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MY Daily Prophet
Topic Started: Aug 14 2004, 01:33 AM (1,278 Views)
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James Mangold ("Walk the Line"): "Stepping into one of these films is stepping into so many choices already made. I'm greedy - I really like building the world of my film. So if I were to direct, it would have to be the first one, where you would have had a chance to set it all in motion."
Chris Stokes ("You Got Served"): "I'd make them a lot scarier, like a 'Jurassic Park'-type movie."
Josh Stolberg ("Kids in America"): "They did the same thing in 'Mission: Impossible,' where every single one of the films has a different look, and I think that's great. That's one of the reasons sequels have trouble sustaining audiences is that they get old, like, 'I've seen that before.' But they're approaching them from a totally unique place, and I think that's exciting. I would have them adult-ized. I'd want to let them have fun, let them loosen up a bit."
James Wong ("Final Destination"): " 'Harry Potter' is going to be 'Harry Potter' no matter who takes it on. Even though my films are much more graphic, I definitely wouldn't have as many deaths. It could be truly scary without being gory or showing a lot of blood. So if you do kill someone off [in book seven], it has to be a character that you've grown to care about, to make the death more meaningful. I don't think you can do 'Harry Potter' without Harry being alive, so I would kill Hermione, because that's the one you don't expect. Normally, you'd want it to be quick and sudden, so people jump out of their seats, but with Hermione, I would draw it out more. The how part is tricky, because in Harry Potter's world, it's crazy magic, you could kill her and bring her back!"
Sam Mendes ("Jarhead"): "The pressure of those books is so huge, you know? Following someone else who's already directed the visual language of it doesn't really allow you much freedom to express what it is that's your vision. So would I consider it? Not really."
Jared Hess ("Napoleon Dynamite"): "It would be fun to see Harry Potter as a man, a man Potter. It looks like he hits a new stage of puberty with each trailer I see."
Samuel Bayer ("Green Day: Bullet in a Bible"): "I'd put the kids in a time capsule and freeze them so they don't get any older."
Garth Jennings ("The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"): "I'm not a big fan of blue-screen things, so I'd try to do as much in-camera as possible. Of course, it'd be kind of difficult to do a fire-breathing dragon in-camera, but I'd try. And I'd try not to be too worried about the dark side coming through. The books - particularly this fourth one - have the most wonderfully dark gems hidden in them. It seems like the films just keep getting a bit darker and darker, so maybe the last one will be some X-rated movie."
Dave McKean ("MirrorMask"): "I still can't understand why nobody's realized that the 'H.P.' in 'H.P. Lovecraft' actually stands for Harry Potter! I realize there's a lot of documented evidence that suggests it might be Howard Phillips Lovecraft or something equally bank-managerish, but that's true only in the factual sense of the word. So my vote is for the ratings to go up as Harry gets older, so when he's 18, I'd let all that psycho sexual energy that's boiling away behind those prismatic portals he wears over his eyes VOMIT out into the sluices of Hogwarts. That scar in his head splits open, and all the bile and spite that's been seething away behind those endless pages of nice magicians and their nice little spells THRUSTS forth, Cthulhu-like, in fully engorged Cronenbergian ecstatic slug-fingers ... or not."
Gregg Araki ("Mysterious Skin"): "Harry who?"
http://www.vh1.com/movies/news/articles/15...equestid=403727
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Harry Potter Meets His Marker, By Kurt Loder
Also: Joaquin Phoenix brings Johnny Cash back to life in 'Walk the Line.'
"Goblet of Fire": Harry Potter Meets His Marker
The dangers that Harry Potter has faced over the course of his last three movies - lumbering trolls, soul-withering Dementors, a riot of giant spiders, and of course fresh-caught Cornish pixies - are as nothing compared to what he's up against in this latest installment of the series. Now he must contend with murderous mazes, hideous mer-people, Death Eaters on the march, Voldemort on the rise, and, most terrifying of all, in a way, the necessity of finding a date for the big Yule Ball.
"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" is the first film in the Potter series to be rated PG-13, and understandably so - it deals with some fairly heavy emotional material and, especially towards the end, verges on becoming a horror movie. But it also features the most spectacular effects of the four pictures shot so far. One extended sequence, in which the broom-borne Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) is chased among the towers of Hogwarts by a flying, fire-breathing dragon that can even claw its way around on the sides of buildings in pursuit of him, is a state-of-the-art thrill ride. And the Yule Ball itself, held in a huge, gleaming ice palace inside Hogwarts, is a scene of grand enchantment.
There's a wonderful new character, too - "Mad Eye" Moody, the latest occupant of that most luckless of Hogwarts staff positions, teacher of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Moody is a battered old wizard with a fake leg and a prosthetic eye that clicks and whirs like an electronic camera lens, and can even swing around to see what's going on behind him. The splendid Irish actor Brendan Gleeson, who played a similarly daft character in the 1995 "Braveheart," digs into this part with enormous relish.
The world of Hogwarts is further enlarged this time around by the arrival of students from two other great wizarding institutes - the elegant girls of the French Beauxbatons Academy and the hulking lads of the Durmstrang Institute, which is located ... somewhere near Russia, apparently, judging by their accents. These two groups have been invited to Hogwarts to take part in the Triwizard Tournament, a magical competition that's held only once every hundred years (the Yule Ball is its ancillary social event), and which is so hazardous that contestants are advised not to make any post-tournament plans that would absolutely require that they be alive.
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Whether Harry, Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) will survive this event is the question with which we're most concerned, of course. Also, will Harry work up the gumption to ask the lovely Cho Chang to the Ball? Will Ron ask Hermione? And does any of this matter as the black-robed Death Eaters storm onto the scene, heralding the return of their dark master, the evil Lord Voldemort? As Hermione says, "Everything's going to change now, isn't it?" And as Harry says, "Yes."
