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Cool Stuff: Harry Potter Ultimate Editions Details Revealed

Posted on Friday, September 18th, 2009 by Peter Sciretta

Last month it was discovered that Warner Bros Home Video was working on Ultimate Extended Editions of the Harry Potter films, which spawned rumors of possible theatrical rereleases. Unfourtunately it doesn’t appear like the extended cuts will be released on the big screen, but today Warner Home Video unveiled their plans, complete with photos and a trailer, for a new Ultimate Edition release of the series on DVD/Blu-Ray.

I’ve always wished that Warner Bros had filmed extended editions of the Harry Potter films, in the same vein as Peter Jackson filmed the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Of course, anyone who knows the many differences between the books and the released films knows that it really wouldn’t have been possible. To squeeze the most important plot points into the films, scenes, characters and information have been combined in a way that sometimes eliminate the wonderful side stories that we loved from the novels.

Over the course of the series, there have been only a few scenes, sequences and moments that were filmed but ended up on the cutting room floor. So how much longer can we expect from an “extended edition”? Not much. Year one will be seven minutes longer to be exact. Year two will include 13 extra minutes. Thankfully, the Ultimate Editions are Ultimate because of a bunch of other additions. Details below.

The Ultimate Editions of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets will hit stores on December 8th 2009. The DVD editions will be 4 discs, and the Blu-ray editions will be 3 discs. Preorder now on Amazon:

YEAR 1 - Sorcerer’s Stone: DVD | Blu-ray
YEAR 2 - Chamber of Secrets: DVD | Blu-ray

Here are the details:

Sorcerer’s Stone:

Creating the World of Harry Potter Part 1: The Magic BeginsFor the First Time Ever …

Uncover the intimate details of the search to cast Harry Potter and his friends
See Daniel, Rupert and Emma’s never-before-seen audition tapes
Be there with stars and filmmakers walking onto the set of the exciting first day of shooting
Learn about Chris Columbus’ critical, step-by-step decisions behind the creation of Harry Potter’s world on screen
Look back on an amazing decade’s worth of movies with Daniel, Rupert and Emma in new and vintage interviews never seen before.
Plus: Exclusive Introduction by Daniel Radcliffe

DISC 1: Theatrical Version

DISC 2: Extended Version with 7 Minutes of Footage Not Shown in Theatres.

DISC 3:

Diagon Alley
Tour the Gryffindor Common Room, Harry’s Room and the Great Hall - Welcome to the self-guided tour of Hogwarts, home of witches and wizards in training, and take in the sights.
Classrooms: Defense Against the Dark Arts; Spells and Charms; Potions; Transfiguration;
Third Floor Corridor; Deleted Scenes.
Sorting Hat
Library: Gallery of Art & Architecture; Hogwarts Yearbook; Guide to Ghosts - Discover the many marvelous and mysterious ghosts of Hogwarts.
Hogwarts Grounds: Quaffle and Bludger - Get a lesson from Oliver Wood on how to play Quidditch; Tour Hagrid’s Hut - Welcome to the self-guided tour of Hagrid’s Hut, home of Rubeus Hagrid, the keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts, and his faithful companion, Fang.
Extra Credit
Interview - Capturing the Stone: A Conversation with the Filmmakers - Director Chris Columbus, Producer David Heyman, Screenwriter Steve Kloves and Production Designer Stuart Craig talk about casting and bringing the novel to life

DISC 4:

Introduction by Daniel Radcliffe - An introduction to the many special features for the Harry Potter films [NEW]
Creating the World of Harry Potter, Part 1: The Magic Begins - Discover the story of how one vision for the Harry Potter films came together out of limitless possibilities to create the visual world we have come to know and love. [NEW]
A Glimpse Into the World of Harry Potter 2001 International TV Special
Deleted Scenes
Trailers and TV Spots

Chamber of Secrets:

Creating the World of Harry Potter Part 2: Characters

A Whole New Realm of Discovery … Discover the intriguing inside stories of why so many of Britain’s most celebrated stars took roles in the series
See the newly unveiled screen test between Daniel Radcliffe and Evanna Lynch (selected to play Luna out of 15,000 hopefuls!)
Go on the set to see firsthand how each of the directors brought unique strengths to the series
Witness the amazing transformations as Daniel, Rupert and Emma grow with their characters over a decade of unprecedented filmmaking.
Plus: Never-Before-Seen Screen Tests of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson.

