The Official Thread For: Harry Potter & The Order Of The Phoenix

[LEX]

About HBP: I really hope they keep the scene whee Draco punches/fights (can't remember) Harry on the train. I want to see Harry get hurt from something other than magic

And he stamped, hard, on Harry's face. Harry felt his nose break; blood spurted everywhere.
"That's from my father. Now, let's see...."
Malfoy dragged the cloak out from under Harry's immobilized body and threw it over him.
"I don't reckon they'll find you till the train's back in London," he said quietly. "See you around, Potter ... or not."
And taking care to tread on Harry's fingers, Malfoy left the compartment.

They'd better keep that in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzdLVHYiqcU

Interview with Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) from a while back. This girl is perfect for the part.

Ok, Evanna Lynch IS Luna Lovegood.

'Anything good in there?' asked Ron as Harry closed the magazine.
'Of course not,' said Hermione scathingly, before Harry could answer. 'The Quibbler's rubbish, everyone knows that.'
'Excuse me,' said Luna; her voice has suddenly lost its dreamy quality. 'My father's the editor.'
'I - oh,' said Hermione, looking embarrassed. 'Well ... it's got some interesting ... I mean, it's quite ...'
'I'll have it back, thank you,' said Luna coldly, and leaning forwards she snatched it out of Harry's hands.

I can totally picture Evanne acting that out. If they put it in.

 

[LEX]

When Harry kissed Cho
​

The drive from the Dorchester Hotel in London to the Leavesden Studios is usually scenic, filled with green parks and lawns. But this year global warming has taken its toll and there are expanses of dried brown grass everywhere.

Leavesden Studios is where they manufactured war planes during the Second World War. The Harry Potter series of films was looking for a permanent place to build its sets and shoot the films. Leavesden seemed ideal. They didn’t change much about the structure either, leaving the low ceilings in place, forcing directors to be inventive.

I was dropped off at a tent structure for breakfast; the walls of the tent were lined with story-board drawings of the current Harry Potter film — The Order of The Phoenix — being directed by David Yates, the first English director to direct a Potter film.

Magic at the movies with Yates

What qualities do you have that would enable you to direct the film?
The core of J K’s book is emotional: we see the death of Sirius; Harry Potter has no mum or dad and the only thing he clings to obviously is friends and his relationship with Sirius Black. I think what the producers were looking for when they asked me to do this was to make sure we had a story that felt emotionally rich and that’s what I’m trying to bring to it.

Were you shocked when you were approached?
I was surprised. It was a great honour to be asked. I hadn’t read the books. I was walking in Cornwall, south England. I was on a coastal walk when I got the phone call from my agent and they said they’d like me to look at Harry Potter and they sent me the book. I read it in a week and I loved it; I fell in love with it. And I suddenly caught up with everybody else. Then I went to see David Heyman the producer who’s a delightful man, and I thought the experience would be fun. And it has proved to be, so far, just incredible fun.


What specifically are you doing to make this film uniquely yours?
It’s probably a little more emotional than the others; it’s a little more grown up, inevitably because of the story.

And in terms of the reality of magic it’ll feel a bit more raw and edgier, darker and tougher than the others. In terms of my contribution, I’d say it would be to kind of grow the films up as the books are growing up.

Harry gets his first kiss in the film; how did you approach the scene?
Most of the crew working on these films has been working with Daniel (Harry Potter) since he was little and the day we shot the kiss, they gathered around the monitor.

They needed to see this moment, experience it, because for them, Daniel was really as much a son, because they’ve seen him go through all these changes as he’s growing up.

And they got quite emotional watching his first kiss, it was a very interesting experience and I wanted make it feel as real and truthful as possible. We did many, many, many takes and it’s very tender and loving, as the first kiss should be.
Playing Cho!

Wandering around the sets, I discover that the entire production occupies eight stages with three sets on each stage and it takes 1,500 people to work on these sets.

Fifteen people work in the prop department and 90 per cent of the props for the Potter films are made specifically for the film. Coming upon Grimmauld’s Place, I notice a tapestry with the design of Sirius Black’s family tree; this, I am told, is designed by J K Rowling herself.