As author J.K. Rowling lays it out in the book, with characteristic precision and her usual unbounded imagination, this is a wholly engrossing story - an epic tale of good and evil and loss and yearning. Transported to the screen, however, it has sustained a few dinks and dents. First of all, one understands that the filmmakers (Mike Newell is the director this time out) are faced with a young cast that's aging at an immutable biological rate, and are desperately trying to get these movies made before the principals grow too old for their parts. But it's a race they're beginning to lose. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are supposed to be 14 years old now. Radcliffe, who's 16, and Watson, who's 15, can pass for that age. But Grint, who's 17, really can't; he seems much older, and it throws his scenes with the other two off.
It must also be said that with the influx of so many new characters, some of our favorite old ones, like the scheming Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) and the fabulously oily Severus Snape (Alan Rickman), are reduced to mere walk-ons. Gary Oldman's Sirius Black doesn't get even that - he's been converted into a special effect, a glowing, mask-like face that rises up out of the embers in a dormitory fireplace.
Most problematic of all, however, is the appearance, in all his evil glory, of the great Dark Lord himself, Voldemort (played by Ralph Fiennes). In the book, this character can step out in front of the curtain behind which Rowling has kept him hidden to useful effect - we can't actually see him, so he can still haunt our imagination. In the movie, when we do see him, a slight slump of disappointment is inevitable. Despite the pasty face and the snakey, slit-like nostrils, it's an actor we see - a very good one, but not the creature we've harbored for so long in our heads.
This is the reason Conan Doyle never brought Professor Moriarty, Sherlock Holmes's great nemesis, too far out of the shadows. And why Thomas Harris was so ill-advised to yank the disturbing Hannibal Lecter out of "The Silence of the Lambs" and set him up as a witty sophisticate with an amusing idiosyncrasy in a book all his own. Evil shrivels in the light. Fortunately, in the next two Potter books waiting to be filmed, there's enough darkness to blot out the sun.
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Harry Potter Fights Off 18 Kids And Usher To Hold #1
'Goblet of Fire' earned $35 million more than its closest competitor this weekend.
by Alyssa Rashbaum
Daniel Radcliffe in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" (Warner Bros.)
Five new movies made the box-office top 10 this Thanksgiving weekend, including "Rent" and "In the Mix," but moviegoers opted for the familiar, making "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" and "Walk the Line" the top two films at the box office for the second-consecutive week.
Over the course of the five-day Thanksgiving box-office period, the fourth installment in the "Harry Potter" series, which bowed at #1 last week, earned $81.3 million (pulling in $54.9 million from Friday to Sunday), according to early estimates .
That number helped this weekend rank second in five-day holiday grosses, with total box-office earnings of $218.3 million. The current record holder is 2000's Turkey Day weekend, when #1 film "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" helped bring the box-office total to $232.1 million.
"Walk the Line," which stars Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash, held strong at #2 for the second week in a row, earning $19.7 million this weekend. The film chronicling the Man in Black's life also stars Reese Witherspoon as his wife, June Carter Cash, and features both actors showing off their vocal chops (see "Johnny Cash Was 'Thrilled' Joaquin Phoenix Would Play Him, 'Line' Director Says").
"Yours, Mine and Ours" led the pack of new releases this week, debuting at #3 with more than $17.4 million. The family flick stars Rene Russo and Dennis Quaid as a widow and widower who marry, creating a family of 18 children. As you might expect, mayhem ensues.
"Chicken Little," the animated comedy starring Zach Braff as the voice of the title character (see "Zach Braff Calls 'Chicken Little' 'Garden State' On A Farm"), managed to keep newcomers "Rent" and "Just Friends" at bay, dropping one notch from #3 to #4 with more than $12.4 million.
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Fans of Broadway mainstay "Rent" got an early Christmas present this weekend when the film version of the musical hit the big screen. Starring most of the show's original Broadway cast - with Rosario Dawson filling in for Daphne Rubin-Vega as fishnet-clad-badass Mimi - "Rent" centers on the lives of friends living in New York City's East Village. The film bowed at #5 with $10.7 million.
The romantic comedy "Just Friends," which stars Ryan Reynolds and Amy Smart, debuted at #6 with more than $9.2 million. In the film, Reynolds stars as Chris, an overweight teen who transforms himself into a svelte, ruthless record exec and tries to win the heart of Jamie (Smart), the girl who crushed his romantic dreams in high school when she told him she wanted to be "just friends" (see " 'Just Friends' Cast Says High School Was Hell, Reliving It Was Heaven").
Rounding out this week's box-office top 10 are "Pride and Prejudice," which climbed from #10 to #7 with more than $7 million; "Derailed," which fell from #4 to #8 with more than $4.7 million; Usher's "In the Mix," which debuted at #9 with more than $4.4 million; and "The Ice Harvest," which bowed at #10 with more than $3.7 million.
Overall, ticket sales for the five-day weekend were up slightly from the corresponding weekend last year.
Next week, look for "Aeon Flux" to debut on the box-office top 10. "The Kid & I," starring Tom Arnold, and "TransAmerica," starring Felicity Huffman of "Desperate Housewives," open in limited release.
http://www.vh1.com/movies/news/articles/15...requestid=55030
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Goblet Of Fire Burns Hot
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the fourth movie in the hit franchise, sold an estimated $101.4 million worth of tickets in its first three days of release across North America, making it the fourth-largest opening ever, the Reuters news service reported.
The opening tally for Goblet far exceeded those of the first three Potter films, Warner Brothers said. To date, the best performer was the third movie, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which kicked off with $93.7 million in June 2004, the wire service reported.
Goblet of Fire's opening exceeded Warner's expectations of a debut in the $90 million range. The results were boosted by glowing reviews, as well as a strong turnout from older audiences for the PG-13 movie, the first in the franchise to carry that rating.
The record for a three-day opening is held by Spider-Man, which bowed with $115 million in 2002. Star Wars: Episode III-Revenge of the Sith began with $108.4 million earlier this year, just ahead of Shrek 2, with $108 million in 2004.
Meanwhile, Chicken Little, which held the top spot last week, slipped to number three, with $14.8 million, the Associated Press reported. Zathura: A Space Adventure rounded out the top five with $5.1 million for the weekend.

