
Matt: I have a list for Sony.
[Eric and Micah laugh]
Andrew: Here are a couple of other things from the Pottermore press conference. So we learned a little more about how Pottermore works. You will follow the story chapter-by-chapter, get sorted into a house…
Micah: Where did they get that idea?
Andrew: [laughs] Get sorted into a house, get a wand. One of 33,000 possibilities for a wand, which is cool. And also, I’m very happy about being able to be sorted and get a wand, because I feel like this is finally – finally everybody will get sorted into a house in an official manner because JK Rowling developed this sorting process herself, so you know you will be getting sorted the way Jo thought, the way you truly would be sorted if you were a character in the books.
Matt: Yeah, thank God, because I’m tired of all these other ones online asking these stupid questions…
Eric: Matt, do you feel snaky?
Matt: …like, “What’s your favorite character?” or, “If you found a dollar…”
[Micah laughs]
Matt: “…on the street would you use it for personal gain, would you be brave and turn it in…”
Micah: Right.
Matt: “…or would you want to read the bill?” I mean, it’s stuff like that.
Andrew: Actually I think the Sorting Hat process is going to have questions like that.
Micah: It is, but JK Rowling made it.
Matt: I’m saying like completely obvious what the outcome would be.
Micah: Yeah, she said you’re not going to be able to trick the system.
Eric: Cool.
Andrew: And you won’t be able to go back either, unless you create an entirely new account. So once you’re sorted into a house, you cannot change it for that account.
Matt: [laughs] That’s awesome.
Andrew: I know personally, if I get sorted into Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw, I’ll be disappointed, but at the same time I’ll be like, “Oh whatever, Jo says so, so okay.”
[Eric laughs]
Matt: You’ll be Slytherin, Andrew.
Eric: Yeah, it’s kind of the definitive sorting there.
Andrew: Here’s something interesting: Jo did not rule out the possibility of a physical encyclopedia down the road, which I thought was interesting because I thought Pottermore was the encyclopedia, really. I thought this was the way she wanted to do the encyclopedia, but apparently not, so that’s good news.
Matt: Thank God.
Micah: Yeah, and I think it also gives her the opportunity to donate the proceeds to charity, which is something that she had talked about from the very beginning. I think she mentioned that in the interview or the press conference when she spoke that that was going to be a project that was solely going to be for charity.
Andrew: JK Rowling downloaded e-books for the first time this year and loved it. “A thousand books in your pocket,” she said, which is nice but I have a hard time believing for some reason that Jo – I don’t know, I have a hard time watching Jo use a Sony e-reader.
[Eric laughs]
Andrew: Like picturing that in my head. But hey, I’m sure she had to try it out to try the Harry Potter reading experience.
Micah: So she got a free copy, or ten copies, or a hundred copies?
Andrew: [laughs] Yeah, I don’t know.
Eric: Here’s the thing, do you think that they’ll do adult versions for the e-books as well? Or will everybody get the wonderful, wonderful pictures and letters and illustrations like the American editions? Do you think Jo prefers the American editions? Do you think she doesn’t prefer the American editions?
Andrew: Well, most e-books do not have pictures, so I don’t think you’re going to be seeing chapter pictures like you did in the US editions.
Eric: Mmm.
Andrew: Yeah.
Eric: Really? Most e-books don’t have pictures?
Andrew: No.
Eric: That’s boring.
Andrew: They could if they wanted to, but – I mean, I’ve never downloaded a picture e-book.
Eric: Yeah. Interesting.
Andrew: And that’s pretty much it. She said that one of the new pieces of content you’ll be getting is a lot more on McGonagall, specifically her backstory. Her childhood, Ministry career, and early heartbreak. So we’re going to be learning about the love that McGonagall had experienced – her love life. And also…
Matt: [laughs] Ewww!
Andrew: Well, I mean, we’re not going to be experiencing her – never mind.
Eric: The 116-year-old virgin!
Matt: In Flash form.
