We certainly didn't see this one coming: Warner Bros. has announced that it will NOT be releasing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 in 3D, despite the technology being more popular than ever.

An official announcement from WB states that the studio has decided against releasing at least the first part of Deathly Hallows in 3D because there isn't enough time to get the post-production conversion done in time for the November 19th release date.

It appears that the studio doesn't want to put out an inferior product by rushing the 3D (a la Clash of the Titans), and are instead interested in giving the best version possible, even if that means just releasing the film in regular old 2D.

A statement from the studio reads:

"Despite everyone's best efforts, we were unable to convert the film in its entirety and meet the highest standards of quality. We do not want to disappoint fans who have long-anticipated the conclusion of this extraordinary journey."

Despite 3D arguably offering the biggest spectacle possible for the Harry Potter franchise, I can't be the only one overjoyed at the fact that the studio is deciding to put quality before anything else. If Clash of the Titans taught us anything, it's that rushed 3D conversion doesn't offer the best possible viewing experience of the format.

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Deathly Hallows director, David Yates, added his own thoughts on the situation:

"For 10 years, we have worked alongside Alan Horn and the studio, whose priority has always been to preserve the integrity of Jo Rowling’s books as we have adapted them to the screen, and this decision reflects that commitment... This decision, which we completely support, underscores the fact that Warner Bros. has always put quality first."

At the end of the day, the 3D is just part of the reason fans may be looking forward to the final Harry Potter installments. And even if you're still desperate for Harry Potter 3D action, then you can rest assured that the final final film, Deathly Hallows Part 2, will hit theaters in both 2D and 3D as planned. The reason for that is WB has nine months to take the time on the conversion of Part 2 to 3D.

As for Part 1, you can still enjoy it in both regular theaters and in IMAX so there's still plenty of fantastic spectacle to go around.

Are you upset or relieved it won't be coming at us in 3D?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 will hit theaters (only in 2D) on November 19th, 2010, with Part 2 following next summer (in both 2D and 3D) on July 15th, 2011. Click here for our Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows review.

Source: Warner Bros.