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Rowling Wins Privacy Case
8 May 2008 (WENN)
Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix author J.K. Rowling has won a court battle to ban the publication of pictures of her son David when he was 18 months old. The 42-year-old alleged the boy's privacy rights had been infringed by the long-lens shots taken in Edinburgh, Scotland by Big Pictures photo agency in 2004, but lost a legal battle in London's High Court last year. Rowling took the case to the Court of Appeal, because she wanted her children to grow up "free from unwarranted intrusions into their privacy." A judge ruled on Tuesday there was an infringement of her privacy. Judge Sir Anthony Clarke told the court, "If a child of parents who are not in the public eye could reasonably expect not to have photographs of him published in the media, so too should the child of a famous parent. In our opinion, it is at least arguable that a child of 'ordinary' parents could reasonably expect that the press would not target him and publish photographs of him." Rowling and her husband, Dr Neil Murray, released a statement, saying, "We understand and accept that with the success of Harry Potter there will be a measure of legitimate media and public interest in Jo's professional activities and appearances. However, we have striven to give our children a normal family life outside the media spotlight. We are immensely grateful to the Court for giving our children protection from covert, unauthorized photography; this ruling will make an immediate and material difference to their lives."

Grint Dislikes "Bragging" Lohan
21 April 2008 (WENN)
Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix star Rupert Grint has ruled out moving to Los Angeles to boost his movie career - in fear of meeting party girls Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton. The 19-year-old actor isn't keen on moving to Hollywood after a fraught meeting with the Mean Girls star left him disappointed by her egotistical boasts. And the British star has no intention to hook up with Lohan's former party pal Paris Hilton either. He says, "I met Lindsay last summer and she talked about herself a lot. She said she was going to win an Oscar before she turns 25. I just kept thinking, 'But you can't act'. I haven't met Paris and don't want to either. She and Lindsay are the type of girls you need to stay away from."

Judge Urges Rowling To Settle Out Of Court
18 April 2008 (WENN)
A judge overseeing the legal battle between Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix author J.K. Rowling and superfan Steven Vander Ark has advised the pair to settle the dispute out of court. Judge Robert Patterson urged the two parties to take their legal fight outside the courtroom, claiming the case would almost certainly end in years of appeals because it involves many unresolved areas of U.S. law. The British writer sued Michigan, Detroit-based RDR Books for copyright infringement in 2007, in a bid to prevent the publication of Vander Ark's The Harry Potter Lexicon, which was allegedly inspired by her novels. Rowling has so far managed to stall the publication of the 400-page text, which was initially intended for release last November. But the judge deems the case too complicated to be dealt with in court, telling the hearing on the third day of the battle in a U.S. District Court in New York, "I think this case, with imagination, could be settled." The first two days of the hearing, which started on Monday, has seen emotional testimonies from both Rowling and Vander Ark. The case continues.

Potter Fan Weeps In Court
17 April 2008 (WENN)
Harry Potter superfan Steven Vander Ark wept in court on the second day of his legal battle with author J.K. Rowling, over his plans to publish an encyclopedia about the fantasy series. The British writer sued Michigan, Detroit-based RDR Books for copyright infringement in 2007, in a bid to prevent the publication of Vander Ark's The Harry Potter Lexicon, based on a fan website he created, inspired by her novels. Rowling has so far managed to stall the publication of the 400-page text, which was initially intended for release last November. On Monday, Rowling told the New York court how the fan's book "constitutes wholesale theft" of 17 years of her work - adding that her books were like "children" to her. But, appearing in a U.S. District Court in New York on Tuesday, Vander Ark insisted he was just a big fan of the Harry Potter franchise, and had read every Harry Potter book "30 or 40 times" and every article ever written about Rowling. Calling Rowling "a genius", the 50-year-old librarian broke down and claimed his clash with the author had left him an outcast among Harry Potter fans. He told the court, "It's been... it's been difficult because there's been a lot of criticism, obviously, but... that was never the intention. This has been an important part of my life for the last nine years or so." Vander Ark also claims he was initially reluctant to go ahead with the lexicon, but was convinced by RDR that it was legal. However, a statement from Rowling and Warner Brothers - who own the rights to the Potter works - reads, "A fan's affectionate enthusiasm should not obscure acts of plagiarism. The publishers knew what they were doing." The case continues.

Rowling Battles Potter Fan In Court
15 April 2008 (WENN)
Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix author J.K. Rowling arrived at a New York courthouse on Monday to begin her battle with a fan hoping to release an encyclopedia about the fantasy series. Rowling claims Steven Vander Ark's The Harry Potter Lexicon is a "rip-off" and infringes on a number of her trademarks. She has so far managed to stall the publication of the 400-page text - initially intended for release last November - and hopes her latest day in court will result in it being scrapped altogether. In a declaration filed in the U.S. District Court in February, Rowling said she was "very frustrated that a former fan has tried to co-opt my work for financial gain. I feel intensely protective, firstly, of the literary world I spent so long creating, and secondly, of the fans who bought my books in such large numbers." Rowling has also revealed she plans to write her own Potter Encyclopedia. Vander Ark's publishers RDR Books insist the book would promote the sale of Rowling's work - and accuse her of appearing to claim "a monopoly on the right to publish literary reference guides, and other nonacademic research, relating to her own fiction." A spokesperson adds, "This is a right no court has ever recognized. If accepted, it would dramatically extend the reach of copyright protection and eliminate an entire genre of literary supplements."

Radcliffe Earns $26 Million In One Year
14 April 2008 (WENN)
Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has earned a massive $26 million in one year. The 18-year-old has $8 million in cash in the bank, has investments of $14 million and is owed $4 million in outstanding payments. The actor's assets have risen by $6 million since last year - not including the $16 million he made from Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix.

Stones Documentary To Set IMAX Record
1 April 2008 (StudioBriefing)
Martin Scorsese's Shine a Light , a documentary featuring a concert performance by The Rolling Stones, will open on 93 IMAX screens Friday -- the largest number of the giant-screen venues ever to exhibit a movie, edging out Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which opened on 91 IMAX screens. The Paramount Classics film will also be shown in about 177 conventional theaters. Tickets for the IMAX screenings will go for $13. In a statement, Scorsese remarked, "I've always loved looking at IMAX, but to see these images of The Rolling Stones on the biggest canvas is something else altogether." Greg Foster, head of IMAX Filmed Entertainment, added, "Audiences will feel as if they are literally in the front row at the concert." The concert was filmed at the Beacon Theatre in New York in the fall of 2006.