Warner Brothers reported a final worldwide weekend gross of $187.8 million for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, including $102.3 million from North America, Variety reported.
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Goblet, Polar Break IMAX Records
IMAX Corp. and Warner Brothers announced that Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: The IMAX Experience and The Polar Express: An IMAX 3D Experience registered the highest-grossing weekend ever at IMAX theaters, with combined grosses of $3.1 million. The two films each unspooled on 66 screens over the three-day period Nov. 25-27.
In its second weekend in IMAX theaters, Goblet of Fire grossed approximately $1.85 million. The re-release of Polar Express generated about $1.22 million in its opening weekend.
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A spokesperson for Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling told the Leaky Cauldron fan Web site that her recent comments saying she wanted to kill off the boy wizard in the upcoming seventh and final book in her best-selling series were taken out of context in a gossip column in the British tabloid newspapers.
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Rowling To Start Last Potter
Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling wrote on her official Web site that she will begin writing the seventh and final volume in her best-selling series in January. "For 2006 will be the year when I write the final book in the Harry Potter series," Rowling wrote in a Christmas message. "I contemplate the task with mingled feelings of excitement and dread, because I can't wait to get started, to tell the final part of the story and, at last, to answer all the questions (will I ever answer all of the questions? Let's aim for most of the questions); and yet it will all be over at last and I can't imagine life without Harry."
Rowling added: "I have been fine-tuning the fine-tuned plan of seven during the past few weeks so that I can really set to work in January. Reading through the plan is like contemplating the map of an unknown country in which I will soon find myself. Sometimes, even at this stage, you can see trouble looming; nearly all of the six published books have had Chapters of Doom. The quintessential, never, I hope, to be beaten Chapter That Nearly Broke My Will To Go On was chapter nine, Goblet of Fire (appropriately enough, 'The Dark Mark')."
No title or publication date has been anounced yet for the final Potter book.
http://www.jkrowling.com/
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Leung, Park Among AZN Finalists
Katie Leung (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) and Grace Park (Battlestar Galactica) are among the four finalists for the Outstanding Newcomer Award to be presented during the 2006 Asian Excellence Awards sponsored by AZN Television, the network announced. Lynn Chen (All My Children) and Rex Lee (Entourage) round out the finalists for the award, which is one of several recognizing outstanding achievements by Asian Americans.
The 2006 Asian Excellence Awards, Featuring the Remy Martin X.O. Honors, will be broadcast from Los Angeles on AZN Television, Jan. 29 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
http://www.azntv.com/axa/
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Potter V Seeks Its Lovegood
Warner Brothers has sent out a casting call for the role of Luna Lovegood in the upcoming fifth Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The production is seeking girls between the ages of 13 and 16 who are resident in the United Kingdom or Ireland to make an application to audition for the role to casting director Fiona Weir. No experience is necessary.
Applicants are asked to apply in person on Jan. 14 at the Central Hall, Westminster Storey's Gate, Westminster, London. The production will take applications from 10 a.m., with no queueing before 8 a.m. The queue will close at 2 p.m. Applicants will be asked to show a copy of their passport as proof of age and nationality. Applicants are also asked to eschew makeup, costumes and high heels.
Potter author J.K. Rowling has described Lovegood as the "anti-Hermione." She is one of Harry Potter's classmates at Hogwarts, the daughter of the editor of The Quibbler and a free spirit who befriends Harry in the fifth novel.
British director David Yates will helm Order of the Phoenix, which is expected to begin production in the United Kingdom this month.