The Room of Requirements at Hogwarts is of particular significance in this film, for it is here that Harry has his first kiss with Katie Leung, a young 18-year-old Asian actress who was discovered in Scotland; she’s been playing Cho Chang from the last film. Katie is very soft spoken and unassuming.

Was it easy to act opposite Daniel?
Yeah, definitely. He’s energetic and makes you feel relaxed. He talks to you all the time and tells you not to be nervous; it’s great working with him.

What happens to her character in this film versus the last; does she get to do magic?
Yeah, Cho Chang actually has a wand in this one, which is great. In the last film Harry had a crush on her but she had a boyfriend so nothing happened. But after her boyfriend died in Goblet of Fire, her relationship with Harry developed in this one. Although, she’s bitter through the whole film because she can’t get over her boyfriend’s death. And that kind of complicates their friendship with each other and it ends in disaster.

Is Daniel a good kisser?
Yes, Daniel is a good kisser, I really enjoyed it.

Harry’s first time

One of the new and unfinished sets is the atrium, a copy of the London Underground, and will be used in the last fight scene between Harry and Voldemort. An English flag left over from the World Cup hangs over this set.

Evanna Lynch plays Hogwarts student Luna Lovegood, a hotly contested role
The dining room is the oldest of the sets – it’s been standing for the last eight years, it seats 350 people, is 40 feet wide and 120 feet long; the floors are made of York stone which was laid for the very first film. This set is impressive. The second longest standing set is Gryffindor’s common room; the portraits that hang on the walls are of the cast and some of the crew members. Dumbledore’s office has portraits of former headmasters sleeping, adorning its walls.

The scene being shot is outdoors on a bridge with a blue screen behind; it involves Dan, Rupert, Emma and Matthew and Evanna. The director calls for the 15th take before dismissing the actors. Daniel is the first to walk off the set. He explains the scene.

“It’s all slightly hysterical today because I’ve been back for sort of a month and a half filming but it’s Emma’s first day. And Rupert had about a month or so off, so everyone’s sort of a little bit hysterical that is why we were laughing. I also tripped over Rupert.

We’re doing a scene that leads into the final act of the film where Umbridge has been taken off into the forbidden forest and we reconvene with Ron, Neville, Luna and Jenny.

Then we all go off to fight Bellatrix LeStrange and Voldemort. So it’s trying to carry over the intensity from the last scene into this one, but we’ll get there.”

How different is this Potter?
Very different so far — this role’s more challenging than the ones I done before. Not physically challenging but in terms of acting, it’s harder to do this one. And then it is different working with David, he’s sort of got a very high quiet voice and he’s soft spoken.

This movie is also different because there was a big gap in the middle because we stopped for a month and a half to do school exams and stuff. So the production shut down in the middle, which was very odd because that hasn’t happened before.

Where is he in terms of his academic career?
I’ve just finished my penultimate year at school. So I’ve got a year left. But I’m taking a year out from school next year and then we’re going to sort of look at it all again the year after that.

Is it easy to get back after the breaks?
It might take a couple of days to get back in the swing of things. But because I’ve been playing Harry for so long now, you just sort of get into it very easily now, it becomes less of a challenge to get back into it after time off.

He’s 16. How does he compare his journey to Harry’s?
It’s the same; he has the same pits and troughs as any other kid his age. It’s just that they’re exaggerated in Harry’s story. It’s more than there would be for the average human being, because the average human being does not have magic.

And because of the nature of the story, he lives in quite an accentuated world, a sort of heightened reality. I think Harry’s happiest moments are happier than anyone else could ever think of and his saddest moments are again probably more than people could consider.

Could he talk about the romantic aspect in the film?
Obviously it sort of had its beginnings in the fourth film. And this time I would say it comes to fruition. It was great, the kissing scene was great, it was good, and it was a lot of fun.

How does he respond to Katie saying he was a good kisser?
My God. It was fun; me and Katie – we were awkward and nervous at first but once we got it, it was fine.

On which take did he get it?
Probably on the thirtieth.

In Equus, his London stage debut as a psychologically disturbed stable boy, Daniel has a nude scene; how comfortable is he doing that?
It will be a bit of cop out if I don’t, because all other actors who have played the part have done it, so for me not to do it wouldn’t be really playing the part. It would be playing a watered down version of the part. It wouldn’t be the same. I’ll be incredibly nervous, but it’s in the script so it’s got to be done.