Rowling To Take Witness Stand
26 March 2008 (WENN)
Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling will take to the witness stand next month in her legal bid to stop the planned publication of an unofficial encyclopedia. The author and Warner Brothers, which owns the rights to the boy wizard novels, filed a lawsuit against publisher RDR Books in October over The Harry Potter Lexicon, based on fan Steve Vander Ark's website of the same name. The book was due for publication in November last year. On Monday, a New York Federal District Court Judge ordered the case to go to trial on April 14. A lawyer for RDR Books confirmed Rowling was expected to appear to give evidence in the case. Rowling herself insists she plans to write her own definitive Harry Potter encyclopedia - including previously unseen material - and will donate the proceeds to charity.

IMAX's Blow-Ups Blow Up Profits, Too
17 January 2008 (StudioBriefing)
Blowing up conventional movies to the giant screen generated giant profits for IMAX last year as its net soared 56 percent above 2006, the company said Wednesday. Leading the pack, it said, were 300, Spider-Man 3, Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix, Transformers, Beowulf and I Am Legend.

Radcliffe Donates Spectacles to Holocaust Memorial
7 January 2008 (WENN)
Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix star Daniel Radcliffe is among a host of stars who have donated their spectacles to a new exhibition commemorating the Holocaust. The actor, whose mother is Jewish, has given his first pair of glasses - worn when he was six years old - to an art exhibit to mark National Holocaust Day on January 27, based on photographs of mounds of glasses left at Auschwitz by victims of the atrocity. Other celebrities donating their spectacles to the exhibit include comedian Stephen Fry, Yoko Ono and Jerry Springer. The work will soon be on display in Liverpool, England.

Radcliffe Lands Slain Photographer Role
2 January 2008 (WENN)
Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has fought off competition from Heath Ledger and Orlando Bloom to land the lead role in a new movie about a slain photojournalist. The 18-year-old will appear as photographer Dan Eldon in Journey, a film chronicling the civil war in Somalia. Eldon was one of four journalists stoned to death by a mob in the African country in 1993. And Eldon's mother Kathy believes Radcliffe was the perfect choice to play her tragic son. She says, "We resisted a lot of older actors because Dan was a boy emerging into manhood." A compilation of Eldon's diaries - on which the film is based - has sold 200,000 copies since being published in 1997.

'Enchanted' Lives Up to Its Name
26 November 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Disney had some Enchanted weekend, with its latest hand-drawn animated/live romance drawing $50.05 million over the five days, $35.3 million over the weekend. "I think Disney has a major hit on their hands," Paul Dergarabedian, president of Media By Numbers, told Bloomberg News. "I think word-of-mouth will be very good on this one." Underscoring the appeal of family movies, the low-budget film This Christmas, starring a relatively unknown cast, placed second with $27.1 million for the five days and $18.6 million for the weekend. After weeks of mostly dismal box-office results, the weekend gave studios much to be thankful for, with an overall gross up 4.4 percent over 2006. "That's good for an industry that's been in a downtrend for almost two months," Dergarabedian said in a separate interview with the Associated Press. "Thanksgiving sets the tone for the rest of the year and the holiday season in general. This was a key weekend, and it delivered." Meanwhile, Beowulf held on to the box office lead overseas with a weekend gross of $26 million, Daily Variety reported today (Monday). It also noted that Disney's Ratatouille pushed past the $400-million mark in foreign sales. The only other films to accomplish that feat this year were the latest Pirates of the Caribbean, Spider-Man, Shrek, and Harry Potter sequels.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. Enchanted, $35.3 million; 2. This Christmas, $18.6 million; 3. Beowulf, $16.2 million; 4. Hitman, $13 million; 5. Bee Movie, $12 million; 6. Fred Claus, $10.7 million; 7. August Rush, $9.4 million; 8. American Gangster, $9.2 million; 9. The Mist, $9.1 million; 10. No Country for Old Men, $8.1 million.

AOL Saps Time Warner in Third Quarter
8 November 2007 (StudioBriefing)
The AOL jinx was again evident in Time Warner's latest quarterly report, which showed that the unit's revenue for the quarter dropped 38 percent to $1.2 billion, sapping the overall results of the company as a whole. Strong box-office results for Warner Bros.' Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix worked its magic on the company's third-quarter ledgers, as did Ocean's Thirteen and New Line's Rush Hour 3 and Hairspray. The film unit's profit more than doubled from a year ago to $268 million. Outgoing CEO Dick Parsons insisted that AOL will yet become profitable for the company although conceding that its third quarter results "may be a little of a disappointment." Jeff Bewkes, who is replacing Parsons as CEO, added that he believes AOL is "going in the right direction." Neither executive responded directly to questions about the company's possible restructuring. Said Bewkes: "We are not going to in advance discuss how we look at our alternatives or what we're going to do. We'll certainly explain it as we make key decisions and take key actions, but we're not going to telegraph it in advance."

Harry Potter's Dumbledore Is Gay
22 October 2007 (WENN)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix author J.K. Rowling has shocked fans of the boy-wizard series by stating that character Albus Dumbledore as gay. The writer revealed the truth of the Hogwarts school headmaster's sexuality at New York's Carnegie Hall on Friday as part of her American book tour. When asked by an audience member if Dumbledore had found "true love," she replied, "Dumbledore is gay," adding he was in love with his rival Gellert Grindelwald, who he once beat in a battle between good and bad wizards long ago. She says, "Falling in love can blind us to an extent. (Dumbledore was) horribly, terribly let down."

Radcliffe Plans "Raucous" 21st Birthday
14 September 2007 (WENN)
Daniel Radcliffe regrets not going wild when he turned 18 - vowing to make sure his 21st birthday will be a "a more raucous affair." The Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix actor's 18th birthday in July was a low-key celebration - he spent the day watching the cricket. But admits his next milestone birthday will be wild. The star told British radio station Heart: "I'm certain my 21st will be a more raucous affair than my 18th, I hope so anyway, why not? I'm not going to go off the rails though. I'm just going to keep on doing what I'm doing and won't get embroiled in any of that."

Harry Potter and the Order of Film Franchises
11 September 2007 (StudioBriefing)
The five Harry Potter films together have now out-grossed all 22 James Bond films to become the top-grossing franchise worldwide in history, Warner Bros announced Monday. The Potter films have now earned $4.47 billion, topping the combined Bond flicks by $30 million, the studio said. (The six Star Wars movies are in third place with $4.23 billion.) The latest Potter movie, Order of the Phoenix, is continuing to play in several countries abroad, and two more are in the works, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which is due to open in 2008 and the final film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, set to open in 2010.