DISC 1: Theatrical Version

DISC 2: Extended Version with 13 Minutes of Footage Not Shown in Theatres.

DISC 3:

Deleted Scenes
Lockhart’s Classroom
Photo Gallery: Certificates - Have a look at Gilderoy Lockhart’s many achievements; Required Reading - Find out what text books you’ll need for Lockhart’s Defense Against the Dark Arts class.
Extra Credit
Behind Hogwarts
A Conversation with J.K. Rowling and Steve Kloves - The author and screenwriter detail how the books are brought to life, and the changes that happen in the process.
Dumbledore’s Office
Build a Scene - Building a scene as magnificent as Professor Dumbledore’s office takes more than wood, plaster, nails and paint. It takes imagination.
Tour Dumbledore’s Office - Welcome to the self-guided tour of Professor Dumbledore’s office, one of the most fascinating rooms at Hogwarts.
Interviews with Students, Professors and More
Gallery of Production Sketches
Activities
Spellcaster Knowledge Challenge [Game]
EA Game Preview

DISC 4:

Creating the World of Harry Potter, Part 2: Characters - Explore how the cast and creative team of directors and designers take the character’s descriptions on the page to the actor’s performances on film.
Screen Tests of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Revealed - 2002 HBO First Look special
Trailers and TV Spots

Comments

drakerivera

im so excited for these dvds :) christmas gifts anyone?

MrCristal

What about Spanish Subtitles? Any idea? =(

l1a

meh!

Kangaroo Be Stoned

The press release says that there are five discs in the DVD release, with the fifth disc having a digital copy of the theatrical versions.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/29...

slumbergod

Cool...I am sure that in a couple more years BR's successor will be here and we can all start buying the latest this-is-an-even-more-ultimate-must-buy-edition.

Federico Iglesias

From the start, I said I wouldn't get a collection until the 7th movie was released, too.

...Looks like I've finally found one. Since this seems to be the final release until the 7th one comes out, from the look of the trailer. Besides, it looks good. Never had I actually thought of the screen tests. This is going to fascinate both me, the HP fanboy I was back in primary, and my inner wee lad.

I am SO getting these. Dun care what flak I get.

jpegfilms

Pre-Ordered already! I can't WAIT!!!

The CineManiac

Since I already have 1-4 on DVD, and 5 residing on my HD DVR I think I'll just wait to pick up all 8 films on Blu-Ray once the whole series is out. No point double, triple, or quadruple dipping in this economy.

Rich Cleary

Wow, while I'm thoroughly excited the Harry Potter series is getting the Ultimate/Extended Edition treatment it so absolutely deserves... I have to admit, I'm extremely bummed by the crummy box art (IMO) they decided to go with! They should be ashamed of themselves, it looks so horrendously photoshopped (Again, IMO)! Why oh why would you abandon the cool movie poster themed look of the currently released DVD's, and go with a cheap looking cover like this for the Ultimate Edition?!? Harry deserves much better (at least in terms of box art)!

Frank

I agree. At least give it some art, not just pasted together pieces of the old boxes. Ugh.

presto117

did anyone else notice that there are 8 box sets in the middle picture? does that mean they're gonna sell parts 1 and 2 of deathly hallows separately?

Frank

Who gives a shit? They fucked up these movies so bad. I hate them. They blatantly change stuff for no reason.. they add stuff, they remove important stuff. Who the fuck do they think they are? And how could JK let them do this to these books? Bullshit!

AdamPortrais

Dear Frank,
If you ever watch a movie that is exactly what you saw in your head when you read the book- Kill yourself, because there's nothig else. No movie will ever live up to the book. You don't like the movies- don't watch them. But you know what? I know you will. You think that the current movies suck but I'd lay good odds you'll catch the last movies because you, like everyone else like you, want to see how it all ends (as far as what they do with the movies).