Andrew: We’re also going to learn more about how Vernon and Petunia met at work.
Eric: Ooh!
Andrew: And that backstory will be on Pottermore.
Matt: That will be interesting.
Andrew: So interesting stuff like that that’s kind of a companion to what you’re reading. So I would assume Chapter 1, when you see the Dursleys, maybe that’s when Jo will insert that new content. And by the way, when you are going chapter-by-chapter through the book on Pottermore, you’re not reading the book. I mean you could sit there and read it if you want it, but the book isn’t there. What you’re going to be reading, I believe, is a summary of sorts and then if there’s new information, it’ll be included there as well as those illustrations that we’ve been seeing.
Matt: Mhm.
Andrew: Stuff like that.
Matt: I really hope that once the seventh book gets released there’ll be an extra epilogue encyclopedia where you can branch out and see what happens to the characters later.
Micah: Yeah, that would be cool.
Eric: Yeah.
Matt: Like I want to know what happens when Hermione meets her family again.
Andrew: Mhm.
Eric: Well so do I, but that’s like three years away. [laughs]
Matt: Well, we all – we as Harry Potter fans have learnt to be patient waiting for stuff.
Eric: That’s true, man. That’s very true.
Andrew: So those are the latest Pottermore updates. Again, a Beta will be opening at the end of this month. July 31st is when a Beta will be opening. They will be giving out one million invites, so I think all people listening to MuggleNet and MuggleCast, you’ll know exactly when the Beta opens up so I think you’ll be able to easily become one of the first million.
Micah: JK Rowling is such a tease, isn’t she?
Andrew: Yeah, it’s been a long drawn-out process, hasn’t it?
Micah: Yeah, she…
Eric: Would we have it any other way?
Matt: No.
Andrew: No.
Matt: This is what we expect from her.
Eric: As fans.
[Eric and Micah laugh]
Micah: Yeah, but what I want to know is, are you going to have to unlock things? You know, when you’re talking about backstory on McGonagall or Petunia and Vernon, is that stuff…
Eric: I sure hope so. Or I sure don’t hope so.
Micah: …you’re going to have to work hard to reveal, or is it just going to be like, “Hey! Click here!”?
Andrew: I hope not.
Matt: No, I hope not. I’ll lose interest by the time it happens.
Andrew: Yeah.
Eric: Yeah, I’m not going to go on another freaking scavenger hunt across the whole World Wide Web just to find out how Vernon and Petunia met, okay?
Andrew: Well yeah, I mean, you won’t have to go outside of Pottermore, I don’t think.
[Eric sighs]
Andrew: But maybe – I don’t know how it’s going to work.
Eric: Click three times on the Christmas tree and the green lights, and then an elf appears, and the elf…
Andrew: Well actually, I think during the demo that they did at the press conference you had to click on a boot and it kind of just unlocked something.
Eric: Oh no, not again!
Andrew: [laughs] But it’s not like a brick pattern at least, so…
Eric: Not again!
Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Box Office Predictions
Andrew: Okay. So again, that’s the Pottermore stuff. We will be keeping everybody updated on Pottermore as we learn more information about it, so keep checking MuggleNet.com for all the information you need. Back to the movie release. I wanted to talk about box-office predictions. It seems to be coming more and more clear that Part 2 will probably take the record for top Harry Potter film out of all eight.
Micah: Opening weekend or overall?
Andrew: I would say everything.
Eric: Is the first one still in the running for that? Where does the first film stand? I feel like the first film was more successful than some of the sequels, right?
Micah: The first film has made $974.7 million. It’s the number nine movie of all time.
Matt: Point seven.
Eric: Yeah, so where does that…
Micah: That’s number one. Deathly Hallows – Part 1 is number eleven.
Eric: Oh, so…
Andrew: With $954.5 million, so it’s not far off.
Eric: Essentially the last film – no, the last film is going to have to surpass the first film.
Andrew: I think so, too.
Micah: It will. The thing you have to remember with Part 1 is they lost a lot of money not making it 3D.