Radcliffe Set for Broadway?
7 September 2007 (WENN)
Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has confirmed he'll be stripping for theatre audiences in New York after signing on to star in the London transfer of Peter Shaffer's controversial play Equus. The teenager wowed West End audiences and critics with the role earlier this year, and now he'll join co-star Richard Griffiths when the production opens on Broadway. Although dates, details and venues have yet to be announced, Radcliffe admits he hopes to be on Broadway towards the end of 2008. He tells MTV News, "In all probability, if everything goes according to plan, it would definitely be me and Richard Griffiths and however many other cast members the unions will allow." The play, which featured Radcliffe completely naked in one brief scene, played to nearly sold-out audiences at London's Gielgud Theatre from February 24 to June 9.

Columnist Warns Hollywood on Sequels Reliance
5 September 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Although the movie business chalked up a record $4 billion in revenue this past summer season, it may be facing a severe downturn next year if it continues to rely on hits of the past, New York Daily News entertainment writer David Hinckley commented today (Wednesday). Hinckley observed that $1.5 billion of the $4 billion total came from just five sequels: Spider-Man 3, Shrek the Third, the latest Pirates of the Caribbean, the latest Harry Potter , and The Bourne Ultimatum. "That's why Hollywood shrugs when those silly purists talk about 'fresh ideas,'" Hinckley wrote. "Since Hollywood made more money than ever with fewer original films than ever, what's the incentive to gamble on something untested? Just this: You can't make a 'threequel' in the future if you don't have an original today." Hinckley concluded: "You can eat the grain stored in your barn and it's an easy meal. If you stop planting the fields, future winters get tougher."

'Superbad' Results More Super Than Expected
21 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Sunday's ticket sales for Sony's Superbad practically equaled Saturday's. The result was that the film's actual weekend gross wound up almost $2 million higher than the studio had estimated. Sony attributed the $33.05-million final count to "fantastic word-of-mouth." Two other films, however, flopped in their debuts. Warner Bros.' The Invasion, a remake of The Invasion of the Body Snatchers, starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, earned just $5.95 million, while The Last Legion from the Weinstein Co., set during the decline of the Roman empire, declined and fell to only $2.75 million. Meanwhile, last week's No. 1 film, New Line's Rush Hour 3, dived to second place, falling 57 percent in its second week to $21.35 million, barely edging out the third week of Universal's The Bourne Ultimatum, which took in $19.87 million and placed third. Overall, the box-office tallied $130 million in total ticket sales, up 17.4 percent over last year's total of $110.7 million for the comparable weekend.

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Media by Numbers (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Superbad, Sony, $33,052,411, (New); 2. Rush Hour 3, New Line, $21,353,361, 2 Wks. ($87,676,529); 3. The Bourne Ultimatum, Universal, $19,874,370, 3 Wks. ($164,694,690); 4. The Simpsons Movie, 20th Century Fox, $6,829,648, 4 Wks. ($165,271,443); 5. The Invasion, Warner Bros., $5,951,409, (New); 6. Stardust, Paramount, $5,651,343, 2 Wks. ($19,493,894); 7. Hairspray, New Line, $4,502,455, 5 Wks. ($100,805,456); 8. Underdog, Disney, $3,848,791, 3 Wks. ($31,927,488); 9. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Warner Bros., $3,656,379, 6 Wks. ($278,762,117); 10. I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Universal, $3,601,545, 5 Wks. ($110,484,335).

Potter and Spider-Man Up for U.K. National Movie Awards
21 August 2007 (WENN)
Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and Spider-Man 3 have been nominated for a host of prizes at Britain's inaugural National Movie Awards. U.K. TV network ITV is launching the new awards show following the success of their National Television Awards. Both events invite the public to vote for winners. Keira Knightley (Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End), Kirsten Dunst (Spider-Man 3), Emma Watson (Harry Potter), Megan Fox (Transformers), Eva Green and Dame Judi Dench (Casino Royale) are up for the Best Actress at the September 28 London ceremony. Bruce Willis (Live Free Or Die Hard), Daniel Craig (Casino Royale), Shia LeBoeuf (Transformers), Tobey Maguire (Spider-Man 3), Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom (Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End), Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) are fighting for the Best Actor trophy. Meanwhile Flushed Away, Happy Feet, Shrek The Third and The Simpsons Movie have been nominated for Best Animation.

Raunch Wins at the Box Office
20 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Success was an equal-opportunity employer over the weekend as the wholesome High School Musical 2 set cable records as it arrived on television (see separate item) and the raunchy comedy Superbad performed beyond analysts' expectations at the box office. Judd Apatow's Superbad, a high-school comedy that -- at least officially -- could not be seen by many high-schoolers because of its R-rating, took in an estimated $31.2 million. It had cost only $20 million to produce. Apatow's last movie, Knocked Up, opened with $30.6 million just two months ago -- and has now grossed $147 million domestically. Meanwhile, Warner Bros.' The Invasion snatched few bodies into theaters, grossing just $6 million, according to estimates, to place fifth. Placing second was last week's winner, Rush Hour 3, which dropped to $21.8 million, down a steep 56 percent from its opening gross. The Bourne Ultimatum slipped to third place in its third weekend to $19 million, while The Simpsons Movie landed in fourth place with $6.7 million. After four weekends, the family family comedy has now earned $165.1 million. The only other new film, The Weinstein Co.'s The Last Legion, was still waiting for its first legion -- of moviegoers, that is. It opened out of the top ten with just $2.5 million. Although it featured an impressive cast, including Ben Kingsley and Colin Firth, it was not screened for critics, presumably because the studio feared negative reviews. They turned out to be right. Wesley Morris in the Boston Globe summed up the general critical reaction: "There's no fun to be had here," he wrote on Saturday. Also opening in four theaters was the Leonardo DiCaprio environmental documentary The 11th Hour, which earned a respectable $41,000 in just four theaters. The film received mostly favorable reviews. Kevin Crust in the Los Angeles Times called it "a harrowing account of the planet's current condition."

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. Superbad, $31.2 million; 2. Rush Hour 3, $21.8 million; 3. The Bourne Ultimatum, $19 million; 4. The Simpsons Movie, $6.7 million; 5. The Invasion, $6 million; 6. Stardust, $5.2 million; 7. Hairspray, $4.3 million; 8. Underdog, $3.6 million; 9. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, $3.54 million; 10. I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, $3.5 million.