Potter Outsells All In 2005
U.S. fans bought more copies of J.K. Rowling's sixth Harry Potter book on its first day of release than any other book sold in the country in all of 2005, the Reuters news service reported.
According to industry sales tracker Nielsen BookScan, Rowling's Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince sold 4.1 million copies in the United States on day one and 7.02 million copies for the full year.
Among the rest of the nation's best-sellers, Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code proved its enduring popularity as the fifth-highest U.S. seller of the year. His earlier novel Angels & Demons took eighth place.
Christopher Paolini's fantasy novel Eldest came in 10th.

* Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, King Kong, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Star Wars: Episode III-Revenge of the Sith and War of the Worlds are among the seven films in consideration for the sound editing Oscar, Variety reported.
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Goblet DVD Due March 7
Warner Home Video announced that Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire will debut on DVD March 7 as a single-disc DVD and a two-disc special edition. The fourth movie in the Potter franchise, from director Mike Newell, will also be available as part of a special-edition four-pack and in UMD format for the PSP.
The Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 2-Disc Special Edition includes never-before-seen footage, conversations with the cast, interactive challenges, making-of featurettes and an exclusive look at the film from behind the scenes.
The single-disc DVD will carry a suggested retail price of $28.98; the special edition will be $30.97, and the Harry Potter Special Edition four-pack will be $73.92.
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Harry Potter's 'Phoenix' Begins Rising Next Week
Filming set to being in England on fifth installment of wizard franchise.
by Jennifer Vineyard
Evanna Lynch, who was cast as Luna Lovegood in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (Warner Bros.)
Harry Potter's going to start making magic again next week, and this time he's fighting bureaucracy as well as evil wizards.
"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," the fifth installment of the films based on J.K. Rowling's books, will start principal photography Monday at England's Leavesden Film Studios.
In the film, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) has trouble getting the magical world to believe that evil Lord Voldemort has come back (which is where the fourth film, "Goblet of Fire," left off). Only Harry's close friends and a few supporters (including Hogwarts headmaster Professor Dumbledore) take the news seriously, but with the Ministry of Magic officially disavowing the boy wizard's claims, it's up to Dumbledore's newly re-formed anti-evil-wizard league, the Order of the Phoenix, to take matters into its own hands. In the same spirit, Harry forms Dumbeldore's Army, an underground "defense against the dark arts" class.
Imelda Staunton ("Vera Drake") will play Harry's nemesis Dolores Umbridge, a Ministry-planted teacher who purposely makes the real defense class as useless as possible by abandoning practical lessons, punishing Harry for speaking the truth, and forbidding students from forming any non-Ministry-approved groups or clubs.
Natalia Tena ("About a Boy") and George Harris will play Order of the Phoenix members Nymphadora Tonks and Kingsley Shackebolt, who help Dumbledore, the Weasleys, Sirius Black and others figure out what Voldemort's Death Eaters are plotting. Helen McCrory ("Casanova") will play one of those Death Eaters, and Sirius' cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange. Kathryn Hunter will play Dursley neighbor Mrs. Figg (who isn't exactly a Muggle), and 14-year-old newcomer Evanna Lynch will play a strange Potter ally, the moony Luna Lovegood from Ravenclaw, a role won in an open casting call that attracted 15,000 girls.
Radcliffe prepared for "Phoenix" by meeting with a bereavement counselor so he could understand survivor's guilt, since his two main relationships in this film - with his godfather Sirius Black and new girlfriend Cho Chang - are grounded in a mutual need to bond with another person after a great, shared loss.
"Sirius is clinging on to James (Harry's father and Sirius' best friend) through me, and I'm trying to know my father through him," Radcliffe said. "The same thing happens with me and Cho. I was the last person there when her last boyfriend, Cedric, was killed."
Emma Watson and Rupert Grint reprise their roles as Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," which is being directed by David Yates, is due in summer 2007.
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Potter V Starts With New Cast
Warner Brothers announced the start of production on the fifth Harry Potter movie, The Order of the Phoenix, and also revealed additional casting for the movie, including Imelda Staunton and 14-year-old newcomer Evanna Lynch, who beat more than 15,000 hopefuls at an open casting call to play Luna Lovegood.
As production gears up at England's Leavesden Studios, new cast members include Staunton as Dolores Umbridge, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher; George Harris as Kingsley Shacklebolt; Helen McCrory as Bellatrix Lestrange; Natalia Tena as Nymphadora Tonks; Kathryn Hunter as Mrs. Figg; and Lynch, who plays Lovegood, a Ravenclaw student who becomes an important ally of Harry, Ron and Hermione. The three principal actors also return: Daniel Radcliffe as Harry, Rupert Grint as Ron and Emma Watson as Hermione.
British filmmaker David Yates will direct Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix from a screenplay by Michael Goldenberg (Peter Pan, Contact).
The production also welcomes back production designer Stuart Craig, costume designer Jany Temime, creature-effects supervisor Nick Dudman, special-effects supervisor John Richardson and visual-effects supervisor Tim Burke. The director of photography is Slawomir Idziak (King Arthur, Black Hawk Down), and the editor is Mark Day.
In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry returns for his fifth year of study at Hogwarts and discovers that much of the wizarding community is in denial about the teenager's recent encounter with the evil Lord Voldemort. Fearing that Hogwarts' venerable headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, is lying about Voldemort's return in order to undermine his power and take his job, the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, appoints a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher to keep watch over Dumbledore and the Hogwarts students. But Professor Dolores Umbridge's Ministry-approved course of defensive magic leaves the young wizards woefully unprepared to defend themselves against the dark forces threatening them and the entire wizarding community. At the prompting of his friends Hermione and Ron, Harry takes matters into his own hands. Meeting secretly with a small group of students who name themselves "Dumbledore's Army," Harry teaches them how to defend themselves against the dark arts, preparing the courageous young wizards for the extraordinary battle that lies ahead. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix will be released in 2007.
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SMITH, CAREY, GREEN DAY AND POTTER LEAD KIDS' CHOICE NODS
WILL SMITH, MARIAH CAREY, GREEN DAY, MADAGASCAR and HARRY POTTER are leading the nominations at this year's (06) Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards, with two nods each.
Rapper/actor Smith is up for Favourite Movie Actor for HITCH and Favourite Male Singer. Carey is up for Favourite Female Singer and Favourite Song for WE BELONG TOGETHER and punk trio Green Day is up for Favourite Music Group and Favourite Song for WAKE ME UP WHEN SEPTEMBER ENDS.
Meanwhile, JK ROWLING's wizard creation is up in both literary and film categories: HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE will fight ARE WE THERE YET?, CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY and HERBIE: FULLY LOADED for Favourite Movie, as well the series of novels being up for Best Book.
The annual children's ceremony will be hosted by KING KONG star JACK BLACK on 1 April (06) at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion.
Black enthuses, "I'm super excited to be hosting Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards because when you're doing a show for the kids, you can get extra crazy and loony. I have a lot of secret plans for when I host the awards, but I can tell you I'm going to bring the super-duper, freaky-deaky, ultra-clowny super dance! But that's all I'll say."
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The Harry Potter Automatic News Aggregator Web site, citing Warner Brothers, reported that Gary Oldman will reprise his role as Sirius Black and David Thewlis will again play Remus Lupin in the upcoming Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix movie.
http://www.hpana.com/news.19273.html
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Oldman Back In Potter V
Gary Oldman is in negotiations to reprise his role as Sirius Black for Warner Brothers' fifth Harry Potter installment, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
When principal photography on the David Yates-helmed movie started Feb. 6 at the U.K.'s Leavesden Studios, negotiations with Oldman had not begun. That led to speculation that first surfaced in the British press that Oldman would not be returning and the part would have to be recast.
"We're not shooting his part for quite a while, and as is always the case, you begin with the parts that are most pressing," Potter producer David Heyman told the trade paper. "We have every intention of having Gary Oldman play Sirius Black."
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire has become the fifth movie of all time to cross the $600-million mark in international grosses, joining a club headed by Titanic and including two of the three previous Potter films, Variety reported.
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Win A Trip To Potter V
Warner Home Video announced the launch of the online "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Giveaway" contest, timed to the March 7 DVD release, for a chance to win a trip for four to the United Kingdom for a behind-the-scenes tour of the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix movie set and a chance to meet members of the cast.
Fans will also have the opportunity to win hundreds of other prizes, collect trading cards and send eCards, vote for their friends for "Champion," preview and order the Goblet of Fire DVD and more.
Fans may register for the promotion online or from their mobile phones by text messaging "GOBLET" to 65579. Immediately after registering online, fans will watch as their registration form is whisked into the virtual Goblet of Fire. Once entered, they will also see if they have instantly won one of more than 250 prizes, including collectibles and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Playstation 2 games. Every Friday, a select number of participants will instantly win the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire soundtrack and a portable digital media player.
The promotion is open to players aged 6 and older in the United States and Canada, except Quebec. Mobile entry is restricted to those over 13 years of age. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix opens in 2007.
http://warnerbros.eprize.net/harrypotter4/...p3ftuyhddjgm1cp

