Darth Vader vs. Harry Potter

Originally Posted By dshyates

I think Ford should do a cameo as an aged drunken Hans in Mos Eisley Cantina.

 

Originally Posted By leemac

<<If I had to bet, I'd bet on Star Wars winning the longevity war. It's proven itself across decades. It's got a broader and richer universe. And while JK might change her mind, the HP universe isn't very active creatively going forward (and I'm a big HP fan).>>

I was surprised to read that so many people were certain that HP would have longevity over Star Wars. I've always thought that HP was one of those moment in time pop culture phenomena that just hits the Zeitgeist. It just exploded out the blocks in '97 and just rode that wave of success through to the final movie last year. Rowling has shifted something like 400m books worldwide and sold over $7.5bn of box office tickets. She is the world's only billion dollar author.

However the series is done - it had a conclusion. Even if Rowling decides to write another book about Hogwarts will it resonate with the next generation as much of the first? I just don't know. It seems every generation is latching on to some fiction these days - the success of Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series and Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games trilogy are testimony to that. I wish kids were reading better quality fiction but that is a whole different story.

Stories like HP and SW need to continue to thrive outside their original format whether it is publishing or filmed entertainment. HP can only live in theme parks and merchandising and within the existing world. The latter is under the control of WB and in addition to Rowling's notoriously tight control over the IP WB will typically try and push their other wholly owned properties like DC.

SW isn't doing huge merchandising business but it is still significant. Clone Wars isn't doing massive numbers on CN but it is usually the number one show among boys aged 9-14 and wins its timeslot among boys aged 6-11. That is an audience that Disney has struggled to meet as Rich Ross skewed Disney Channel towards tween girls. Disney Junior is trying to redress that balance but it has struggled with the older demographics - the younger ones are definitely into Phineas and Ferb and Jack and the Neverland Pirates (both of which are excellent shows).

The SW universe is ripe for the picking. I'm not totally convinced that Episode 7 will do The Avengers-type business but they have a fighting chance if it is half-decent.

I should say I'm a fan of neither too. I couldn't stand the ropey language in Rowling's books and the laborious effort it took to sit and peer through the gloom of the movies.

I'm not particularly into sci-fi like SW or Star Trek and never have been. The three prequels were awful IMHO - was forced to watch them once and that was enough.

 

Originally Posted By leemac

<<While I admire her for finishing it and letting it stay finished, not keeping things going creatively will hurt its longevity (something like Oz is the exception, not the rule).>>

She has a lot to lose by revisiting HP - Rowling has always put herself out there with the fans and I think a lot of people would feel cheated if she went back into that world. I think she could end up doing a lot of damage to that legacy. She doesn't have much to gain beyond yet more cash - which she doesn't need.

My gut feeling is that HP is a closed book - she may decide to go back into the world of wizards and witches but I doubt it will ever be HP's world.

I always wondered if she contemplated spinning off elements from the books to other (read: better) authors. I think a lot of folks would have a lot of fun writing about the Ministry of Magic in an adult way - something Rowling just couldn't in based on her current library. Maybe there is a Gregory Maguire-type author in HP's future once the copyright runs out!

I wouldn't even call Oz an exception - the Maguire books have had respectable rather than spectacular sales (I think the first book has sold less than 3 million copies).

 

Originally Posted By WilliamK99

I think Ford should do a cameo as an aged drunken Hans in Mos Eisley Cantina.<<

Hopefully in a scene where he shoots first...

 

Originally Posted By dshyates

Rowling said in Sept. that she is not opposed to writing more from the Potter Universe, but that Harry's story is done. If she continues it would be a "sidestep" story taking place in the Wizarding World.

<a href="http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/49177003/ns/today-books/t/hogwarts-back-session-rowling-considers-return-harry-potter-world/#.UJOyPI6f_ww" target="_blank">http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/...yPI6f_ww</a>

 

Originally Posted By Donny

Darth can already be seen in the parks

<a href="http://youtu.be/xUbH1SEsqiE" target="_blank">http://youtu.be/xUbH1SEsqiE</a>

 

Originally Posted By HokieSkipper

<<I was surprised to read that so many people were certain that HP would have longevity over Star Wars.>>

I don't think it will have longevity OVER Star Wars, but I think it can easily have longevity similar to Star Wars. The two are easily the most popular franchises of all time. Neither is going to fade into the ether quickly.

