Harry Potter film shortened following 'Grindhouse' flop

Harry Potter moviemakers are trimming the next instalment of the fantasy franchise, for fear that its length will turn movie-goers off.

Following the failure of Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez double-bill 'Grindhouse', which is more than three hours long, studio bosses at Warner Bros have ordered director David Yates to cut the running time of 'Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix'.

Star Daniel Radcliffe insists the cuts are a positive thing, and fans will still be happy with the finished film.

"People should be able to let that go," he said. "You can still read the book and the film is chock-full of stuff. The fans will be pleased."