Eric: Oh, you mean Part 1?
Andrew: Oh, that’s true, too.
Eric: Oh, are we – I’m talking about Sorcerer’s Stone, not DH Part 1.
Micah: Right, but I’m saying Part 1 would probably be higher in the top ten, not outside the top ten if they had made it in 3D.
Eric: Oh, higher ticket sales. Right, for the 3D.
Micah: Right. Sorcerer’s Stone is number nine all time.
Andrew: I think people – like people who aren’t fans, maybe who even haven’t seen a Harry Potter movie before, they’re just going to want to see how it ends. So I think they’re going to go to the theater just to see what happens, how they wrap up this ginormous franchise, because they’ve been hearing about it for ten years.
Eric: It’s very true. There’s never been a better time, especially with Pottermore just around the corner. By “just around the corner” I mean a couple of months from now. There’s never been a better time to go to a theater and…
Micah: Yeah. I think we talked about this a little bit on another show, but from what I remember there’s nothing opening that weekend that’s going to really compete with it at all.
Andrew: Oh no, nothing can ever really compete with Potter. There is Winnie the Pooh, that’s coming out the same weekend.
Matt: [laughs] Yeah.
Micah: Yeah, I don’t think so.
Eric: What?
Matt: Not the smartest idea.
Andrew: It looks really good, to be honest with you.
Matt: No, I – no, it does look really cute.
Eric: That’s coming out already?
Andrew and
Matt:
Yeah.
Eric: Wow. That’s one of those – you just don’t see posters for that, or maybe you do and I missed every single one of them. But there are those films that are like sneaker films where they just show up, like the new movie with Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman that’s coming out. You know, standees happen in theaters like two weeks before the actual movie. It just comes out of nowhere, completely out of the blue. No idea. Winnie the Pooh, you’d think they would have had trailers for and teasers for months and months and months and months ago, right?
Matt: Well no, they did. I think the trailer was released a good – a while ago.
Andrew: It was released a while ago.
Eric: Oh.
Matt: Yeah.
Eric: That probably is just me then. I need to start setting Apple as my homepage.
Matt: Well, there’s only been one trailer. There’s been one trailer and one poster.
Andrew: So is everyone in agreement that Part 2 is going to be the top Harry Potter film of all time? When everything is said and done? Not just opening weekend, just overall.
Matt: I think…
Eric: Like box office wise?
Andrew: Yes.
Matt: I think so.
Eric: I’m skeptical. If none of the other Potter films have surpassed the first one, then Deathly Hallows has – I mean, obviously with the 3D ticket sales, then it’s more likely.
Micah: I would be surprised if it didn’t. I mean, I would think that it’s going to move its way into the top five of all time.
Andrew: The thing to account for is inflation. I mean, Sorcerer’s Stone came out when movie tickets were what, probably eight or nine dollars? [laughs] Maybe…
Eric: Six-fifty.
Andrew: Six-fifty, you think? Do you still have yours?
Eric: I think I still have my first stub.
Matt: Yeah.
Andrew: Oh wow.
Eric: And matinees were five dollars.
Matt: Well, I think most people really just go by the ticket sales more than they go by money, because of that, especially. Especially the 3D thing.
Andrew: No, but I mean we’re looking at Box Office Mojo and whatnot, and they go by money and…
Matt: Well, of course they go by money.
Andrew: …Sorcerer’s Stone is number one.
Matt: Right, okay. But I generally think it’s more fair if they go by ticket sales.
Andrew: They should. Oh no, I agree. But I think – actually, I think ticket sales wise, I think Sorcerer’s Stone probably is huge, not even comparable to Part 1 in terms of money.
Matt: Oh yeah.
Andrew: Or in terms of ticket sales.
Matt: No, I’m not saying I’m trying to go in favor of the latest films at all, I’m just saying – I don’t know, you can’t really compare with box office money, especially with movies that have been released decades ago either. I mean, it just doesn’t make sense that people like to judge it by that.