Cuaron Coy About Potter
Alfonso Cuaron, director of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, told the ComingSoon.net Web site that he doesn't want to do another Potter film just yet, but left the door open for a future one.
Asked if he wanted to direct another Potter installment, Cuaron answered: "At this point today? No. But I can tell you that I spent the most beautiful two years of my life doing Harry Potter. Everything around the J.K. Rowling product is surrounded by this very beneficial energy. It's fantastic to be around her and associated with it. I don't know. In the future, if I'm invited, I would consider it, definitely, because it was such a beautiful experience. But in the same hand, I'm not very good about repeating stuff that I did before."
Cuaron's next movie is the SF tale The Children of Men, based on the novel by P.D. James. "It takes place in the future, but it's not science fiction," he told the site. "I think this film takes place in the future just because of the conventions of the story, but the plan was to do a film in the present, actually." The Children of Men is scheduled to come out on Sept. 29.
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Radcliffe Wants Harry's Death
Daniel Radcliffe, who reprises his boy-wizard role in the upcoming fifth Harry Potter movie, The Order of the Phoenix, told SCI FI Wire that he thinks ending the franchise with Harry's death makes sense. Asked if he'll be playing a death in the expected seventh and final film in the series, Radcliffe said: "That's a very good question. ... I like to think that I will. ... I think, personally, ... that's the only way [author J.K. Rowling] could ever halt any call for her to keep writing [Potter books], because, I mean, if Harry survives, she'll just be getting plagued by requests to write an eighth book for the rest of her life."
Radcliffe, speaking in a conference call from London with journalists on Nov. 6, also drew a parallel between his character's relationship with Harry's nemesis, the evil Lord Voldemort, and the one between Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty, both of whom had to perish at Reichenbach Falls in order for the villain to be vanquished. "I think it will be something to do with the fact that ... maybe the only way Voldemort can be killed is if Harry is killed as well," the 17-year-old actor said. He added: "My friend sort of compared it to both [Holmes and Moriarty] dying at the same time. But, obviously, he hasn't read the sequel [in which Holmes was revived]. So, yes, but that's the thing that I would sort of like to see coming."
Rowling is currently writing the upcoming seventh and final Potter book, for which no release date has yet been announced. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, based on the fifth of Rowling's books, opens July 13, 2007.

'Phoenix' Trailer Reveals A Harry Potter Who's Ready To Fight — And Kiss
'Order of the Phoenix' trailer premiere stirs up more questions about the film.
by Jennifer Vineyard
NEW YORK — The opening image of the new "Harry Potter" trailer — London's skyline at night — is your first clue that "Order of the Phoenix" isn't going to be Potter-by-the-numbers, if there ever was such a thing. This time around, the modern world is living side-by-side with the magical world — and the prospect is promising.
"My boyfriend and I were actually just looking at the preview, and it was great," said 24-year-old Jehan Patriarca, who caught the trailer before a showing of "Happy Feet" on Friday in New York.
"It looks like it's going to be a huge movie," predicted 20-year-old Gianni Brocato, who saw the clip at the same screening. "I used to think of 'Harry Potter' as a kids' film, but this looks more adult, less for kids this time. It looks more for teenagers, kids my age, the MTV crowd."
Rupert Grint, who plays Ron Weasley, told MTV News that "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" is "a bit more dark," while Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley) said, "It's much more action packed."
Between intonations by Sirius Black, Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape about the evil wizard Lord Voldemort and the extent of his powers and followers, brief glimpses can be seen of never-before-revealed sets such as the Ministry of Magic, where Harry (played by Daniel Radcliffe) faces a tribunal and possible expulsion for the use of underage magic in the presence of a Muggle. It just so happens that the Ministry, which visitors enter from a magical telephone booth elevator, is directly underground from the real-life Ministry of Defence (at least the way they shot it, it is).
"What's terrific about these stories is that we're introduced to new worlds or bits of the universe that we didn't know existed, that were right under our feet," "Phoenix" director David Yates said. "You can probably hear it, if you just put your head to the sidewalk. It's just around the corner, or just underground, this parallel universe."
So while some fans can't agree exactly what they saw in the trailer means — "It's going to be more realistic," said one moviegoer who caught the trailer at a "Happy Feet" screening. "It's going to be more magical," insisted another fan who saw a leaked version online — they're excited to see more.
"It was just a quick flash, not a lot of info, but it gets you thinking," Patriarca said. "It was only a minute. I want more!"
So do the filmmakers, but condensing the plot from the original book into a two-and-a-half hour movie was hard enough, let alone telegraphing tidbits of key moments — Voldemort's back, Harry wants to fight — for the trailer (see "Harry Potter's 'Phoenix' Begins Rising Next Week").
"Adapting a book like this is a tricky thing to do," Yates said. "There's so much we hate to lose, but that we have to lose. The books are episodic — they take these lovely journeys away from Harry. So we have to focus the narrative on Harry, his experience of being framed by the government and the newspaper, and the anger and frustration he has toward the grown-ups around him who are letting him down. There's lots of color and playfulness in that, there's so much to negotiate to keep on course, to make sure it's a satisfying story."
So does this mean no more matches between Gryffindor and Slytherin?
"You know what? I think we've done Quidditch," Yates said. "I love Quidditch. I think it's the best thing in the world, but we've been there, done that. This is about fresh experiences, new places, new things."
And the new Potter experience a lot of fans have been waiting to see realized on the big screen? "I want to see the first kiss," Patriarca said. "The kissing scene, wow." "That was the most scandalous part of the trailer," Brocato said. "You would never think, in 'Harry Potter' ..."
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"A lot of people do want to know about the kiss," Daniel Radcliffe said, "which is understandable, because it's Harry's first kiss, and Harry is this iconic figure of his generation, I suppose, and people want to know how that's gone."
That, and it's one of the few things J.K. Rowling shies away from fully describing in the book, so it's been left up to fans' imaginations. All Rowling writes is that Harry and a crying Cho Chang realize they're standing under the mistletoe, and edge ever closer: "A tingling sensation was spreading throughout him, paralyzing his arms, legs, and brain. She was much too close. He could see every tear clinging to her eyelashes." That's it.
And like the book, the trailer acts as a tease, revealing only the beginning of the would-be couple's magic moment. "They cut it off, right there, so you don't see if they get into it," Patriarca said. "And I've been waiting for that!"
In the book, when Harry's asked to describe the kiss a page later, he just says it was "wet." ("Was it a French kiss?" Patriarca wants to know. Or was it, as Harry says, just because she was crying?)
"I know you don't care," Radcliffe teased, "but I'll tell you anyway. It went very well. We did it a number of times, and Katie [Leung, who plays Cho] and I were very nervous at first, but we quickly got over that and started to enjoy it by the fifth take."
"People imagine, when you watch these sex scenes or kissing scenes, they always look sexy and romantic and passionate, and it isn't," Radcliffe said. "It's actually quite clinical. You're standing there like that, and her head's right there, and they say, 'Can you move to the right, no, the left, and tilt your head a bit,' and it becomes like walking up the stairs or doing any other action. It's drained of all the passion by the filming process. I know it's sad and I hate to break the illusion, but it'll look great on film, and that's all that matters."
But isn't Katie the shy type? Is a kissing scene really like walking up the stairs for her? Isn't it harder for her to do? "When you kiss someone in real life, you both want to do the kiss," Radcliffe said. "But here, it's an odd thing, like, 'Well, OK.' But I know what you mean," he added with a mischievous grin. "It must have been terrible for her."
http://www.vh1.com/movies/news/articles/15...006/story.jhtml

