Warner Brothers Is Going To Pull All "Harry Potter" Movies Off The Shelves By The End Of The Year

Greed doesn't even begin to describe this strategy.

Photo Removed
Complex Original

Blank pixel used during image takedowns

Photo Removed

If it wasn't enough that Harry Potter's theatrical story came to an end earlier this year, now Warner Brothers is set on making the boy wizard disappear from store shelves as well. In an attempt to increase demand just in time for the holiday season, the studio is pulling every Harry Potter DVD and Blu-ray from shelves by December 29, according to Deadline. This includes collector's editions and box-sets as well.

This is the same strategy that Disney employs in its "From the vault" marketing campaign that makes people think that if they don't rush out the door and buy these movies right away, they may never get the chance again. So people on the fence about buying Harry Potter DVDs, or longtime fans taking their time in purchasing them due to the recession, will now be under the gun to snatch these discs up while they have the chance.

The timing of this move is especially odd because the final installment of the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, won't hit stores until November 11. This means that fans only have a month-and-a-half to purchase it before it's gone as well. The only good news for fans is that the digital copies of all eights movies aren't going to be affected by this.

Remember, Warner Brothers is employing this strategy in the middle of a recession that is making people to think twice about purchasing luxuries. This also leaves the door open for the studio to re-release these movies down the road at an inflated price, while advertising it as a "once in a lifetime event." Stay classy, Warner Brothers. 

[via Deadline

Latest in Pop Culture