Did Harry Potter's privates push 'Half Blood Prince'?

It was recently announced that the next "Harry Potter" movie, "The Half-Blood Prince," was being pushed from this fall (Nov. 21) to next summer (July 17). The rationale was that Warner Bros. feared a 2009 without a tent pole, due in part to the writers strike earlier this year.

Nice of them to let Entertainment Weekly know. Both WB and EW are owned by Time Warner, but the studio didn't warn the mag that put Harry Potter on the cover of its fall movie preview.

Wonder why?

Was Warner Bros. nervous that EW might report the real reason HP was being pushed to 2009?

Fox News has floated the very viable theory that the true reason is because Daniel Radcliffe will be onstage buck naked (albeit briefly) on Broadway this fall in "Equus," a salacious play for its time — and for today — with a distinct beastiality theme.

And he's already riding a horse bareback (and front) in the new issue of Vogue, courtesy of photog Annie Leibowitz, who, coincidentally, also got Miley Cyrus to show off her bare back skills.

I saw the play in London's West End last spring (second row, center) and trust me, you see everything. Unlike the "Potter" fairy tale, Daniel's performance in "Equus" leaves nothing to the imagination.

And you just know an enterprising paparazzi was gonna get a sneak shot of Harry's magic wand and sell it to the highest bidder, who would have released it just as the film premiered. 

Was Warner Bros. worried that a shot of Harry's privates would hurt box office? Why? Would such a photo be deemed too salacious for the young teenage girl market? Or — perhaps not salacious enough?

"Equus" may also be a warmup for the next installment, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." According to EW, Daniel will be sans trousers in one scene in "Hallows."  But he's not worried, telling the mag, "It's all old hat now, really!"

Photo: Entertainment Weekly

To see an " Equus" promotional photos of Harry and his horse, keep reading.....

Photos: Courtesy of Equus.

Comments

[cdn]

Although this sounds likely enough, I am seriously hoping that it is not the case.

I am SO tired of people labouring under the delusion that Harry Potter is a kiddie phenomenon. The fact is, most of your hard-core HP fans are actually in their early to mid 20s - people who were in their tweens when the first book came out and have followed the series ever since. If you know anything about the series, you're aware that the themes dealt with in the sixth installment are much too dark and complex to be appropriate for the "young teenaged girl market" anyway. In that light, the comparison between Daniel Radcliffe and Miley Cyrus is just dumb. There should be no more scandal surrounding Radcliffe's appearance in "Equus" than there would be with any other of-age actor (he IS 19 now) playing a similar role.

[-]

I don't think this has anything to do with Daniel Radcliffe. I think it's the fact that Twilight is coming out in November too, and there are many fans waiting for it. Twilight will simply overtake harry potter and they won't make any money.

[Liz]

There's been a nude pictures of Daniel Radcliffe floating around the internet since he first posed for an Equus photoshoot, ages ago. That's a stupid theory. Why would paparazzi photograph something that we can already find, in much better resolution, on Google Imagesearch?

[Tyler Durden]

As far as the comment that the person made about Twilight taking over Harry Potter, don't be ridiculous. For a book series that very few people have heard of, at least in comparison to Harry Potter, there is no way that it would cause an issue for the Potter series. The only reason that WB changed the date was for monetary one's, it's a business, and they're trying to make the most money that they can.

[SBW]

Excuse me cdn?? are you crazy??? there is no way in heck twilight would ever out shine harry potter in the box office, watch it, hp will make much more when it does come out then twilight does in nov. and to the person that said that its not for children. you are exactly correct, when the books first came out, i was 10, but i didnt read them till i was 12. im now 18, its been 8 years since the release of #1 and 6 year since i started reading them, and i still love the series and cant wait for the release of 6 and 7 on film. you couldnt give #6 to a 10 year old, it is in fact too dark.

[sierra]

harry potter and the half-blood prince was suppose to come out on my birthday and now my birthday is ruined

[yves]

fox news is full of idiots.

warner bros would have done exactly the same thing to harry potter and the order of the phoenix if this was true.

[yves]

also, cdn, twilight's popularity does not compare to harry potter's. it's like comparing osama bin laden to my grandfather.

[rosilin]

I think harry is all THAT and more who wouldn't give there left arm not wand arm obviously to see Harry butt naked at the reliese of the film or any other time . ... I as a devote Harry Potter FAN FAN. Think a fter all the movies (Daniel) has done no one should have a bad word to say even if he was streaking across LOndon!!!! LOVE YOU HARRY POTTER-x-

[cdn]

Heh...this is cdn again. I posted the comment ABOVE my name, not below. I don't even know what "Twilight" is. I don't think even the next "Batman" or other such movie could prevent HP from pulling in the dough. There are just too many loyal fans.

[tooty]

How about the fact that Equus will be on Broadway from September to February? Radcliffe couldn't do the play AND worldwide publicity. It's either the November fall slot or summer.

[BIGbamboolvr]

Daniel it is funny how you like to show off your little winky when everyone wants a big bamboo. So the next time you decide to strip, think about how many people are not interested in seeing your teenie weenie winky. Oh and just so you know you might want to take a bush hog to that general area because it is really difficult to see your lousy chop sitck.