<<Rowling said in Sept. that she is not opposed to writing more from the Potter Universe, but that Harry's story is done. If she continues it would be a "sidestep" story taking place in the Wizarding World.>>

Yup. She's been talking more and more about revisiting the world, which is exactly what I'd like to see. More from the Wizarding World, but none about Harry.

You build more of the world, and you build the franchise.

 

Originally Posted By WDWdreamin

I'd also like more from the world, not about Harry.

 

Originally Posted By leemac

<<Yup. She's been talking more and more about revisiting the world, which is exactly what I'd like to see. More from the Wizarding World, but none about Harry.

You build more of the world, and you build the franchise.>>

I guess time will tell if she genuinely wants to go back.

It will be interesting to see if the Potterheads were interested in other Potter-type tales. I think so much of the appeal of the 7 books was the notion that readers got to grow up with Harry and experience his teenage angst with him. The problem is that the whole of that world revolved around The Boy Who Lived. I'm not sure how she would be able to write about that world without Harry.

 

Originally Posted By HokieSkipper

<<The problem is that the whole of that world revolved around The Boy Who Lived. >>

Eh. The story did, but in the same vein of Star Wars, there so many other stories to tell throughout history of the world, not to mention in the other countries.

We only saw a very small slice of Wizarding World UK in the book, with hints of a much larger world through things like Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. We could have stories about other children in different schools across the globe, or go more in depth with Dumbledore's past.

 

Originally Posted By Yookeroo

"She has a lot to lose by revisiting HP - Rowling has always put herself out there with the fans and I think a lot of people would feel cheated if she went back into that world. I think she could end up doing a lot of damage to that legacy. She doesn't have much to gain beyond yet more cash - which she doesn't need."

I suspect they'll get over it pretty quick.

"I wouldn't even call Oz an exception - the Maguire books have had respectable rather than spectacular sales (I think the first book has sold less than 3 million copies)."

I think Oz is an exception in that it was even remembered at the time of the Maguire book. The books and the movie could easily have faded away long before that.

"You build more of the world, and you build the franchise."

Right. And this builds longevity. It will plant the roots deeper and widen the scope of the HP universe.

My money's still on Star Wars though.

 

Originally Posted By fkurucz

>>It will be interesting to see if the Potterheads were interested in other Potter-type tales.<<

I wonder if a story about the progeny of Harry and friends would catch on? HP the Next Generation?

 

Originally Posted By fkurucz

^^ Or a series about young Dumbledore, Snape, etc.?

 

Originally Posted By HokieSkipper

<<My money's still on Star Wars though.>>

My money's on both. Can I do that? Haha

 

Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt

"I couldn't stand the ropey language in Rowling's books and the laborious effort it took to sit and peer through the gloom of the movies."

This.

 

Originally Posted By fkurucz

>>I couldn't stand the ropey language in Rowling's books<<

I've seen fan fiction that's better written than her work. Still, she struck a chord with her readers.

>>and the laborious effort it took to sit and peer through the gloom of the movies<<

Which became worse with each movie.

 

Originally Posted By DouglasDubh

WB should do a seven season Harry Potter TV series. I am certain there is an audience that would love to see the books expanded in a visual media, rather than condensed.

 

Originally Posted By HokieSkipper

<<Which became worse with each movie.>>

*ahem*

You CRAZY! lol

The first one is only good because of how amazingly it set up the world and the art style.

3/4 are two very strong films, 5 is decent but drags in the middle, 6 was a misstep, but 7 & 8 were AWESOME.

 

Originally Posted By leemac

<<3/4 are two very strong films, 5 is decent but drags in the middle, 6 was a misstep, but 7 & 8 were AWESOME.>>

Each to their own I guess. The one with the time twister or whatever it was called bored me to tears.

Those last two films had so much padding that was redundant - all that nonsense in the forest? Please. There was not enough compelling material in the screenplay to warrant two films (I've no idea if the book had more as never read it).

I'll never grasp why HP is so adored - there is barely an ounce of originality in it - I'm glad it didn't such me in.

 

Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt

"The one with the time twister or whatever it was called bored me to tears.... I'll never grasp why HP is so adored - there is barely an ounce of originality in it - I'm glad it didn't such me in."

OMG... how old are you? I think we may have been separated at birth. lol