Micah: Okay. But just real quick – I mean, looking at all these other movies, do you think it’s going to eclipse the one billion mark? I mean, do you think it has a shot, to go into the top five, let’s say? We think it’s going to make it to the top ten, right?
Matt: Mhm. Well, if you judge it just by the books itself, I think that Part 2, I guess you could say, is the one that has the most potential to do that.
Micah: Yup. No, I agree. And Part 1 was in the top ten, I think, until Pirates of the Caribbean knocked it out.
Eric: Ugh!
Micah: The newer one, On Stranger Tides.
Eric: Oh, really?
Matt: That’s sad.
Eric: That movie has done that well?
Micah: Yup.
Eric: I’m a little surprised.
Micah: $987 million.
Eric: It really wasn’t a bad movie, but not like the third one.
Matt: Yeah, it was…
Eric: But I don’t know. I’m surprised it did that well, to be honest.
Matt: I’m surprised I lasted that long in the theater.
Favorites: Harry Potter Film, Pre-Part 2
Andrew: Okay, so a Favorites segment before we wrap up today. I want to know everybody’s favorite Harry Potter film before seeing Part 2, and then at the review show we will decide if our favorites still stay intact or if Part 2 is truly our favorite film. Matt, your favorite film of the seven?
Matt: What, you just threw this on me! Okay.
Eric: Well, it was in the schedule since we started.
Andrew: Yeah.
Matt: Well, I knew about it a total of thirty minutes before we started.
Eric: Was it not enough time? Do you want us to come back to you?
Matt: No, no, I’ll say it. No, my favorite film is still Prisoner of Azkaban.
Andrew: Eric?
Eric: Part 1, Deathly Hallows – Part 1.
Andrew: Micah?
Micah: Sorcerer’s Stone.
Andrew: Ooh. Yeah, I think I like Sorcerer’s Stone, too, I think. There was just so much magic in it. But I think ñ does everybody think Part 2 is going to be their favorite? [laughs]
Matt: You know what? I don’t know. I think Part 2 – I’m still saying Book 7. [laughs] I mean Movie 7.
Andrew: Part 1?
Matt: I still think Part 1 and 2 are the same film, so…
Andrew: Yeah.
Matt: …I can’t…
Andrew: That’s true. I think I may end up saying Part 1 and Part 2 is my favorite film.
Matt: Yeah.
Eric: Right.
Matt: I think that will be the general consensus with everybody.
Announcement: LeakyCon 2011
Andrew: Okay. Well, our next episode will be MuggleCast Live in Orlando to review the film. Everybody going to LeakyCon – if you’re listening to this and you’re going to LeakyCon, we can’t wait to see you there. We will be doing our podcast on Friday. Check the schedule Friday, it’s on the main stage. It’s actually just following a new Pottermore preview that’s going to be happening, so we will definitely talk about what was discussed at the Pottermore preview as well.
Micah: So it’s what, at 4 o’clock I think we’re on?
Andrew: Yeah, I think we’re on at 4:00 and the Pottermore preview is at 3:00.
Eric: 3:00 to 3:50, yeah.
Andrew: Okay. Yeah, so it’s on just before.
Eric: So right on the heels. Yeah. The other thing, won’t there be a Leaky Mug on Thursday? So before – so that’s actually the next time…
Andrew: Yes.
Eric: …you can hear us, is a Leaky Mug.
Andrew: Yeah, I don’t know if we’re going to release it online in time though, before…
Eric: Okay.
Andrew: Yeah. But…
Micah: That’s at 3:00 if people are looking to go.
Andrew: On Thursday. So Thursday at 3:00 is the Leaky Mug, Friday at 4:00 is the MuggleCast and that’s the MuggleCast big review show. Of course it will be online. Probably later that night we will get it online because we know everybody will want to be checking out our review, and we’re going to be getting thoughts from people in the audience as well. We’ll complain, we’ll cry, we’ll celebrate, we’ll cheer, we’ll jeer…
Matt: You’ll drink.