If you don't like what they're doing, fine-don't watch the movies and you still have the books to keep you warm at night when you're cuddled up in bed with them and nothing else because you, like so many others in long line of turds like yourself who like to bitch about any and everything, will most likely die alone and angry.

Troll elsewehre.

But on to what I really wanted to say: I can't wait for these Blu-rays who's special features that seem to be geared more toward adults interested in the film making process and not games for kids to play with the DVD remote.

Frank

If it was anything else, i'd agree with you. I'm normally the one telling people to quit bitching, but I honestly believe in what I said above.

Yes, it's very, very rare that a movie is as good as a book, but they had such a terrific opportunity to be as greedy as the want, which I believe it what they're doing with HPatDH being split. They could have made these epic, 3+ hour long movies for extended editions, then cut them down for the theaters, like LOTR did. They could have made so much money, because i'd do the same thing I did with LOTR: I bought the theatrical versions as they came out, then the extended editions when they came out. But I will not do that for the Harry Potter series.

I'm not trolling, i'm that irritated at what they did to these movies. For example, in HBP, they added the cafe scene and the burrow burning, instead of making the battle and Dumbledores death more important. [Then they blatantly changed it to have Harry hide under the floor for no reason]. I do not like it when they created their own new scenes. I especially hate that they burned down the Burrow. It was such a perfect place. It was their sanctuary. Where were they supposed to have the wedding now?

Ugh.

Balboa6

First of all, those things are taken out of context and you obviously weren't paying attention when you were watching HBP. But don't you dare bash Harry Potter and then praise the LOTR trilogy. You want to talk about cuts and changes? Those made to LOTR were absolutely staggering. Haldir dying in The Two Towers, the scouring of the shire being removed and Saramon's death scene being a brief, pathetic anti-climactic event, various characters' personalities being totally different, etc. It works both ways. LOTR is not superior to Harry Potter the way people like you make it out to be.

David Delgado

Balboa6 - I'm going to have to disagree with you, LOTR is superior to Harry Potter just like how people like me make it out to be. I'm not saying there weren't drastic deviations from the books, but film-wise Jackson's trilogy trumps the HP movies in almost every aspect. The movies are just better made and in separation from their source material they hold up MUCH better on their own.

Balboa6

Ha! And LOTR didn't????!!!!

Frank

I'm not saying LOTR didn't cut/change stuff I'm just comparing HP to LOTR for the way that they gave us extended LOTR, but these 'extended' HP's are just gonna have deleted scenes back in. Theyr'e not really extended at all.

Honestly, I never read the LOTR series. Well, I started, but I couldn't get past Tom Bombadill going on and on and on and on and on.

I understand fully that cuts and changes have to be made, but sometimes they make unnecessary changes. Like changing Dobby to Neville giving Harry the gillyweed. Why did they change it. Do they think that have to introduce Dobby? We know who Dobby is.

Kumar

I'm sorry to break it to you, Frank, but you're demonstrating the perfect example of trolling here.

And I'm feeding the troll, which makes me just as bad ... sigh.

Reese

Yeah, don't think you would have been satisfied with any adaptation or direction they would have gone, Frank. You'd be complaining about something or other.

Frank

How is giving my honest opinion trolling? I'm not saying stuff just to get people going, I am honestly annoyed with the movies.

I would not have been disappointed with the movies if they blatantly hadn't changed stuff. I loved PoA book and movie. I'm mostly disappointed with HBP because it's my favorite book of the series. They added two very unnecessary scenes, and cut two extremely important ones, and I have no idea why. I can't believe there's no one that agrees with me on that one.

Kumar

Well, let's see ... mean-spiritedly insulting the filmmakers with only a shred of your own view latched on, but mostly I think it's the fact that you spouted out views just to prove an inflammatory point without actually having any basis to those views. How can you compare the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings films as adaptations without having read the Lord of the Rings books? That's like saying an apple tastes better than an orange without ever having eaten an apple.

