OOTP News

[hermoine]

David Yates is the official OOTP director which according to IMDB will be out in 2007.

That would mean that contemplations on new members of the cast have already started.

Dark Horizons is reporting CNBC News last night said that Elizabeth Hurley ("Bedazzled", "Austin Powers") has been offered a role in Order of the Phoenix as an "evil witch". Our guess is that "evil witch" is Bellatrix Lestrange. She hasn't accepted yet, but is thinking about it.

I think she could master the I'm-such-an-evil woman part well.

[hermoine]

Okay so you can take the above as false rumours because she won't be playing Bellatrix.

BUT, better news!!!

There's no looking back

His run doesn't end with The Goblet of Fire. Daniel Radcliffe, the 15-year-old who plays Potter, has said he will definitely be back as Harry in the fifth movie, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which starts filming next year.

However, Radcliffe has not gone back and watched the earlier films.

"I kind of contemplated watching the first; then I decided I sort of valued my sanity a little too much. I think it would be far too strange, and I would be self-conscious about what I do now."

Radcliffe was 12 when the first film in the series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, arrived, and both boy and character have grown up. Says Radcliffe, who turns 16 in July: "Harry is more of a teenager in this film, and he's more vulnerable to emotions."

Meanwhile, shooting has finished on movie No. 4, and Radcliffe looks forward to some rest and relaxation (after a series of exams) and reading the sixth book in the series by J.K. Rowling, due in July.

Does playing Harry give him an edge over all the other eager readers, in terms of advance editions?

"I pre-ordered it, but I don't get an early copy or anything," he says. "I wouldn't want an early copy.

"It's fun to be able to discover it with everyone else."

It'll be great to see him getting all fiery and hot-tempered. ;D

[hermoine]

The director has spoken!!
In a recent interview with The Independent, David Yates spoke briefly about his wishes for OOTP:

For all his magic powers, even Harry Potter must occasionally succumb to the petty burden of local government bureaucracy.

A highlight of the superhero's next film outing will (hopefully) see Potter, played by Daniel Radcliffe leading a high-speed broomstick chase, James Bond-style, down the Thames.

Unfortunately, the film's director, David Yates, who is currently masterminding pre-production, says that several local councils are refusing to play ball.

"So far, we have spent a lot of time on boats on the Thames," he tells me.

"I want to do a great big wizard chase past the London landmarks and it is going to be very exciting, but it has not been easy to set up. We need to secure the co-operation of 17 different councils, and some of them are doubtful at this stage."

"My location manager is going to spend the next four months trying to sort it all out- we don't start shooting until the spring."

I don't know what he means exactly by big wizard chase, but I think the Thames scene will be a part when Harry leaves Privet Drive for Grimmauld Place, which means that Tonks will probably be in there.

Nevertheless, there's still a lot to wait till spring.

[Ritsu]

Yeah, I think he doesn't know what he's talking about. There's no chase. I definitely think it's that scene, and his views on it are excellent, I dare say. Seeing them flying over the Thames and Big Ben and other famous landmarks would be so... cool.

"I kind of contemplated watching the first; then I decided I sort of valued my sanity a little too much."

I laughed at this. He's getting witty. And he's right, the movies have progressed so much that watching the first two movies would be some sort of a recess. And I do hope he stays until the 7th - making other side projects as well to guarantee his future - it'd be just weird having another actor playing Harry after we all got so used to Daniel's face.

[hermoine]

So earlier on it was reported that OOTP might not be filmed in the UK but in some cheaper spots like Hungary or the Czech Republic. The Timesp recently put up an article saying that OOTP will in fact be shot in the UK.

The proposed fifth film in the franchise, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, is expected by industry analysts to have a production budget of close to $150 million (about £85 millio). The decision to produce the film in the UK will create hundreds of jobs directly and many times more jobs indirectly, through related activities such as visual effects and catering.

It is believed that Warner Bros ultimately made its decision to keep the film in Britain because of the cost of relocating the extensive sets and talent overseas."

Filming for OOTP is scheduled to start some time around January 2006.

Source: The Leaky Cauldron

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In other OOTP news, Dolores Umbridge has now been cast.

Imelda Staunton recently appeared on This Morning and confirmed her role as Defence Against the Dark Arts Teacher.

Harry Potter

Imelda plays Professor Dolores Umbridge, the special assistant from the Ministry of Magic who ends up torturing the famous boy wizard at Hogwarts. Umbridge is meant to teach Defence Against The Dark Arts to Hogwarts students, but she has a hidden agenda - namely to spy on the school's head, Albus Dumbledore, and Harry. Fans of the fifth Harry Potter book, The Order Of The Phoenix, in which Professor Umbridge is introduced, love to loathe her. Described by author J. K. Rowling as a short, squat woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to a toad, she's a much-celebrated hate figure.

The rest of the information, including a picture and her role in the movie, Nanny McPhee alongside Emma Thompson(Professor Trelawney).

I think she'll make a really good Umbridge.

[hermoine]

More castings have been taking place while the world was out to watch the latest installement in the series, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

CBBC Newsround reports that the girl who will play Luna Lovegood is so be announced sometime early January. There are five finalists left now.

