Was there success? As I’m sure by now you are well aware, movie making is big business for the muggle world. Similar to the World Quidditch Cup, a muggle movie released in the summertime is set to earn a fortune in muggle money. Can Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban live up to those expectations? I believe so. Just take a look at the two predecessors to this “film,” Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Worldwide, they grossed almost $1 billion dollars and $869 million dollars, respectively. If nothing else, it means the audiences that saw those films only once will return to see the third. Azkaban can be guaranteed an opening weekend smash; with the buzz off the Harry Potter fan “sites” (think Muggle versions of newspapers which appear through the magic of Muggle computers—but only for those who love the stories) it would appear that most Harry Potter fans are highly anticipating this premiere. And given muggle fanaticism, they will more than likely see the film at least twice, if not more, in the theatre. So the big question remains…will Azkaban be able to live up to its predecessors in terms of its total gross? This editor is a bit skeptical. Not because the movie won’t be good. In fact, it may end up being the most critically acclaimed of the three Potter films so far. But Azkaban’s potential problem lies within its filmmaking. In Philosopher’s Stone, Harry was eleven, and his biggest threats were a unicorn-blood sucking half-ghost of a villain, a scary three headed dog, a giant chess board, and a two headed man. At twelve, Harry had to face a gigantic Spider and a gigantic snake. Not quite so appealing for younger children. At thirteen, in Azkaban, Harry is emotionally growing. Meaning he’s angrier, and not quite so loveable. Also, he will have to face a frightening werewolf, a great black dog, spooky, ghost-like Dementors, and a murderer stalking him. Certainly not kid friendly—especially since the entire tone of the movie is darker and grittier, with silver and black being the highlighted colors. Parents returning with their children was probably the greatest reason Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone did so well. For Azkaban, there probably won’t be as many, simply because it may be too complex and scary for younger kids. And perhaps for some adults. But being in the niche between a kids movie and a general audiences picture places Azkaban in a tight space. The real answer as to whether it can overshadow its predecessors will be how much of the adult audience turns out to see it again. If it can garner the respect of teenagers, young adults, and more mature fans, then it might blow away its previous incarnations. That is a difficult task, since most of the Potter hype begins with the younger generations and has yet to spread to the majority of the old. That is slowly changing, though, as the original Potter fans begin to mature into teenagedom and adulthood. By the time the next movie emerges, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, it may have gained the respect of more mature audiences who will honor it as other fantasy sagas have been honored. Will Azkaban score big at the theatres? YES. Will it beat its previous sister flicks? Probably not. For now, however, only time (and box-office results) will tell. This is one Quibbler editor who would like to be proven wrong!! |