Is he looking forward to being on stage?
It’s going to be nerve-wracking, but it’s going to be incredibly exciting, it’s a new challenge. It’s something I’ve never done before. I’ve been voice training — learning to project my voice.

Most actors go from drama school to the stage and then into film. But I’m sort of doing it the other way around. I’m going from film to stage. And so it’s an unorthodox way of doing it, but it’s going to be quite exciting.

Has playing Harry Potter all these years changed him?
I really don’t know if there has been a huge change in my character as a result of playing Harry. I think I’ve grown up in the way most 10 year olds grow up into 17 year olds; I might have grown up a little bit faster possibly than other people my age simply because I’m around so many adults all the time. Most kids, the only relationship with adults that they have is with their parents and teachers. I’ve been working with adults since I was about 11.

He’s reportedly the sixth richest man in England.
I don’t want to think about that; I try not to pay attention to it, because it’s all speculation really, I think for the most part.

What does he think of Harry’s world and life?
Harry’s life is pretty unfair, because he didn’t ask for any of this. He’s been thrust into this nightmarish world by circumstances and through no fault of his own. I suppose Harry’s situation is the most unfair simply because he doesn’t actually deserve it in the first place; it’s one on the greatest injustices.

Great read. And...

Order of the Phoenix release dates

Country Release date
France July 11, 2007
Belgium July 11, 2007
Argentina July 12, 2007
Germany July 12, 2007
Netherlands July 12, 2007
Australia July 12, 2007
Denmark July 13, 2007 USA July 13, 2007
UK July 13, 2007
Hungary July 19, 2007
Spain July 20, 2007
Bulgaria July 20, 2007

Colour me shocked. Please, excuse me while I go have a heart attack. Bloody September 6. I would've gone out of my mind if that date were to be final.

 

[LEX]

Jessica Stevenson to play Mafalda Hopkirk
Rumors have passed around the web for a few days now concerning Jessica Stevenson's arrival onto the cast of Order of the Phoenix. However, Yahoo! News is reporting today that she has been cast for the role of Mafalda Hopkirk, who works in the Improper Use of Magic Office at the Ministry of Magic.

You can see a photo of Jessica right here. HPFZ had originally reported this a few days ago.

McGonagall in a wheelchair, a stand-in for Hagrid and a double for Malfoy

 

[_BB_]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzdLVHYiqcU

Interview with Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) from a while back. This girl is perfect for the part.

OMG, she is PERFECT. Her voice is fantastic for the role and even in that interview she just screams Luna at me. Great casting choice

 

[LEX]

Is Brendan Gleeson returning for The Order Of The Phoenix? IMDb says so. ?

 

[Bat Brain]

Is Brendan Gleeson returning for The Order Of The Phoenix? IMDb says so. ?

http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=176487

Bonham Carter joins a cast of returning Harry Potter veterans, including Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, who are reprising their roles as close-knit teen wizards Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The stellar cast also includes Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Brendan Gleeson, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters, David Thewlis, Fiona Shaw, Richard Griffiths, David Bradley, Robert Hardy and Mark Williams.

 

[LEX]

There IS a God.

Wait, hold on. Helena Bonham Carter? What happened, I thought Helen McCrory was playing Lestrange?

Where the blazes have I been living under?

 

[Bat Brain]

There IS a God.

Wait, hold on. Helena Bonham Carter? What happened, I thought Helen McCrory was playing Lestrange?

Where the blazes have I been living under?

, McCrory got pregnant so Bonham Carter replaced her. Pretty strange replacing a mainly unknown actress with someone well known like Bonham Carter. Why not just cast her in the first place?

 

[Ultimate Movie-Man]

A bit odd,I must say.

 

[LEX]

Casting Bonham Carter is sheer brilliance. I must admit, I was bummed when she wasn't cast as Lestrange at first. I have a good feeling about OotP.

 

[Ultimate Movie-Man]

The HP films are just getting better and better each one that gets made IMO, but my fave (as much as I LOVED GoF) is PoA. It's so dark and mysterious, itwas a great change from the previous two films.

 

[Speedball]

OMG, she is PERFECT. Her voice is fantastic for the role and even in that interview she just screams Luna at me. Great casting choice

Same for me.
She is as close to what I had imagined.