Over the past few weeks, several sites and message boards on the internet have featured teenagers saying that they are one of the final five with many of them posting photographs of themselves.

Girls who are really in the last few have been asked to keep the news secret and Warner Brothers say that as far as they are aware, none of the names or photographs of the girls genuinely in the last five have appeared on any website.

SOURCE: HPANA


It has also been confirmed that the parts of Kingsley Shaklebolt and Tonks have been cast, probably by unknown actors. They are said to have been cast soon after casting began, i.e., sometime around October/November.

They are in the 'very final' stages of casting young Lily, Snape, Lupin, James, Peter and Sirius as well as others who appear in the pensieve scenes.

When questioned Enchantment Casting said there had been no casting for Marietta Edgecombe or Lavender Brown. Nevertheless, it doesn't mean they will not be in the film. It should be noted that Lavender made an appearance in PS and COS.

It is possible that Bellatrix will be played by a known actress.

SOURCE: Harry Potter Fan Zone

[Sphi]

MuggleNet just posted that George Harris will be playing Kingsley Shacklebolt and some teenager named Robbie Jarvis will be playing the young James Potter in the Pensieve memory.

George Harris:

[Sphi]

The actress for Luna has been announced!

3 February 2006
HARRY'S 'LOONY' NEW GIRL
By Fiona Cummins

A HARRY Potter fan beat 15,000 hopefuls to play Luna Lovegood in the latest film.

Evanna Lynch, 14, is so devoted she once left her hospital bed to queue for a signed copy of The Order of the Phoenix.

Now she is "living the dream" after winning the role in the film of the book.

She went to an open audition in London last month with dad Donal, a deputy head.

Evanna, of Termonfeckin, Co Louth, will play "Loony", a fellow student who becomes a close Harry ally.

And MuggleNet has pictures of her up. I think she's sorta cute - comparable to Bonnie Wright. She'll make a good Luna.






These are all the actors recently confirmed by WB:

Luna: Evanna Lynch
Tonks: Natalia Tena
Umbridge: Imelda Staunton
Bellatrix: Helen McCrory
Arabella Figg: Kathryn Hunter

[hermoine]

Thanks for updating this thread Sphi!

I think she'll make a great Luna. I don't know, but she seems to give me the impression of being slightly, distant.

Personally, I'm not too convinced by Tonks. I love Imelda Staunton, although we learnt quite some time ago of her part. In my opinion she does "Stick it Up to Dolores" justice. ;D

[Sphi]

No problem! I'm always so excited to run into new info, I just have to spread the joy.

More confirmed actors, thanks to MuggleNet, as usual.

Amelia Bones: Sian Thomas
Piers Polkiss: Jason Boyd
Malcolm (another of Dudley's friends): Richard Macklin
Young Wormtail: Charles Hughes.
Young Lily: Susie Shinner
Young James: Robbie Jarvis
Dawlish (the Auror): Richard Leaf
Zacharias Smith: Nick Shim

Gary Oldman and David Thewlis are "still under negotiations."

[hermoine]

[color=FF6666/ The Leaky Cauldron have compiled of characters which will likely appear in OOTP.

Mafalda Hopkirk
Mad-Eye Moody
Dedalus Diggle
Young James / Lily / Snape
Bane
Amelia Bones
Voldemort
Kreacher
Cedric (flashback)
Vernon
Petunia
Malcolm
Piers
Dudley
Mrs Figg
Tonks
Kingsley Shacklebolt
Remus Lupin
McGonagall
Arthur Weasley
Sirius
Mrs Weasley
Cornelius Fudge
Umbridge
Trelawney
Cho
Zacharias Smith
Nigel
Dawlish
Percy
Snape
Magorian
Lucius
Bellatrix
Filch

Obviously, this list does not include major characters such as the trio, which have all signed up for the movie.


Also, in addition to Sphi's list, the Patil Twins and Nearly Headless Nick have been confirmed as returning roles.[/color]

[hermoine]

It has been confirmed by WB that the date of release of OOTP will be the 13th of July 07. This may put to the test the quite solid belief of many fans that the 7th HP book in the series may come out on the 7th of July of 2007. However, the date of release of the book still needs to be confirmed by Bloomsbury and JK obviously.

[Sphi]

Haha, MuggleNet has a poll up concerning the release date. I think it's pretty hilarious. ;D

They also announced that this guy, Jim McManus, is set to play Aberforth in OotP:

[Sphi]

Recent cast announcements:

* Bellatrix Lestrange: pregnant Helen McCrory to be replaced by Helena Bonham Carter (voice of the Corpse Bride, Charlie's mother in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
* Professor Grubbly-Plank: Apple Brook
* Young Sirius: James Walters
* Young Lupin: James Utechin
* Young Snape: Alec Hopkins
* Bane the Centaur: Jason Piper

---

Helena Bonham Carter should be a good fit, what with all those Tim Burton movies.

Plus, we've now got the whole Snape's Worst Memory cast!

[Lynn Nightshade]

I checked IMDB.com and found that the cast list is updated a bit. Check it out:

www.imdb.com/title/tt0373889/fullcredits