A press statement issued today by Warner announced that director David Yates (The Girl in the Café, Sex Traffic, State of Play) will start filming Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix this coming Monday, February 6, at the Leavesden Studios in England. The fifth installment in the Harry Potter series will be produced by David Heyman and David Barron, while Micheal Goldenberg (Where the Wild Things Are, Peter Pan, Contact) provides the script. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson reprise their roles as teen wizards Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.

Eight new faces have joined the cast:

Imelda Staunton (Nanny McPhee, Vera Drake)
as Dolores Umbridge,
the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher

George Harris (The Interpreter, Black Hawk Down)
as Kingsley Shacklebolt,
dark wizard catcher for the Ministry of Magic

Helen McCrory (Casanova, Enduring Love)
as Bellatrix Lestrange,
cousin of Sirius Black and one of Voldemort’s most loyal followers

Natalia Tena (Mrs. Henderson Presents, About a Boy)
as Nymphadora Tonks,
dark wizard catcher for the Ministry of Magic

Kathryn Hunter (All or Nothing, Orlando)
as Mrs. Figg,
Harry’s cat loving neighbour

14 year-old newcomer Evanna Lynch,
as Luna Lovegood,
a Ravenclaw student who becomes an important ally of Harry, Ron and Hermione’s.

Michael Wildman
as Magorian,
a centaur from the Forbidden Forest

A further new cast member not mentioned in the press release is teenager Robbie Jarvis as a young James Potter - Harry’s father who the bespectacled wizard sees going to Hogwarts himself when he (Harry) magically visits the memories of one of the teachers who went to school with Potter senior.

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 (The Girl in the Café, State of Play).

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, preferring to turn a blind eye to the news that Voldemort has returned. 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, so 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 is likely to be released in cinemas by May 2007. Anything relating to the film can be discussed in the Order of the Phoenix subforum at the X-Boards.

Posted in Harry Potter, Movies •

Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media have issued a press release that confirms that the Narnia franchise will continue with the film adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Andrew Adamson, who directed the first film The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, will return as director in addition to serving as producer and co-writer alongside Christopher Markus and Steve McFeeley. Preproduction on Prince Caspian has already commenced, although the script has yet to be completed. Most of the principal cast will return when shooting begins later this year, though whether this will take place in New Zealand again or somewhere else (rumours are afloat suggesting Disney and Walden have sent out location scouts to Ireland) is yet to be determined. Prince Caspian is scheduled for a Christmas 2007 release.

The story finds the Pevensie siblings pulled back into the land of Narnia, where a thousand years have passed since they left. The children are once again enlisted to join the colorful creatures of Narnia in combating the evil King Miraz who prevents the rightful Prince from ruling the land. Prince Caspian was first published in 1951, and is the second book in the seven-book series written by Lewis (but the fourth if the books are considered in chronological order). It was intended as a continuation of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia has sold over 100 million copies worldwide, and continues to be one of the most popular series of all time.

Dick Cook, the chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, commented “We’re thrilled to be working with such a great director as Andrew, and our friends at Walden Media, in bringing the next chapter of the Narnia chronicles to the big screen. Moviegoers around the world were unanimous in their love and enthusiasm for The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, and Prince Caspian offers lots of new thrills and adventures in this magical land. The C. S. Lewis books are a rich source of inspiration for great storytelling, and this book spotlights some wonderful new heroes, and villains, along with many of the characters we came to love so much in the first film.”

The CEO of Walden Media, Cary Granat, added “Andrew Adamson, who possesses an unparalleled passion and vision for the Narnia books, brought C. S. Lewis’ world to life in an imaginative and exciting way. With Prince Caspian, moviegoers will have an opportunity to revisit the magic of Narnia, encountering exciting new creatures and lands within Narnia alongside their favorite characters from these beloved books. Dick Cook and Disney have been amazing partners on this project and we look forward to working with them on this and other future installments in the Narnia franchise.”

Adamson himself said “Making The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe couldn’t have been a more rewarding experience, not just in terms of creative achievement and audience response, but also because of the family we formed during production. Prince Caspian not only gives me an opportunity to challenge my imagination with another classic story, it also allows me to work alongside the many talented artists who contributed to the first film, and of course to collaborate again with The Pevensies, Georgie, Skandar, Anna, and William.”

The X-Realms will be following the various production stages intently, ensuring that its readers will remain up to date on the latest news, rumours and excitement surrounding Prince Caspian. To this end, the Prince Caspian subforum has now been launched at the X-Boards, where members, old and new, can share their thoughts on the progression of the Narnia film series.

Posted in Chronicles of Narnia, Commentary •