Traffic Slows for 'Rush Hour 3'
14 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Ordinarily a film that grosses $49.1 million in its opening weekend is considered a probable moneymaker, but some box-office analysts are suggesting that the results for Rush Hour 3 are not only disappointing but probably point to an inevitable loss for Time Warner-owned New Line. They point out that the film cost more than $100 million (some suggest it cost as much as $150 million) to make and that as much as 40 percent of the gross has been promised to the two stars and the director -- including 20 percent that will go to Chris Tucker, 15 percent to Jackie Chan and 5 percent to director Brett Ratner. (The movie sold one-third fewer tickets than Rush Hour 2 did six years ago.) Meanwhile, last week's top film, The Bourne Ultimatum, slipped to second place in its second weekend with $32.9 million, while The Simpsons Movie moved to third place in its third weekend with $11.3 million. Three other films that opened over the weekend were outright flops. Paramount's Stardust, which reportedly soared way over budget to close to $200 million, earned just $9.2 million. Sony's Daddy Day Camp, which had initially been planned as a low-budget, straight-to-video release, earned just $3.4 million, while the horror film Skinwalkers took in a mighty skinny $753,520 (to come in at No. 17 on the list of top attractions).

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Media by Numbers (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Rush Hour 3, New Line, $49,100,158, (New); 2. The Bourne Ultimatum, Universal, $32,879,125, 2 Wks. ($131,552,425); 3. The Simpsons Movie, 20th Century Fox, $11,269,651, 3 Wks. ($152,381,993); 4. Stardust, Paramount, $9,169,779, (New); 5. Hairspray, New Line, $6,396,666, 4 Wks. ($92,139,670); 6. Underdog, Disney, $6,352,377, 2 Wks. ($24,643,289); 7. I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Universal, $5,877,915, 4 Wks. ($103,777,170); 8. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Warner Bros., $5,432,130, 5 Wks. ($272,047,388); 9. No Reservations, Warner Bros., $3,855,029, 3 Wks. ($32,025,018); 10. Daddy Day Camp, Sony, $3,402,678, (New).

'Rush Hour' Traffic Slows a Bit
13 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Traffic was fairly heavy but not all that heavy for Rush Hour 3, which opened over the weekend with an estimated $50.2 million -- much less than the $67.4 million its predecessor, Rush Hour 2, earned six years ago. New Line said it performed as expected. Last week's winner, The Bourne Ultimatum, lost about half its audience in its second week as it pulled in about $33.7 million, bringing its ten-day total to $132.3 million. It appears headed toward becoming the only summer "three-quel" besides Live Free or Die Hard to exceed its predecessor's total gross. Other new releases crapped out, with the all-star Stardust pulling in an estimated $9 million and Daddy Day Camp managing to bring in a dismal $3.6 million (versus $27.6 million for the original Daddy Day Care in its debut weekend). The werewolf film Skinwalkers, which opened in 737 theaters, had no bite whatsoever as it scraped up an estimated $565,000. Still, the weekend's total gross was about 37 percent higher than the comparable weekend a year ago. "We've been riding a wave of momentum that started with Transformers in July," Media by Numbers President Paul Dergarabedian told the Associated Press. "We already stand at $3.6 billion at the box office. The $4 billion summer, once thought an impossibility, is definitely within reach."

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. Rush Hour 3, 50.3 million; 2. The Bourne Ultimatum, $33.7 million; 3. The Simpsons Movie, $11.1 million; 4. Stardust, $9 million; 5. Underdog, $6.5 million; 6. Hairspray, $6.4 million; 7. I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, $5.9 million; 8. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, $5.4 million; 9. No Reservations, $3.9 million; 10. Daddy Day Camp, $3.6 million.

'Simpsons' Has a Cow in Third Week
13 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Overseas, The Simpsons Movie remained on top for the third weekend in a row as it took in $23.2 million to bring its foreign gross to $230 million and its worldwide total to $382 million. In second place was Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which raked in another $21.1 million, bringing its overseas total to $550 million and its worldwide total to $822 million. It now ranks 15th on the list of all-time highest grossers. In France, the set-in-Paris Ratatouille remained the No. 1 film for the second week as it took in $9.3 million, down only 8 percent from the previous week.

'Bourne' A'Plenty
7 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Final weekend box-office results for The Bourne Ultimatum came in somewhat below studio estimates but were still well above those for any other film ever released during August. Universal said that the movie earned $69.3 million. In second place was Fox's The Simpsons Movie with $25.1 million. Disney's Underdog debuted in third place with $11.6 million. Two other new films, however, barely made it into the top ten. Paramount's Hot Rod opened in ninth place with $5.3 million, while Lionsgate's Bratz: The Movie wound up with just $4.2 million. Meanwhile Forbes.com said Monday that Matt Damon, the star of Bourne, has become Hollywood's best investment, taking in $29 for every dollar he's paid.

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Media by Numbers (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. The Bourne Ultimatum, Universal, $69,283,690, (New); 2. The Simpsons Movie, 20th Century Fox, $25,110,873, 2 Wks. ($128,060,578); 3. Underdog, Disney, $11,585,121, (New); 4. I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Universal, $10,626,345, 3 Wks. ($91,795,450); 5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Warner Bros., $9,522,220, 4 Wks. ($261,027,397); 6. Hairspray, New Line, $9,225,378, 3 Wks. ($78,854,798); 7. No Reservations, Warner Bros., $6,588,375, 2 Wks. ($24,175,203); 8. Transformers, Paramount, $6,021,472, 5 Wks. ($296,379,328); 9. Hot Rod, Paramount, $5,310,711, (New); 10. Bratz: The Movie, Lions Gate, $4,208,455, (New).

'Simpsons' Continue To Rule Overseas
6 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Overseas, the Simpsons remained the first family as The Simpsons Movie piled up an additional $47.3 million in 75 countries, according to Daily Variety. (Universal plans to begin rolling out The Bourne Ultimatum overseas next week.) The trade publication noted that four other pictures also produced solid results overseas, including Transformers, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Ratatouille and a Korean monster flick, D-War, which together raked in $100 million. As expected of a Disney film set in France, Ratatouille took in $11.2 million in that country, making it the second-largest opening for a Disney film after Finding Nemo.