Potter V Poster, Trailer Due
Warner Brothers has just released a new poster onesheet for its upcoming fifth Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, featuring an image of Ralph Fiennes as the evil Lord Voldemort. The poster can be seen on SCI FI Wire's Photo Gallery page.
Warner also announced that the first trailer for the film, based on the fifth of J.K. Rowling's best-selling Potter novels, will hit theaters along with prints of Warner's upcoming animated musical film Happy Feet, which opened Nov. 17.
The Order of the Phoenix, which stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, opens July 13, 2007.
http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?c...id=2873&type=10
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Potter V Game In Development
Electronic Arts and Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment announced the development of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, a video game tied to the July 2007 release of the film of the same name. Based on the fifth Harry Potter book by J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the first in the franchise being developed for next-generation game consoles.
The game will be closely tied to both the movie and the book. Players will be able to explore the many key locations within Hogwarts in minute detail, each one a visual match to its film equivalent, while taking part in the adventures outlined in the narrative of the book.
In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry returns for his fifth year of study at Hogwarts and discovers that much of the wizarding community is in denial about the teenager's recent encounter with the evil Lord Voldemort. Fearing that Hogwarts' venerable headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, is lying about Voldemort's return in order to undermine his power and take his job, the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, appoints a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher to keep watch over Dumbledore and the Hogwarts students: Professor Dolores Umbridge.
Meanwhile, Harry, Hermione and Ron take matters into their own hands and meet secretly with a small group of students who name themselves "Dumbledore's Army." Harry teaches them how to defend themselves against the dark arts, preparing the courageous young wizards for the extraordinary battle that lies ahead.
Gamers will be able to play multiple characters, including Harry Potter, Dumbledore and Sirius Black. Under development by EA's UK Studio, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is scheduled for release for the Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PSP, Nintendo DS, GameBoy Advance and Windows PC.

New Line Nabs Nicholas Flamel
New Line Cinema has made a deal for Michael Scott's fantasy series The Immortal Nicholas Flamel, which Mark Burnett will produce, Variety reported. The series is being eyed as a six-picture franchise.
Burnett, the producer of reality shows Survivor and The Apprentice, used his own money to land the book series rights in an auction held in the early fall. The studio and Burnett will set a writer to adapt The Alchemyst, the first title in the series, which will be published by Random House Children's Books next May.
In the book, two teenage twins find themselves on the adventure of a lifetime when legendary alchemist Nicholas Flamel loses a book holding secrets that could spell the doom of humanity if it falls into the wrong hands.

The full trailer for the upcoming fifth Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, has gone live and is linked through SCI FI Wire's Trailers page.
http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=8

Good news for Daniel Radcliffe fans: The actor just announced that he'll soon make a second non-Harry Potter screen appearance. The bad news: It's going straight to British TV. "Next year I will film 'My Boy Jack,' and I am completely thrilled to be working on this fantastic and very moving script," the star recently wrote in a letter to fan site DanRadcliffe.com. Unlike the orphan drama "The December Boys" (Radcliffe's first non-"Potter" flick, due in early 2007), "Jack" will be a fact-based biopic telling the story of "Jungle Book" author Rudyard Kipling's search for his son Jack during World War I. Meanwhile, in "Potter" news, Radcliffe added that he'd like to see the director from "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" handed the reins again for the next flick. "David Yates was an inspired director," the star said, weighing in on the debate over who should get behind the camera for "The Half-Blood Prince." "I would walk on hot coals to work with him again."
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Harry Potter 5 Pics: http://movies.go.com/photogallery?id=851782&genre=scifi

Expecto Patronum! Like Harry repelling Dementors, fans of the young Mr. Potter are going to need all the happy thoughts they can muster after star Daniel Radcliffe told Australia's "Today Show" that he hopes Harry dies in the series' final installment. "I'd like to think so, yes. I don't know if there's any other way [author J.K. Rowling] could end the series, really," the 17-year-old actor said in a televised interview, discussing his expectations of Rowling's upcoming final book. "If she ends it with Harry alive, the calls for more books would just be [enormous]." ...