Name

Frank, I agree with you man. And what the hell are you going on about, when did he compare them as adaptations? He merely said that the way they filmed then released LOTR was better than the way they filmed and then released the HP films, which, personally, I believe to be true. Each HP film has a substantial amount of content not in them which really should be, and this isn't going to be covered in around about 15 minutes deleted scenes or added content. I also admit that up until now, they haven't really missed out or changed anything important, it's mainly just been lack of character development. This has been for a lot of characters, Lupin, Dobby, Kreature, Hermione (I feel that the whole SPEW thing is quite important to her character and in the end, her relationship with Ron), Sirius, Tonks, Mad-Eye and quite a few others. I do however, fully understand that it would be impossible to give much, or any, significant character development for these character's in the film. Recently however, and most noticeably in HBP, they've being changing things 'round, missing things out, and adding pointless scenes in. Don't get me wrong, the films may be great, fun and comical, but in terms of story telling, they're awful. They've screwed themselves over so much in HBP, changing things around and not having particular scenes, that DH will have to be in two parts, because of the amount of content that's going to have to be put in that was missed from HBP.

Balboa6

It's only the first two that aren't getting an enormous amount of footage put back in. POA, could go either way. The thing is there wasn't that much cut from those ones. With GOF and especially OOTP we will see a lot of footage restored. I clearly remember Mike Newell saying his rough cut of GOF was about 30 minutes or so longer than the theatrical cut and David Yates saying he was dreading the fact that he had to lose about 40 minutes of footage after he completed his rough cut of OOTP. Those ones will be much better.

Jesse

I hope you right about the others having much more extra footage. That would be like watching a new HP again! My worry is how long is it gonna take for them to get all of these ultimate editions released. They are only releasing the first 2 this year. Hope they dont plan on only releasing 1 or 2 a year. We would have to wait years to get them all. Also what about the newest movie HBP are we gonna get the regular version then have to wait for the ultimate. I hate double dipping... Lord of the rings extended versions were released 1 a year, each holiday season. I hope they dont move them that slow with HP...

surgemonkay

mmm.....the only reason i would watch these would be for the 'extended' cuts. But seven minutes really isn't that much..... =\

Tori

As much as these sound amazing... I'm still going to hold out for owning any of the dvds. That is, until ALL of them are on one super-ultimate-amazing-complete dvd pack. That isn't too much to do, right? D:

|->

Ridiculous. Just another method for the Movie Companies to try and pull more money out of our wallets.

Where does it end? I'd rather spend my money on other DVD's.

The Hogwarts Castle Box Set would be nice, but why only do the French get it?

Lanchero302

Now hear me out. I absolutely love the harry potter series and the lotr. I made a deal with myself to wait and watch all of the harry potter movies before buying the books, but after seeing the Order of the Phoenix, I had to know how it all ended, so I read HBP and Deathly Hallows. I have to admit, HBP book was amazing. When I went to see the movie, I was extremely pissed off about how they deleted MAJOR important scenes and added scenes that never happened, or happened in Deathly Hallows (ie. The Burrow burning). I can't believe they did that. I still loved the movie, but the thing that made me made wasn't that they changed the movie from the book, I know they can't fit everything in, but if you're going to delete a very important section, like the battle at the end and take away from dumbledore's death, then you better not add a 15 minute long scene with the burrow burning that didn't happen in the Half Blood Prince Book. I too, with they would have made extendeds like LOTR did. I like Harry Potter much more than lotr, just to make that clear. lol. I started reading the Harry Potter series from the beginning and must say that I'm not that far into the 2nd book, but they haven't changed a drastic amount like they did in the HBP. Still can't wait for it on blu ray next week. Just picked up the first 5 Harry Potters on Blu Ray for 10 bucks each at wal mart on black friday. Now own them on DVD and Blu Ray. Amazing movies. With Deathly Hallows being split into two movies, hopefully they will be able to stick a little closer to the book and not mess it up. Just my opinion guys. After all, we're all entitled to our own opinion. That's what the great country of the United States of America is all about. Freedom of Speech.

saturnsshadow

Is this coming to Australia at all? I saw it advertised on 'The Half-Blood Prince' DVD and I'd like to get my hands on these. Though, not the American version of 'The Philosopher's Stone' as I'm hoping there is an British version of that.

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