A 'Bourne' Leader
6 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Matt Damon's latest movie proved that it was a Bourne leader at the box office over the weekend. In fact, The Bourne Ultimatum led all movies ever released in August as it drew an estimated $70 million and helped lift the overall box office 35 percent over the same weekend a year ago. The original Bourne movie, The Bourne Identity, registered $27.1 million in 2002. It was followed in 2004 with The Bourne Supremacy, which took in $52.5 million. In its second week, 20th Century Fox's The Simpsons Movie -- the box-office winner last weekend -- plunged 65 percent to $25.6 million. Nevertheless, its strong midweek grosses brought its domestic total to $128.5 million over 10 days. It has earned almost the same amount overseas. Arriving in third place was Disney's Underdog, which was not screened for critics (see below). The film grossed an estimated $12 million -- about what Disney had expected. Two other newcomers fell flat. The comedy Hot Rod starring former Saturday Night Live costar Andy Samberg earned only $5 million to wind up in ninth place, while the "tween" film Bratz: The Movie went blatz with $4.3 million to finish tenth.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. The Bourne Ultimatum, $70.2 million; 2. The Simpsons Movie, $25.6 million; 3. Underdog, $12 million; 4. I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, $10.5 million; 5. Hairspray, $9.3 million; 6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, $9.3 million; 7. No Reservations, $6.6 million; 8. Transformers, $6 million; 9. Hot Rod, $5 million; 10. Bratz: The Movie, $4.3 million.

Time Warner Revenue Up -- No Thanks to Movies
1 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Time Warner surprised analysts today (Wednesday) as it reported a 5.2-percent rise in profits for the second quarter to $1.07 billion versus $1 billion a year ago. Overall sales rose 6 percent to $11 billion. Profits from its Warner Bros. and New Line film units declined a whopping 43 percent to $81 million, however. Analysts blamed to costs to market Ocean's Thirteen, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and Rush Hour 3, all opening in the third quarter. The dismal results from its film units were offset by solid results in its cable division. With Adelphia Communications' bevy of cable operators added to its own Time Warner Cable unit, sales shot up 59 percent and operating profit, 31 percent.

Eat My Shorts -- Estimate Was Off
31 July 2007 (StudioBriefing)
As it turned out, even the official estimate of The Simpsons Movie was significantly off the mark Monday. Final figures put weekend ticket sales at $74.04 million, up from the $71.85-million studio estimate issued on Sunday. It was the fifth-highest-opening film of the year. Three other new films opened unimpressively. No Reservations, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, debuted in fifth place with $11.7 million, while the Lindsay Lohan starrer I Know Who Killed Me tanked with $3.5 million, and the urban comedy Who's Your Caddy? barely made it into the top-ten with just $2.7 million. Overall, the box office was up 45 percent from the same weekend a year ago, according to Media by Numbers. For the year, it said, ticket sales are up 5.4 percent to $5.81 billion. Attendance has increased 1.7 percent.

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Media by Numbers (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. The Simpsons Movie, 20th Century Fox, $74,036,787, (New); 2. I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Universal, $19,132,965, 2 Wks. ($71,680,080); 3. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Warner Bros., $17,733,085, 3 Wks. ($242,439,214); 4. Hairspray, New Line, $15,899,890, 2 Wks. ($59,657,287); 5. No Reservations, Warner Bros., $11,704,357, (New); 6. Transformers, Paramount, $11,643,129, 4 Wks. ($284,677,134); 7. Ratatouille, Disney, $7,455,594, 5 Wks. ($179,904,396); 8. Live Free or Die Hard, 20th Century Fox, $5,618,728, 5 Wks. ($125,396,389); 9. I Know Who Killed Me, Sony, $3,506,291, (New); 10. Who's Your Caddy?, MGM, $2,756,661, (New).

'Simpsons' a Huge Hit; Analysts Have a Cow
30 July 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Demonstrating convincingly that movie audiences don't really care all that much whether an animated film is produced by human hands or by computers -- so long as the script is compelling -- the hand-drawn (in Korea) The Simpsons Movie took in an estimated $71.85 million over the weekend -- well above analysts' estimates. Twentieth Century Fox boasted that the movie opened with bigger box-office results than any Pixar film. (Among animated films, it was exceeded only by the first two Shrek movies.) It was responsible for 55 percent of all ticket sales overseas, piling up an additional $96 million although debuting in just 8 of the top-15 overseas markets. "I had been saying this is America's No. 1 comedy family, but forget the 'America' part -- this is the Earth's No. 1 comedy family," Chris Aronson, senior vice president for distribution at Fox, told today's (Monday) Los Angeles Times. Domestically, last week's top film, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, fell about 44 percent from last week to $19.1 million, slipping to second place. Three new films also made the top-ten list (two of them, just barely). No Reservations, the Catherine Zeta-Jones romantic comedy entered at No. 5 with $11.8 million, but the Lindsay Lohan starrer, I Know Who Killed me, seemed DOA at $3.4 million (Elizabeth Weitzman in the New York Daily News commented Saturday, that even Lohan's "mug shot was made with more skill than this bottom-of-the-barrel B-movie"), while the urban comedy Who's Your Caddy? (Wesley Morris in the Boston Globe called for the United Negro College Fund to be alerted: "A mind has terribly gone to waste") ended in the rough with $2.9 million.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. The Simpsons Movie, $71.9 million; 2. I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, $19.1 million; 3. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, $17.1 million; 4. Hairspray, $15.6 million; 5. No Reservations, $11.8 million; 6. Transformers, $11.5 million; 7. Ratatouille, $7.2 million; 8. Live Free or Die Hard, $5.4 million; 9. I Know Who Killed Me, $3.4 million; 10. Who's Your Caddy?, $2.9 million.

Rowling Writing Two More Books
30 July 2007 (WENN)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix author J.K. Rowling is already working on two more books - only days after her final Harry Potter novel became the fastest-selling book in history. The millionaire writer has made a fortune from the hugely popular series - but she isn't ready to retire. She says, "I'm sort of writing two things at the moment. One is for children and the other is not for children. The weird thing is that this is exactly the way I started writing Harry... I was writing two things simultaneously for a year before Harry took over. So one will oust the other in due course, and I'll know that's my next thing."