 

[Swordmaster]

They better keep the ending at King's Cross where Moddy confronts Vernon. One of my favorite scenes in all the books.

From memory:

Vernon: Are you threatening me, sir?

Moody: Well actually, *shows Vernon eye* yes. I am.

 

[OtepApe]

They better keep the ending at King's Cross where Moddy confronts Vernon. One of my favorite scenes in all the books.

From memory:

Vernon: Are you threatening me, sir?

Moody: Well actually, *shows Vernon eye* yes. I am.

I am quite partial to that as well.

I doubt it'll be in though. It seems the scenes that I really want to see from the books are never included in the movies.

 

[Dr. Fate]

Ok, Evanna Lynch IS Luna Lovegood.

'Anything good in there?' asked Ron as Harry closed the magazine.
'Of course not,' said Hermione scathingly, before Harry could answer. 'The Quibbler's rubbish, everyone knows that.'
'Excuse me,' said Luna; her voice has suddenly lost its dreamy quality. 'My father's the editor.'
'I - oh,' said Hermione, looking embarrassed. 'Well ... it's got some interesting ... I mean, it's quite ...'
'I'll have it back, thank you,' said Luna coldly, and leaning forwards she snatched it out of Harry's hands.

I can totally picture Evanne acting that out. If they put it in.

Hehehe. Luna's the best.

 

[The Shape]

Looking forward to this installment.

 

[Dr. Fate]

So out of the three leads, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, who do you think has the best shot at a successful post-Potter acting career?

 

[Lurk]

Rupert, he's already on his way. 'Driving Lessons' looks like it might be pretty good! If he got a haircut, he'd probably look different, too.

Then again, Dan is going to be in Equus, which is intense from what I hear.

 

[The_Vision]

They have got to get Kenneth Branagh back to do Gilderoy Lockheart!!!

 

[OtepApe]

So out of the three leads, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, who do you think has the best shot at a successful post-Potter acting career?

Personally, Rupert Grint. I have always found him to be the most talented out of the trio. I have heard some great things said about him in Driving Lessons and could really see him with a decent career after Potter.

Dan Radcliffe is the one going out of his way to break free of the Potter mould I would say. He's done December Boys, Equus which sounds pretty intense, and the new drama he will be doing for ITV over here. I think he's the one who's really going out of his way to attempt to show he's a serious actor.

I heard somewhere that Emma Watson probably isn't going to continue with acting once the Potter films are done.

They have got to get Kenneth Branagh back to do Gilderoy Lockheart!!!

I am glad to see this. It's only a cameo really, but I wouldn't to see some continuity between the films. I am glad they have bothered to get him back.

 

[Ultimate Movie-Man]

You mentioned Grint having a good career after Potter. I agree, as well as Daniel Radcliffe having a career as well,but it seems unlikely at this point in time Emma would have an ongoing career as yet.

 

[Galactus]

Producers have removed scenes of the Quidditch broomstick sport from "Harry Potter and the Order Of The Phoenix", causing a small furore amongst fans reports Ananova.

A Warner Brothers source understandably stated that "If we included everything the film would be seven hours long". Cuts from the film are not surprising, the book by JK Rowling is the longest in the series at nearly 800 pages.

Yet the Quidditch in the book has the distinction that it is the first time Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) takes part in it. Filming, mostly at Leavesden studios in Hertfordshire, is due to finish next month and the movie is due out next July.

 

[Ultimate Movie-Man]

Not new news, but thanks for posting anyway.

 

[OtepApe]

I would have liked to have seen Ron and his Qudditch scenes but I can live without them.

Although a nice rousing chorus of Weasley Is Our King would have been great

 

[LEX]

They better keep the ending at King's Cross where Moddy confronts Vernon. One of my favorite scenes in all the books.

From memory:

Vernon: Are you threatening me, sir?

Moody: Well actually, *shows Vernon eye* yes. I am.

I don't know. They never once showed anything beyond Hogwarts in the endings so far and I reckon they're not going to start now. Although, I'd like to see it, but it seems all too unlikely. Time will tell.

I am glad to see this. It's only a cameo really, but I wouldn't to see some continuity between the films. I am glad they have bothered to get him back.

Hold the phone. He's coming back?