Deathly Hallows conjures up holiday movie season

Deathly Hallows conjures up holiday movie season

Big-budget franchises, classic tales told Hollywood style and major star couplings mark the upcoming vacation time.

With its worldwide debut on November 19, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the first of a two-part finale covering the final adventure of the British boy wizard, began a six-week holiday season that is second only to the summer in terms of ticket sales and major event movies.

Movie ticketing website Fandango.com has reported 900 showtimes for the movie sold out in the United States.

But Harry Potter is not the only major franchise in theatres this coming holiday season. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader debuts December 10. while comedy Little Fockers — from the Meet the Parents franchise — is due out December 22 with Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro reprising their awkward son-in-law/father-in-law relationship. This time, there are children involved.

Also landing in theatres is the highly anticipated sequel to the 1982 feature Tron, which gets a massive technological upgrade in the December 17 release of Tron: Legacy. Legacy breathes new life in to a franchise that is likely to spark future installments.

CLASSIC TALES, HOLLYWOOD COUPLINGS

Classic fairy tales also get an update. On November 24, the Brothers Grimm’s Rapunzel gets the Disney treatment in Tangled, a 3D animated musical. The girl with the long golden locks escapes her tower for the first time and finds herself in an adventure of self-discovery and romance.

“Rapunzel is a fearless young woman,” says actress Mandy Moore, who voices the role. “She's never set foot on the ground in 18 years and yet she is willing to go into the unknown because she has a dream. Of course, she also comes to find out that what makes her special isn't necessarily just her hair.”