Betting Dollars to Doughnuts
27 July 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Several box-office analysts are predicting that The Simpsons Movie will take in plenty of d'oh over the weekend -- perhaps as much as $60 million. The film is expected to trounce last week's winner, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, and the previous week's winner, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Three other movies will be opening wide this weekend: Warner Bros.' No Reservations, aimed at women; Who's Your Caddy?, aimed at urban blacks; and I Know Who Killed Me, starring Lindsay Lohan, aimed at teens. (The latter two were not screened for critics.) Analysts were divided over how Lohan's recent DUI arrest might affect ticket sales of her movie. On the one hand, they noted, the movie was mentioned in virtually every news article about the arrest; on the other hand, it prevented her from fulfilling commitments to promote the movie. Today's (Friday) New York Post quoted Chad Hartigan of Exhibitor Relations as predicting that the arrest "will double weekend ticket sales from what they would have been to the still feeble range of $4 million to $7 million."

Harry Potter and the Scourge of the Cannibals
24 July 2007 (StudioBriefing)
The success of the final Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (it reportedly sold 10.9 million copies in just the U.S. and the U.K. in its first 24 hours), cannibalized ticket sales for the latest Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, most box-office analysts agreed. In its second weekend, the film dropped 58 percent to come in second with $32.5 million. It was beaten by the latest Adam Sandler movie (with Kevin James), I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, which earned $34.2 million. Even more embarrassing, perhaps, was the fact that on a per-theater basis, Harry was beaten by Hairspray, with the former averaging $7,587 per theater and the latter, $8,804. Solid numbers were also recorded for fourth-place Transformers, which took in an additional $20.5 million to bring its three-week total to $263 million, and fifth-place Ratatouille, which added $10.9 million to its tally, bringing its four-week gross to $165.5 million.

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Media by Numbers (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Universal, $34,233,750, (New); 2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Warner Bros., $32,511,350, 2 Wks. ($207,866,865); 3. Hairspray, New Line, $27,476,745, (New); 4. Transformers, Paramount, $20,514,497, 3 Wks. ($262,978,000); 5. Ratatouille, Disney, $10,899,179, 4 Wks. ($165,519,955); 6. Live Free or Die Hard,20th Century Fox, $7,101,638, 4 Wks. ($116,267,866); 7. License to Wed, Warner Bros., $3,577,230, 3 Wks. ($38,495,133); 8. 1408, MGM, $2,621,194, 5 Wks. ($67,453,524); 9. Evan Almighty, Universal, $2,552,890, 5 Wks. ($93,567,015); 10. Knocked Up, Universal, $2,292,640, 8 Wks. ($142,698,885).

Hello, 'Hallows'; Goodbye, 'Phoenix'
23 July 2007 (StudioBriefing)
With more than 12 million young buyers of the final Harry Potter novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, poring over it during the weekend, ticket sales for Warner Bros.' Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix dropped 58 percent from last weekend. As a result, Universal's I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, starring Adam Sandler and Kevin James, took over the top spot at the box office. Chuck and Larry earned an estimated $34.8 million (and was the ninth Adam Sandler movie to open in first place), while Phoenix took in around $32.2 million to bring its total domestic gross to $207.5 million. By contrast, first-day book sales amounted to more than $250 million. In third place, Hairspray made about $27.8 million -- far better than box-office analysts had predicted. (USA Today called it, "the surprise of the weekend.") Also continuing to perform strongly were Paramount/DreamWorks' Transformers, which placed fourth with $20.5 million, and Disney/Pixar's Ratatouille, which placed fifth with $11 million.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, $34.8 million; 2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, $32.2 million; 3. Hairspray, $27.8 million; 4. Transformers, $20.5 million; 5. Ratatouille, $11 million; 6. Live Free or Die Hard, $7.3 million; 7. License to Wed, $3.8 million; 8. 1408, $2.6 million; 9. Evan Almighty, $2.5 million; 10. Knocked Up, $2.3 million.

Big Screen IMAX Hauling in Big Bucks
23 July 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Saying that he was "absolutely thrilled" by its performance, IMAX chief Brad Wexler said Friday that the giant-screen version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix took in $11.6 million in 91 domestic and 35 international IMAX theaters during its opening week, producing a record $92,000 per-screen average. Ticket sales, Wexler said, were stoked by the 18-minute 3-D finale. "This kind of immersive experience is impossible to replicate at home or in any conventional theater. And we are thrilled to have brought Harry to life in a more awe-inspiring and exciting way than ever before," he said. Wexler also noted that the company has continued to see rising sales for conventional movies converted to the IMAX format. He said so far this year 300 has taken in $24 million in IMAX theaters -- equaling the take for Spider-Man 3.

Will Harry Rule on Week 2?
20 July 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Two adult comedies, New Line's Hairspray and Universal's I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, will try to unseat the family film Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix as the box-office leader this weekend. They'll have their work cut out for them. Phoenix was earning about $10 million per day in midweek ticket sales and has grossed about $177 million since its July 11 opening. The two newcomers were expected to earn around $30 million each.

Pottermania Continues To Mount
18 July 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix has continued to pile up huge receipts at the box office following its record-breaking debut last week. On its seventh full day of release on Monday, the movie grossed $10.4 million, bringing its total to $150.1 million. Meanwhile, photographs of the pages of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final Potter novel, were appearing on the Internet Tuesday, apparently upsetting elaborate security precautions aimed at preventing details of the book from being revealed before its July 21 publishing date. Chicago Sun-Times critic Richard Roeper remarked in his column today, "Maybe they should retitle this one Harry Potter and the Leaky Goblet." Roeper also noted: "We read and hear a lot about movie piracy -- not so much about bootlegged books. But according to one publishers' group quoted by MSNBC, piracy costs booksellers some $600 million a year." In yet another development, the British publishers of the new Harry Potter book canceled shipments of 500,000 copies to the supermarket chain Asda, claiming that it had not been paid. Previously Asda had complained about the suggested retail price of the book -- more than $36 -- saying that the publisher was "attempting to hold children to ransom." It said that it would sell the book for half that amount. And in yet another development, several Orthodox Jewish politicians in Israel have complained about the decision to release the book on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, a day when most businesses, including bookstores, are required by law to remain closed.

Investors Wary of 'Phoenix' Flight
17 July 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix turned into a bigger order than even Warner Bros. expected as the movie smashed records in its first five days, taking in a total of $140 million in North America and $330 million worldwide, the studio said Monday. Nevertheless shares in Time Warner, which is likely to take in more than $1 billion from the film eventually, barely inched forward on Monday, rising only seven cents. Bloomberg News suggested that the reason for the cool response may be investors' wariness with media stocks in general. Traditionally, it noted, studios don't reveal the actual costs of making a film and often don't break out earnings from ancillary sales, like toys and videogames, either. "Because there's no way to tell how much Time Warner will really earn from the full Phoenix juggernaut, investors may be loath to give it the benefit of the doubt," the wire service commented.

