NEW YORK - The final Harry Potter book will have a record-breaking, backbreaking first printing of 12 million copies, publisher Scholastic Inc. announced Wednesday.
And, for those who somehow don't know about Potter 7, Scholastic also plans a multimillion-dollar marketing campaign in support of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," which comes out July 21.
"This is so much more than the publication of a single book," Lisa Holton, president of Scholastic Trade and Book Fairs, told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "It's a true celebration of the Harry Potter movement and of the joy of reading."
The Scholastic campaign is called "There Will Soon Be 7." It will feature a Knight Bus National Tour, stopping at 40 libraries in 10 major metropolitan areas and millions of Potter bookmarks, easel backs and tattoos.
The previous Potter book, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," was released in 2005 with a first printing of 10.8 million copies and sales of 6.9 million in the first 24 hours.
Also Wednesday, Scholastic said that a $65 "Deluxe" edition of the final Potter, featuring art and illustration and a special slipcase, will have a first printing of 100,000.
J.K. Rowling's fantasy series has sold more than 325 million copies worldwide.
