In a move that should bring substantial more money to author JK Rowling, the blockbuster ‘Harry Potter’ book series is expected to go digital for the first time ever, 14 years after the 1997 release of ‘The Sorcerer’s Stone.’
All seven of the books will soon become available via the iPad and the Kindle e-reader, and should net Rowling £100 million.
Scotsman cites Rowling’s agent as confirming the imminent deal.
Rowling has an estimated fortune nearing $1 billion USD, following the record sales of the books, the films, the DVD/Blu-rays and other merchandise.
One editor added:
Experts believe that move could revolutionize the world of electronic publishing, triggering rocket sales of e-book readers such as Kindle and the iPad.
Result for: DVD
Sony has said this week that the popular VOD service Vudu will launch on PlayStation 3 consoles starting on November 23rd.
Via the PSN, Vudu will offer 1080p HD and Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 surround sound streaming.
Vudu says the “PS3 will be the first and only system with dedicated gaming functionality to offer this service,” implying a partnership with the Xbox 360 isn’t in the cards, at least for now.
The streaming movie service currently has 4000 movies available in full HD, and new releases are available the same day as their Blu-ray and DVD counterparts.
Rentals cost $2 for 48 hours.
“PS3 is tailor-made for the high-quality, high-speed VUDU streaming experience,” adds Edward Lichty, general manager, VUDU. “Now with VUDU on PS3, we are able to deliver a completely immersive experience to those loyal to their entertainment system when they want, where they want.”
All new Vudu customers get a $6 credit for signing up.
Result for: DVD
In what is certainly the most notable movie leak in some time, the first 36 minutes of the latest Harry Potter film are now widely available on the Internet.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, will debut in the U.S. on Friday.
The “extended clip,” which is tagged as a DVD-Screener, has a large Warner Bros. watermark but is otherwise intact.
In 2007, a PDF of the book was leaked the week before the title was set for release.
The question now remains as to why the screener is only 36 minutes long, but the consensus is that Warner Bros. was so scared of a leak that they cut down the amount shown in the screeners they sent out.
It could also be that Warner just leaked the clip themselves to add to the hype, not that the Harry Potter series, especially this film, needs any more.
Regardless, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 will make over $100 million at the Box Office this weekend.