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Media by Numbers (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Warner Bros., $77,108,414, 1 Wk. ($139,715,157); 2. Transformers, Paramount, $37,027,901, 2 Wks. ($224,009,583); 3. Ratatouille, Disney, $18,012,196, 3 Wks. ($142,997,082); 4. Live Free or Die Hard, 20th Century Fox, $11,279,135, 3 Wks. ($103,322,580); 5. License to Wed, Warner Bros., $7,311,297, 2 Wks. ($30,379,749); 6. 1408, MGM, $4,934,516, 4 Wks. ($62,127,222); 7. Evan Almighty, Universal, $4,895,055, 4 Wks. ($87,790,505); 8. Knocked Up, Universal, $3,676,500, 7 Wks. ($138,217,270); 9. Sicko, Lionsgate, $2,604,139, 4 Wks. ($15,830,046); 10. Ocean's Thirteen, Warner Bros., $1,984,323, 6 Wks. ($112,506,702).

Killed in 'Captivity'
17 July 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Captivity, the only other film to open wide over the weekend, was unable to capture an audience. It earned just $1.4 million to place twelfth on the box-office list. On the other hand, the Don Cheadle-starring Talk to Me posted $402,000 from just 33 theaters during its opening -- or an average of $12,182 per theater. That put it behind only Harry Potter in per-theater ticket sales.

Young Moviegoers Give Harry a Magical Week
16 July 2007 (StudioBriefing)
The box office remained under the spell of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix over the weekend as the Warner Bros. film added an estimated $77.4 million to its gross, bringing its total since Wednesday to $140 million in North America. (Screenings in 91 IMAX theaters accounted for $7.3 million of the total, making it the biggest IMAX opening on record.) The film raked in even more overseas, it made an estimated $190.3 million in 44 countries -- the biggest overseas opening ever for a Warner Bros. movie -- bringing its worldwide total to $330 million. Although the results were in line with analysts' predictions, the opening of the movie did not have an acute negative impact on attendance for holdovers -- as had also been predicted. Hardest hit was last weekend's top film, Transformers, down 49 percent to a nevertheless better-than-expected $36 million, bringing its 13-day total to $223 million. Ratatouille declined just 38 percent to $18 million, to bring its 17-day gross to $143 million. (Disney pointed out that "no other animated film had a drop of under 40 percent against a Harry Potter opening until now.") Live Free or Die Hard was down 39 percent to $10.9 million, as its total crossed the $100-million mark to $102.9 million. Showing the smallest drop was Michael Moore's documentary Sicko, which was down only 26 percent from the previous weekend as it made $2.6 million, to bring its three-week total to $15.8 million. Overall, the box office was up 14 percent over the comparable weekend a year ago. The only negative box-office news was that horror flick Captivity, the only other new film besides Harry to open wide, tanked with just $1.4 million, putting it out of the top-ten.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, $77.4 million; 2. Transformers, $36 million; 3. Ratatouille, $18 million; 4. Live Free or Die Hard, $10.9 million; 5. License to Wed, $7.4 million; 6. 1408, $5.01 million; 7. Evan Almighty, $5 million; 8. Knocked Up, $3.7 million; 9. Sicko, $2.65 million; 10. Ocean's Thirteen, $1.9 million.

Box Office Tumbles in Britain
16 July 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Although the overall box office rose slightly in the U.S. in 2006, it was down for the second consecutive year in the U.K. as total admissions fell from 164.7 million in 2005 to 156.6 million in 2006, according to figures released today (Monday) by the U.K. Film Council. David Steele, head of research and statistics, forecast a modest turn-around in 2007. "Admissions are likely to be up with the release of major productions such as the new Harry Potter installment and could reach 160 million," he said. Attendance at U.K. theaters appeared to be up during the midweek, with 40 percent of all ticket sales being recorded on Monday through Thursday, up from 32 percent in 2002.

'Phoenix' To Hover Over Box Office
13 July 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Warner Bros. Pictures' Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is likely to leave its competition in ashes over the weekend, box-office analysts are predicting. No other studio is daring to open any other new movie against it, except for the R-rated Captivity, a horror flick that has been reviled by those who have seen it. Reporting on this weekend's competition, the Hollywood Reporter observed, "The only question surrounding Phoenix, as it was with last weekend's chart-topper, Transformers, is how big it will be." On Thursday, the movie added an additional $18.37 million to its gross, bringing it to $62.60 million. The movie is performing especially well in IMAX theaters, where the final reel of the movie has been converted to 3-D. On Wednesday, IMAX screenings accounted for $1.9 million of the $44.2 million total on that day -- making it the biggest IMAX opening on record.

Radcliffe Shuns Hollywood
13 July 2007 (WENN)
Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix star Daniel Radcliffe is reluctant to shoot movies abroad because he gets so homesick. The 17-year-old refuses to follow in the footsteps of actors Catherine Zeta-Jones and Pierce Brosnan who have moved stateside, because he prefers life in London. He tells U.S. talk show host Larry King, "I don't think I could ever live anywhere but London, to be honest. I've lived there all my life. And I mean, hey, you know, I could be saying this now and in 20 years I will have moved out here. but for now and the immediate future, I can't - I can't really see myself living anywhere else but England." Radcliffe also reveal his parents prefer him to work in Britain and were upset when he traveled to Los Angeles to film the first installment of the boy wizard franchise. He says, "I signed on for, I think, all of the films and they were all to be done in Los Angeles and my mum and dad were just like 'Well, we don't really want that to happen, because it would be too big a disruption of his life'. But then it got changed to just two films and signing, and filming, in England."

Wilder About Harry
12 July 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Harry Potter retained his magic touch in spades Wednesday as Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix collected $44.76 million, the best Wednesday gross in box-office history, according to Warner Brothers. The figure, which includes midnight screenings on Tuesday/Wednesday night, beat the previous record holder, Sony's Spider-Man 2 which opened with $40.44 million on Wednesday, June 30, 2004. Box-office analysts are now predicting that the film will bring in as much as $125 through Sunday, although the studio itself is conservatively forecasting a $100-million debut over the five days.