Potter Books Upheld In GA
The Georgia Board of Education voted on Dec. 14 to uphold a local school board's decision to leave Harry Potter books on library shelves, despite a mother's objections that they promoted witchcraft, the Associated Press reported.
The board members voted without discussion to back the Gwinnett County school board's decision to deny Laura Mallory's request to remove the best-selling books.
Mallory, who has three children in elementary school, has worked for more than a year to ban the books from Gwinnett schools, claiming the popular fiction series is an attempt to indoctrinate children in witchcraft.
Gwinnett school officials have argued that the books are good tools to encourage children to read and to spark creativity and imagination. Banning all books with references to witchcraft would mean classics such as Macbeth and Cinderella would have to go, they said.
J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books have been challenged 115 times since 2000, making them the most challenged texts of the 21st century, according to the American Library Association.
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Harry Potter VII Gets A Title
J.K. Rowling announced on Dec. 21 the title of her upcoming seventh and final Harry Potter book: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, according to her British publisher, Bloomsbury. The publication date has not been set, though it's expected in 2007.
The announcement puts to rest months of rumors about the book's title, which have included Harry Potter and the Pyramids of Furmat and Harry Potter and the Graveyard of Memories, the British Guardian newspaper reported. It's not clear what "Deathly Hallows" are, as they have not been mentioned in previous books.
On her official Web site, Rowling wrote about her progress on the book, with a hint that at least two characters will die.
She also said that the boy wizard has been invading her dreams of late. "For years now, people have asked me whether I ever dream that I am 'in' Harry's world," she wrote. "The answer was 'no' until a few nights ago when I had an epic dream in which I was, simultaneously, Harry and the narrator."
http://www.bloomsbury.com/harrypotter/def_text.asp?sec=4
http://books.guardian.co.uk/news/articles/...3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E
http://www.jkrowling.com/
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'Harry Potter,' 'Pirates,' 'Die Hard': Buzz On 2007's Biggest Flicks
Sequels rule list of anticipated blockbusters, which includes Steve Carell comedy 'Evan Almighty,' Matt Damon's 'Bourne Ultimatum.'
by Shawn Adler
Daniel Radcliffe in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (Warner Bros.)
In an age when international-ticket receipts, DVD sales, video games, merchandising and other ancillary markets can transform a box-office dud into a worldwide behemoth, Hollywood has had to rewrite the rules on blockbusters. For one, they had to change their name.
The term for such films is "tent poles" now, and just as well — it describes them better. With their sequels, prequels, spin-offs and adaptations, these films hold up a studio's schedule and protect the rest of its library from disaster.
Whatever you call them (we prefer "popcorn flick"), you'll have a hard time avoiding these 10 movies, the ones we're most excited to see in 2007:
10. "Transformers"
Their tagline promises they're "More than meets the eye," but with Michael Bay directing, we're not so sure (see " 'Transformers' Set Has Flashy Cars, Robot Models, Exploding Furbys"). The king of quick cuts and explosions — oh yeah, and $100 million movies — Bay may not be known for plumbing emotional depths, but who cares? "Transformers" is based on a toy line and centers on an intergalactic war between two groups of shape-shifting "Robots in Disguise." It's not "Anna Karenina." Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Megatron ... the only thing we care about is whether they look cool (see "Did Your Favorite Make The Cut? 'Transformers' Writers Reveal Robot Roster"). Based on the trailer, the answer is a resounding "Yes."
9. "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer"
What do you get for a near-omnipotent galactic herald who's able to change matter into pure energy and feeds on planets (he already has a kick-ass surfboard)? How about a sense of compassion? That's what die-hard "Fantastic Four" fans all want to give Norrin Radd, a.k.a. the Silver Surfer (see "Alba Breaks Car, But There's A Silver Lining On 'Fantastic' Sequel Set"). The original Stan Lee/ Jack Kirby story line saw the Surfer battle Mr. Fantastic, Sue Storm, the Thing and the Human Torch, but refuse to destroy Earth after learning kindness from Alicia Masters, Thing's girlfriend. Speaking of girlfriends, none come hotter than Frankie Raye (Beau Garrett), both metaphorically and literally. The blond bombshell figures to play a prominent role in the film, setting up an even bigger appearance in "Fantastic Four 3" when she becomes Nova, a creature of fire, the Surfer's replacement and the devourer of worlds.
8. "National Treasure: The Book of Secrets"
Sic semper Bruckheimer! Having billions of dollars means never having to say you're sorry — even if, like Benjamin Franklin Gates (Nicolas Cage), you've stolen the Declaration of Independence, kidnapped the head of the National Archive and led the FBI on a manhunt through the bowels of New York. All's fair, after all, in love and treasure hunting. After unwrapping the riddles of the Founding Fathers in 2004's "National Treasure," Ben and his motley crew are back, this time searching for Confederate gold and the meaning behind 18 missing pages from Abraham Lincoln's diary.
7. "Evan Almighty"
It might be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the men who made this movie to enter the kingdom of heaven. That's because at a budgeted cost of more than $140 million (and climbing), "Evan Almighty" is the most expensive comedy ever made. We doubt the filmmakers are worried, though. Starring Steve Carell as Evan Baxter, the erstwhile news anchor from "Bruce Almighty" who has since been elected to Congress, "Evan Almighty" is that rare beast, the comedy blockbuster — and we promise you they don't come two by two. It'll be more than 40 days and 40 nights till we see Carell build an ark and escape the Flood: "Evan Almighty" opens June 22.
6. "His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass"
Not many popular children's stories claim inspiration from "Paradise Lost," but not many children's stories are as oppressively dark and despairing as "The Golden Compass," Philip Pullman's first book in the "His Dark Materials" trilogy. A condemnation of religion, "His Golden Compass" follows Lyra Belacqua, a young girl who ventures to rescue her uncle, the Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig), from the clutches of a band of war-mongering, anthropomorphic bears and the evil Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman) — a state representative who not only kidnaps children, but kills them by removing their souls, which are called daemons in "Compass" and exist outside the body. Here's hoping director Chris Weitz ("About a Boy") has the guts to end the movie as the book ended: with a death, a decision and a major cliffhanger.
5. "Live Free or Die Hard"
Long before there was a Jack Bauer, John McClane (Bruce Willis) had a series of very bad days. The first postmodern action star, the indefatigable and often bare-chested McClane winked, prodded and joked his way to saving a skyscraper, an airport and all of Manhattan (not to mention his wife, twice). Now McClane is joined by Justin Long as hacker Matt Foster and Mary Elizabeth Winstead as John's daughter, Lucy, as he battles cyber-terrorist Timothy Olyphant in the series' fourth installment (see "Never Say 'Die': Bruce Willis Fights Terrorists In 'Die Hard' Sequel"). It's a high-tech, high-voltage return to '80s action that has us screaming "Yippee-ki-yay, mother----er."
4. "The Bourne Ultimatum"
Shaky, violent, jumpy — this film's visual style mirrors its title character's behavior and is at last the perfect fit for hand-held action sequences (see "Matt Damon To Be Bourne Again — And Perhaps Again And Again"). We'd love to tell you more about the plot, but even reading the book won't help us here — director Paul Greengrass and writers Tony Gilroy and Tom Stoppard have made a habit out of deviating from the source material. Bank on Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) trying to figure out more about his past as he battles bad guys across the globe. Julia Stiles and Joan Allen return for the final installment in a series that has influenced everything from "Batman Begins" to "Casino Royale."
3. "Spider-Man 3"
Even a spider can be pulled in too many directions. Just ask Peter Parker — in next summer's "Spider-Man 3," the man they call "Amazing" battles three super-villains (Sandman, Venom and the new Goblin), two friends-turned-enemies (Eddie Brock and Harry Osborn), two love interests (Mary Jane and the new Gwen Stacy) an intergalactic space symbiote that attaches itself to his suit and a partridge in a pear tree (see " 'Spider-Man 3' Cast Confirms Love Triangle, Death, Soul-Sucking Costume"). Topher Grace, Byrce Dallas Howard and Thomas Haden Church join the action in a follow-up to what was perhaps the best comic book movie ever made. Tobey Maguire spins his web May 4, a date that was chosen before "Spider-Man 2" was even released.
2. "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"
The roller coaster first two "Pirates" movies reached such great heights it's a wonder no one got seasick. In "At World's End," the future of piracy is at stake — not to mention the future of Captain Jack (Johnny Depp), perhaps the most original character in recent memory. Last seen in the mouth of a giant Krakken, Jack is rescued from Davy Jones' locker by Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) — a bigger wreck than maybe even his Pearl. Once freed, Jack Sparrow will face Davy Jones and "Bootstrap" Bill Turner, Lord Beckett and Admiral Norrington, Singapore pirate Sao Feng (Chow Yun-Fat), and, surprise, Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush). Yo, ho, ho and a bottle of Tums — "Pirates 3" opens on Memorial Day.
1. "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"
"It is time for me to tell you what I should have told you five years ago," Dumbledore tells Harry Potter in "Order of the Phoenix" (see " 'Phoenix' Trailer Reveals A Harry Potter Who's Ready To Fight — And Kiss"). "I am going to tell you everything." And so he does. The real question is whether or not he'll tell us — the explanatory resolutions at the end of Rowling's books have been among the most glaring and obvious omissions from the series' films. And with big characters and plot points that fans reference with capital letters — the Prophesy, the Giant, the Senior Undersecretary, the Death, the Loon, the Order — there's enough here for two movies. After the series' climax in "Goblet of Fire," Harry tries to warn the world of the return of Lord Voldemort to no avail. Fans with a keen eye will be attempting to divine possible plot points for the seventh and final book: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." No time-turners allowed — the film opens July 13.
http://www.vh1.com/movies/news/articles/15...103/story.jhtml
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Bookies Make Odds On Potter Plot
A British bookmaker is taking bets on whether boy wizard Harry Potter will die in the upcoming book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, as well as who the murderer might be, according to The New York Times. Speculation that the lead character in J.K. Rowling's popular book series might die has been rampant since the title of the seventh and final book was announced.
In London yesterday, Rupert Adams, a spokesman for the bookmaker, William Hill, said that "J. K. mentioned that Harry might be killed off." Adams added that the evil wizard Voldemort is the odds-on favorite to be the killer, with odds at 4 to 5. Other popular candidates include Harry's best friend Ron Weasley, his nemesis Draco Malfoy and Harry himself, all at 6 to 1 odds. The bookmaker is also accepting bets on whether Ron will marry fellow student Hermione Granger; whether the two will have a child named Harry; and whether Ron will kill Draco in a duel.
All bets will be settled when the book is released next year.

