Blu-Ray News: Worldwide Live Community Screening of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

(Warner Brothers Press Release)

WATCH THE MOVIE ON BLU-RAY WITH DANIEL RADCLIFFE AND DAVID YATES ON DECEMBER 12th!
Also enjoy an exclusive look at the final chapter of the Harry Potter saga, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Burbank, CA, October 19, 2009 – Experience the first-ever worldwide Live Community Screening (LCS) exclusive to owners of the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Blu-ray Disc and hear star Daniel Radcliffe and director David Yates answer your questions during this live LCS on December 12th, 2009. Also be the first to see footage from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, featured on the Blu-ray and 2-Disc Special Editions of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, available on December 8th, 2009.

The worldwide LCS, which showcases the expansive capabilities and interactivity offered with Blu-ray and Warner Bros. BD-Live, will take place on December 12th at 12:00PM PST (3:00PM EST) live from London. The LCS will allow BD-Live capable Blu-ray users to simultaneously watch the movie together with Daniel Radcliffe and director David Yates and hear an interactive Q&A where fans can ask questions about the blockbuster film directly to Daniel and David, directly from their home.

“I’m really looking forward to the Live Community Screening of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and excited to talk directly to fans of the movie about my experiences and answer their questions,” said Daniel Radcliffe. “It’s a wonderful way for fans and for those directly involved with making a film to share opinions and ideas.”

According to director David Yates, “It’s a tremendous honor to be invited to host the first worldwide Live Community Screening and to have the opportunity to talk directly to fans across the globe. I’m looking forward to engaging with the thoughts and opinions of the fans who have supported us so loyally and passionately over the years – without them the films wouldn’t be the success they are.”

Warner Bros. BD-Live is an interactive feature exclusive to the Blu-ray format that allows users to experience a variety of exclusive interactive features. In addition to access to the multi-territory LCS, other exciting BD-Live content available to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Blu-ray owners include:

• An exclusive introduction to the upcoming Harry Potter Ultimate Editions by Daniel Radcliffe

• My Commentary – fans are able to post user-generated Picture-in-Picture commentary over the film and share it with their friends and other BD-Live community members

• Live Community Screenings – Allows users to send invitations and have a virtual screening with friends and family while chatting together through the BD-Live platform

• Facebook Connect – allows users to interact with their Facebook friends, update their Facebook status while in BD-Live and invite their Facebook friends to Live Community screenings.

Warner Bros. BD-Live community members who have registered and signed up for the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince LCS will receive an emailed invitation to participate in the event. The first 100,000 members who RSVP will secure a spot for the screening. WB BD-Live registered users from the participating territories who own the Blu-ray Disc and have signed up for the BD-Live LCS event will be able to insert the disc, connect to WB BD-Live and logon to the LCS at this designated time to participate in this ground breaking exclusive event.

BD-Live is only accessible through a BD-Live enabled Blu-ray Disc™ played on an Internet-connected Blu-ray player (including PlayStation®3) with BD-Live capabilities and sufficient data storage. Please consult your Player Manual or Player Support Website for more information.

SYNOPSIS
Emboldened by the return of Lord Voldemort, the Death Eaters are wreaking havoc in both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven it once was. Harry suspects that new dangers may lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle that he knows is fast approaching. He needs Harry to help him uncover a vital key to unlocking Voldemort’s defenses–critical information known only to Hogwarts’ former Potions Professor, Horace Slughorn. With that in mind, Dumbledore manipulates his old colleague into returning to his previous post with promises of more money, a bigger office…and the chance to teach the famous Harry Potter.

Meanwhile, the students are under attack from a very different adversary as teenage hormones rage across the ramparts. Harry’s long friendship with Ginny Weasley is growing into something deeper, but standing in the way is Ginny’s boyfriend, Dean Thomas, not to mention her big brother Ron. But Ron’s got romantic entanglements of his own to worry about, with Lavender Brown lavishing her affections on him, leaving Hermione simmering with jealousy yet determined not to show her feelings. And then a box of love potion-laced chocolates ends up in the wrong hands and changes everything.

As romance blossoms, one student remains aloof with far more important matters on his mind. He is determined to make his mark, albeit a dark one. Love is in the air, but tragedy lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again.

BASICS
PRODUCT: SRP
Single disc Amaray (WS/FS): $28.98
2-disc Special Edition (WS): $34.99
Blu-ray Combo Pack: $35.99

Street Date: December 8, 2009
SD Audio: English, Spanish
Subtitles: ESDH, French, Spanish

BD Audio: English 5.1 Nearfield, English 5.1 True HD, French, Spanish
Subtitles: ESDH, French, Spanish

Running Time: 153 minutes
Rating: Rated PG for scary images, some violence, language and mild sensuality.
DLBY/SURR DLBY/DGTL [CC]