Shock: Warner Bros scrap plans to release Harry Potter in 3D

In a rare, dignified move, Warner Bros have ditched their plans to convert the new Harry Potter movie into 3D, claiming they were unable to "meet the highest standards of quality". Crikey.

Post-conversion 3D is something of a joke in Hollywood; it's basically a totally transparent way to make extra money from ticket sales and no creative mind worth their salt would want their 2D movie ruined by a shoddy up-conversion. Which is why this press release from Warner Bros was so surprising.

Well, shut my mouth. It's not often you can say that a studio admits to a foul-up and loses themselves a bunch of money in the process. Though Warners would have most likely loved to have post-converted Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows into 3D and banked that extra dough, I'm guessing that deadline just didn't give them enough elbow room, and they've been forced into a rather embarrassing climbdown.

No one would have wanted this really, but it happens to work out rather well for the casual viewer. The Potter films have been getting both figuratively and literally darker since the first outing, to the point where a dingy post-conversion would have rendered Deathly Hallows nigh-on unwatchable. Conversely, I doubt there will be many Potter fans weeping tonight, like they did when they found out Harry dies at the end. You guys already knew that, right?

Part Two of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows will still be released in 3D in July, given that Warners have an extra seven months to whip their conversion monkeys into shape. Start saving your pocket money, kids.