Andrew: No.
Matt: Oh, sorry.
Andrew: No.
Matt: Sorry.
Andrew: Won’t be doing that. [laughs] And a lot more.
Micah: Speak for yourself.
Andrew: What other… [laughs]
Matt: [laughs] I am speaking for myself.
Show Close
Andrew: Eric brought up on Twitter the other day the “Don’t Let It Be July” song that I made. It was my second wizard rock single…
[Micah laughs]
Andrew: …that I made for the Book 7 release but it stands true for July 2011 as well, so we’re going to play that today to wrap up the show. I hope everybody – we hope everybody enjoys the movie. Please sit back, relax, don’t worry about things that aren’t going to be included and whatnot. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy it.
Micah: Andrew Sims, Season 2 of The Voice. Here we go.
[Everyone laughs]
Andrew: On NBC! Thanks everyone for listening! I’m Andrew Sims.
Eric: I’m Eric Scull.
Micah: I’m Micah Tannenbaum.
Matt: And I’m Matt Britton.
Eric: Movie 8!
Andrew: We’ll see you next time for Episode 234. It’s all come down to this.
Micah: From Orlando.
Andrew: Goodbye everybody! From Orlando.
Matt: Enjoy the movie!
Eric: Yes, enjoy!
Andrew’s Second Wizard Rock Single
Andrew: [clears his throat] Your attention, please.
[Music from *NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye” plays]
Andrew: This message goes out to a Ms. JK Rowling.
[begins to rap]
Don’t let it be July.
Mmmmmmmmm no.
Not July, not July, not July, don’t let it be July. Here we go.
We are hearing this tonight
You’re probably gonna start a fight
I know this can’t be right
Hey Rowling, come on!
I loved you endlessly
When the books were spread out freely
So now it’s time to hear
Some of your most loyal fans
Background vocals: I know that I can…
Andrew: Wait a little more, it ain’t no lie
I wanna see you delay that book
Don’t let it be July
Don’t wanna be a fool for you
Just another book in your series for clues
You may hate me, but it ain’t no lie
Don’t let it be July
Don’t really wanna make it tough
I just wanna tell you that I’ve not had enough
It might sound crazy, but it ain’t no lie
Don’t let it be July
All right, don’t get it yet?
All right, let’s break it down.
This may be reminiscent of my MuggleCast rap
Was my number one single, now don’t forget
Listen up, Jo, baby come on
I want this book a little later
And so does each and every fan
That believes the book will be
Background vocals: Better
Andrew: Once you’ve got more time
Background vocals: I know that I can’t take no more
It ain’t no lie
I wanna see you…
Andrew: Delay that book, don’t let it be July
Don’t wanna be a fool for you
Just another book in your series for clues
You may hate me, but it ain’t no lie
Don’t let it be July
Don’t really wanna make it tough
I just wanna tell you that I’ve not had enough
It might sound crazy, but it ain’t no lie
Don’t let it be July
Ugh, you know what? Forget it!
I’m giving up, I know for sure
I don’t want to be the reason for next year no more
I’m checking out, I’m signing off
The fandom will be over and I’ve had enough
Jo, I – I don’t want to be a fool
In this series for clues
So you know what?
I’m leaving you, Jo, behind
Background vocals: I don’t wanna make it tough
Andrew: Don’t wanna make it tough, please
Background vocals: But I’ve had enough
Andrew: Jo, please. Jo
Background vocals: And it ain’t no lie
Andrew: Not July
Background vocals: Don’t wanna be a fool for you
Just another player in your game for two
Andrew: Book 7, please
July 2008, July 2008!
Background vocals: Bye bye bye bye bye
Andrew: Don’t really wanna make it tough
I just wanna tell you that I’ve not had enough
Might sound crazy, but it ain’t no lie
Background vocals: Bye bye bye
Andrew: Don’t let it be July
[Music ends]