NOTE: In our traditional April Fool’s posts, we endeavor to make them credible at the beginning, then crank up the nonsense until the joke becomes obvious. But these days, the idea of knowingly spreading misinformation (even when comically false) sounds exhausting. So here’s our notice ahead of time: This is 100% silliness! Hope it lightens your day. (Also, if you haven’t seen the Peace Talks trailer, you DEFINITELY want to watch that first.)
April 1, 2020
The Peace Talks trailer debuted Tuesday, March 24th to enthusiastic reviews, but today, director Priscilla Spencer notified fans that they will be receiving an updated version with “some improved visual effects.”
The move is unheard of for a book trailer already in release, according to book vloggers and publishing executives, but Spencer cites the precedent set by Tom Hooper, director of the 2019 movie musical “Cats,” who re-released digital prints of his film to theaters two days after its release.
Spencer admitted to finishing the trailer just a day before its Tuesday premiere after “procrastinating on the end titles sequence for like a month.” The last-minute tweaks left room for mistakes, apparently, like Harry Dresden’s bare head slipping through unnoticed.
Jim Butcher’s publicity team at Penguin Random House have long demonstrated the efficacy of marketing Harry’s novels with a consistent aesthetic: a staff and fedora to serve as visual shorthand for “Wizard Private Eye.” Given the trailer’s role as a promotional tool, a hat seems an obvious inclusion. Today, Spencer rectifies that error.
The updated trailer can be viewed on YouTube and at Jim-Butcher.com below.