[RoccoOdell]

Daniel Radcliffe is at heart a professional actor, not wanting to end his carreer as Potter.
Anyone who has seen his performance as the son of Rudyard
Kipling in My Son Jack would have seen a wonderful dramatic performance, heartbreaking in its intensity.

[tayjay]

I agree with everyone. I too am a die hard Harry Potter fan, but for those of you who are thrashing Twilight, you should pick up the book once and see how it compares. I don't know the reason for pulling #6 but i know enough people would go to both Twilight and Harry Potter because there enough loyal fans. I am sure there is an ethical buisness reason behind the new release date though and when it does come out next summer, well we will all have a movie to look forward to.

[Faithful HP fan]

I think that Twilight is nowhere NEAR as popular as HP. but i have to admit that most people i know are quite excited about Twilight and some have forgotten HP. :(

[Faithful HP fan]

I think that Twilight is nowhere NEAR as popular as HP. but i have to admit that most people i know are quite excited about Twilight and some have forgotten HP. :(

[Faithful HP fan]

I think that Twilight is nowhere NEAR as popular as HP. but i have to admit that most people i know are quite excited about Twilight and some have forgotten HP. :(

[MH]

i loved the twilight series, i think its way up there with harry potter but i mean way more ppl know about hp then about twilght so whatever the reason is, its still gonna bring in tons of money know matter when its released.

[aggravated at WB]

I have read the whole Twilight series, and believe me, they don't begin to compare to Harry Potter. Steph Meyer doesn't have the writing talent in her whole body that JK Rowling has in her little finger. Although she is a good storyteller, her writing itself is garbage. Hey, Warner Brothers, as long as I have to wait so long for the next HP, after you LIED to us, I think I'll just hold out until the whole series is complete and then rent them and have an HP marathon at home. After all, if we have to wait this long, why not just wait one long period and see them all together. What will that do to your box office records if a lot of people do that? Ha! You should not have lied to us!

[April]

That is UNBELIEVABLE! I was sooo looking forward to seeing it this fall! and I'm not sure people can physically wait that long... that is the most retarded thing I have ever heard.. I"M PISSED.

[April]

That is UNBELIEVABLE! I was sooo looking forward to seeing it this fall! and I'm not sure people can physically wait that long... that is the most retarded thing I have ever heard.. I"M PISSED.

[busybee6363]

THIS IS SOOOOO STUPID! Why, WB? Why? people have waited long enough. It has nothing to d owith dan's equus role-the movie has already been filmed and is probably just about through post-production. If they're worried about tTwilight, they shouldnt be. yeah, it's popular, but harry potter is waaaaaay more so. Harry Potter is a hit in sooo many different countries, and twilight is in, what, 3? Sorry, all you twilight lovers, but harry potter would be waaay more popular. If they were that worried, couldn't they move it a few weeks closer, or even just to december or january, when twilight isn't on? Jeeze, can anything ever go straight? I think all us harry potter fans have waited long enough...

busybee6363
x

[dracojosh]

You know, I'm boycotting this crap. And so are many of my long time Potter fans and friends. We are just gonna wait for video, because these studio idiots have pissed us off for the last time. There have been many reasons in the past that we didn't like some of the films. But now it's just gotten out of hand. And you know what? Most of the fans I've seen at the conferences and conventions are ages 25-45. So give me a break about the nudity and such. Who cares??? And it's not like most teenagers haven't seen naked bodies or even had sex. It's all bullocks!

[savagelyf3011]

DATS SUM BS DAT THEY PUSHED IT BAK ALL THE WAY 2 JULY DATS BASICALLY A YEAR!!!!!!!! IF YALL DO HAV 2 PUSH IT BAK Y SO FAR? IM 15 N I READ ALL DA BOOKS!!!!!!!!!!!MOST TEENS N YOUNGER PPL DEN SEEN SOMEONE NAKED B4!THEY'VE SEEN THEIR SELF NAKED!MOST TEENS DEN HAD SEX 2 SO GET WIT DA REST OF THE WORLD PEOPLE IM NOT RACIST BUT 95% OF BLACK KIDS DEN SEEN SOMEONE NAKED B4!YALL PUNISHING US 4 SUMTHIN WE AINT DO!DANIEL AINT DID NUTTIN WRONG.HE GROWN IF HE WANT 2 POSE NAKED DATS HIS BIZ!!N DAT TWILIGHT SH*T I AINT NEVA EVEN HEARD OF THAT SO IT AINT NO COMPOTITION 2 HARRY POTTER!SO YALL PPL NEED 2 CHANGE DA DATE BAK!I CANT BOYCOTT WIT YALL CUZ IM READY 2 C IT NOW I DEFFINETLY CANT WAIT TILL BOTH OF DA MOVIES COME OUT!!!!!!!!BUT I AM PISSED DA H3L! OFF!!!!!1

[J3ster]

Oh my God!!!

Who posted the above comment??

You may only be 15 - but J.K. Rowling was proud when her books started encouraging young people to read again.
I suggest you start reading other books - written in English.

If you continue to write - and speak in that crappy text talk no-one will ever take you seriously.

Grow up and stop destroying the best thing you were ever given - a beautiful language.

. . . and as for your point - why would Black kids be more likely to have seen a naked person???

Seriously . . I would like to know??

J.