harry potter

Three giants of popular culture come to the fore this week in special editions and Blu-ray discs. Not content with the DVD and Blu-ray release of 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,' Warner Home Video has conjured two Ultimate DVD editions of the first two films in the franchise, 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' and 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.' The Clint Eastwood-produced 'Johnny Mercer: The Dream's on Me' profiles the famed composer and lyricist, a giant of the Great American Songbook. And a literary giant, Sherlock Holmes, comes to DVD in a collection of rare TV episodes from the BBC's 1960s series starring Peter Cushing as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's legendary detective.

Past, present and fantasy come together in this week's DVD releases. First up is the blockbuster 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,' which takes the wizard saga one step closer to its monumental end; 'Julia & Julia' transposes past and present as it explores the lives of two women who turn to cooking to find their way in the world; and 'Public Enemies' takes a look at a violent chapter in American history as it follows the bloody exploits of John Dillinger and the FBI.

It was virtually a wall-to-invisible-wall 'Harry Potter' last weekend as ABC Family broadcast several installments of the franchise, including 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,' 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' and 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.'

What was even more exciting (and of major note to Potterheads) was that ABC also broadcast footage from 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I,' the penultimate film in the series. The video has now made it way across the Web faster than you can say "expecto patronum!" Watch the clip after the jump.

The 'Harry Potter' franchise may be a massive cash cow for Warner Bros., but the studio is not resting on its laurels when it comes to looking for its successor. With 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II' bringing that venerated series to a close in late 2012, WB execs have already signed on a new fantasy saga that they hope will rake in more green: 'Beautiful Creatures,' the first in a five-book series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

Muggles, rejoice! We've just gotten our first glimpse of next year's highly anticipated sequel 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I.' Unlike many of the fantastic images we've come to expect from the revered film series, this one is pretty ... normal. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger look like they're more ready for tackling Black Friday in Piccadilly Circus than spell casting.

But don't be fooled -- that's part of the conceit of the final 'Harry Potter' adventure, as the trio prepares for a wizard war in the real world, with Snatchers and Death Eaters running wild. The first half of 'Deathly Hallows,' which opens next Nov. 19, will find our favorite Hogwarts pupils blending into the Muggle world, wearing civilian clothes and finding sanctuary where they can as they attempt to put an end to Lord Voldemort's sinister plans for world domination. (And maybe Harry can get another chance to meet up with that cute waitress he blew off in 'Half-Blood Prince'?)

Harry Potter and Edward Cullen better watch their backs, there's a new fantasy man in town.

Lorenzo di Bonaventura, the producer of 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen' and 'G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,' has secured the rights to adapt Michael Scott's six-part book series, 'The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel,' into what could be Hollywood's next big fantasy franchise, Variety reports.

It appears that Twihards won't have to wait long for the final installment of the juggernaut 'Twilight Saga,' at least not according to Robert Pattinson.

Speaking at the recent press junket for 'New Moon,' the man behind Edward Cullen confirmed that filming for the adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's fourth book, 'Breaking Dawn,' is currently planned to commence in late 2010. Pattinson was quoted as saying, "I think the tentative time for 'Breaking Dawn' is fall next year. They may well change that," according to Collider.com.

In the aftermath of 'Harry Potter,' Moviefone editors Angie Argabrite and Patricia Chui tackle the issue of just how faithful a movie should be to the original book.

Plus, the 'Ugly Truth' about Gerard Butler's falling star and Katherine Heigl's bad press. And look who's turning 20 years old!

What is Daniel Radcliffe's favorite Michael Jackson song? Does Rupert Grint ever Google himself? Does Tom Felton feel left out with all that smooching going on around him? And who does Michael Gambon think would win in a fight between Dumbledore and Gandalf?

Fine, we'll admit it: Your questions are way more fun than ours -- or any journalist's for that matter. We asked our readers to send in questions for the cast of 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' (plus director David Yates) -- and after about 400 entries, we're happy we did. See the men of 'Potter' answer fan Q's.

Hmm ... a movie with a ridiculously long title featuring a boy hero based on a children's fantasy novel series -- sound like anyone we know? ('Harry Potter,' we're looking at you.)

The upcoming 'Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief,' due out in Feb. 2010, is adapted from 'The Lightning Thief,' the first novel in the 'Percy Jackson & the Olympians' series by Rick Riordan. Its young leading man, Percy, discovers that he's the son of a Greek god ... and the adventure begins.