WB Announces 2007 Slate
Warner Brothers has released a preview of its upcoming films in 2007, including release dates for the highly anticipated SF films The Invasion and I Am Legend.
The action thriller Invasion, starring Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig and Jeremy Northam, will be released on Aug. 17. It tells the story of a mysterious epidemic that alters the behavior of human beings. When a Washington D.C. psychiatrist (Kidman) discovers the epidemic’s origins are extraterrestrial, she must fight to protect her son, who may hold the key to stopping the escalating invasion.
I Am Legend, starring Will Smith and based on the 1954 horror novel by Richard Matheson, is set to open on Dec. 14. Smith plays a brilliant scientist caught up in the midst of an unstoppable virus which turns humans into vampire-like creatures who can only exist in the dark and will devour or infect anyone in their path.
The following films and release dates also appear on the studio's schedule.
300 - March 9
TMNT - March 23
The Reaping - March 30
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - July 13
One Missed Call - Aug. 24
Trick 'R Treat - Oct. 5
Fred Claus - Nov. 9
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Potter V Has More Isaacs
Jason Isaacs, who plays Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter film franchise, told SCI FI Wire that he'll have a lot more to do in the upcoming fifth film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, including (spoiler!) a wand-to-wand fight with Sirius Black (Gary Oldman). "I had virtually nothing to do in number four," Isaacs said in an interview at the Television Critics Association winter press tour in Pasadena, Calif., where he was promoting his upcoming BBC America miniseries The State Within. "In fact, when there's nothing to do like that, and they say, 'Do you want to come in for a couple of weeks?' you go, 'Well, I'm busy. Oh, God. All right.' Because the thought that somebody else might wear my wig is just too painful. But I have a little bit more to do in this."
Isaacs' character is the sinister father of Harry Potter's rival at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Draco Malfoy. In the fifth book, the elder Malfoy is revealed as a Death Eater, one of the followers of the evil Lord Voldemort.
Isaacs said that the fifth film will include a harrowing showdown between his character and Harry's godfather, Sirius Black. "I get to have a wand battle with Gary Oldman, possibly my favorite actor in the universe," Isaacs said. "We get to play around like two 10-year-olds. And with kind of unlimited sci-fi imagination. It's fun. We just go, 'Well, how about if I ... .' And anything you finish that sentence with, they go, 'Yeah, OK. You can do that.' So it was magnificent."
The character does not appear in the sixth book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, but Isaacs said he recently had an opportunity to meet author J.K. Rowling and appealed to her to include him in the seventh and final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, due this year, possibly July. "I fell to my knees and begged," he joked. "It didn't do any good. I'm sure she doesn't need plot ideas from me. But I made my point. We'll see. Like everybody else, I'm holding my breath to July to see what's in there. I just want to bust out of prison, that's all. I don't want to stay in Azkaban most of my life." Order of the Phoenix opens July 13.

Matrix, Potter Due On HD DVD
Warner Home Video announced that it will release the Matrix franchise and all of the Harry Potter films on HD DVD in 2007. The company will also release an HD DVD version of its hit animated film Happy Feet this year.
The new titles are among a full slate of releases for 2007, joining such films as Superman Returns in the high-definition format.
Warner Home Video will continue to release a variety of the most successful titles from its library on HD-DVD and the rival Blu-ray Disc format.
Last year, Warner Home Video released The Forbidden Planet Ultimate Collector's Edition HD DVD.
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Harry Potter’s Ministry Of Magic Picture: http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?c...id=3236&type=10

Harry Potter will appear on a special set of 10 stamps created by the French postal service and Warner Brothers Consumer Products, Variety reported.

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