Midnight Screenings Attract Kids and Adults
12 July 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Apparently a lot of kids were allowed to stay up late Tuesday as midnight screenings of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix raked in a record-breaking $12 million in 2,311 theaters. The figure represented the biggest gross for a film opening at midnight on Wednesday, far exceeding the previous record high -- $8 million, earned by The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King in 2003. The last Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, took in $6 million at its midnight screenings in 2005.

'Phoenix' Rising
11 July 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix will officially open today (Wednesday) in 4,285 theaters in North America, the widest release in history for a Warner Bros. movie. (Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End holds the industry record: 4,362 theaters.) The movie is also opening in 44 other countries. Warner Bros. said Tuesday that it is shipping 22,000 prints globally, which will cost the company roughly $9 million. The film will also open on about 100 IMAX 3-D screens. The last reel of the film has been converted digitally into 3-D for those screenings.

Radcliffe Enjoyed Irritating Paparazzi
11 July 2007 (WENN)
Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix star Daniel Radcliffe enjoyed annoying the paparazzi during his recent stint on the London stage - for six months he deliberately wore the same clothes when leaving the theatre so photographs would be worthless. The 17-year-old was greeted by photographers each night outside the Gielgud Theatre during his stint in controversial West End play Equus, where the teenage actor disrobed onstage every night. Radcliffe quickly realized newspaper and magazine editors wouldn't publish photos of him wearing the same outfit night after night, because it would look like the pictures were taken on the same day. He says, "They (the paparazzi) were outside the theatre every single night, but we came up with a cunning ruse. I would wear the same outfit every time - a different T-shirt underneath, but I'd wear the same jacket and zip it up so they couldn't see what I was wearing underneath, and the same hat. So they could take pictures for six months, but it would look like the same day, so they (photos) became unpublishable. Which was hilarious, because there's nothing better than seeing paparazzi getting really frustrated."

Movie Reviews: 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'
10 July 2007 (StudioBriefing)
The words seem to echo in reviews all over the country: Harry Potter has lost his magic. "Whatever happened to the delight, and, if you'll excuse the term, the magic in the Harry Potter series?" Roger Ebert asks in the Chicago Sun Times of the new Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Gene Seymour comments in Newsday that a newcomer to the Potter movies "may be forgiven for wondering where the magic is; not just the transfigurations, sparkling explosions and assorted phantasmagoria ... but the sense of wonder and transport that helped make [author J.K.] Rowling's books into a global cultural phenomenon." Lou Lumenick in the New York Post puts it more tersely: "There are lots of special effects, but sadly, no real magic." Kenneth Turan's review in the Los Angeles Times is headed: "The Magic Is Gone." On the other hand, Colin Bertram in the New York Daily News concludes his review by remarking, "The magic is definitely back." Still other critics point out that Potter fans will definitely be back, too. "[The] fifth Potter movie will be another surefire box-office wonder," writes Bob Longino in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "It's easily better than Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets. It's as dark as Azkaban and as unsettling as Goblet of Fire." A.O. Scott in the New York Times is one of several critics who simply give the movie a passing grade. "It manages to succeed as a piece of entertainment without quite fulfilling its potential as a movie," he writes, adding unenthusiastically that while it "is not a great movie, it is a pretty good one." Glenn Whipp in the Los Angeles Daily News concludes that the film "will satisfy the faithful." However, some critics maintain that many Potter fans will be disappointed. Carrie Rickey in the Philadelphia Inquirer, for example, calls it "a slog that might induce Potter fatigue even among stalwarts."

'Potter' Star Watson Is Set for Life
9 July 2007 (WENN)
The Harry Potter franchise has set young Brit Emma Watson up for life - she insists she never has to work again once the film series ends. The teenager, who plays Hermione Granger in the Potter movies, had no idea the franchise would make her rich beyond her dreams when she auditioned for the first film as a 10-year-old. She now earns a reported $4 million for each Harry Potter film. She tells America's Parade magazine, "Let's be honest, I have enough money never to have to work again, but I would never want that." The sensible teen reportedly held out for extra money to complete the Potter series of films. She refuses to comment on the salary rumors, but insists agreeing to make three more films was not something she took lightly. She adds, "People underestimate what a big decision this was for me. This is the next three or four years of my life. Being in the spotlight and the lack of freedom are the sort of things that held me back."

Last Reel of 'Phoenix' To Screen in 3-D at IMAX Houses
6 July 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Moviegoers attending screenings of the upcoming Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in IMAX theaters will be able to view the last 20 minutes of the movie in 3-D, the New York Post reported today (Friday), citing Veronika Kwan-Rubinek of Warner Bros. International. The process is similar to the one used in IMAX screenings of last year's Superman Returns and requires a painstaking frame-by-frame conversion.

Movie Reviews: 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'
5 July 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Following overseas premieres in Tokyo, London and Paris for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the first reviews have begun to trickle in. (The film officially opens in North America and Europe on July 11.) They are less than ecstatic. In the London Telegraph, reporter Charles Frederick writes that Harry has become "a bundle of adolescent anxieties. ... And that much-anticipated kiss with his fellow pupil Cho [Chang] might put people off. It lingers just a bit too long and there is not enough chemistry." However, Frederick offers this advice. "To dwell on a few weaknesses would be to neglect the obvious point -- that Harry Potter is older, bigger and darker than ever. And no one would want to miss his journey." But Leo Lewis in the London Times says he was left "faintly annoyed" to realize that the ending of Harry's story is still two movies in the future. "There are moments when this otherwise enjoyable film, though nicely made and through no fault of its own, feels like a chore to be got through before the main course," he writes. Alison Maloney in the Sun likewise suggest that "there could be a risk of Potter fatigue. ...There is a danger some of the Hogwarts magic could finally be wearing off."

Radcliffe Still Star-Struck by Rowling
5 July 2007 (WENN)
Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe is still star-struck when he meets J.K. Rowling, the author of the fantasy series. Despite having played Rowling's boy wizard creation on screen for the past six years - he confesses he is overwhelmed by the author's presence. Speaking at the U.K. premiere of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Radcliffe says," I still get star-struck. When you're around her, you sort of sit there thinking, you know, I'll just be very professional about this, we're work colleagues now, but inside I'm just thinking, 'Oh my god, she's written the book!'"

Radcliffe Becomes Youngest Waxwork
3 July 2007 (WENN)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix actor Daniel Radcliffe became the youngest ever star to be immortalized in wax at Madame Tussauds on Monday. The 17-year-old, who celebrates his landmark 18th birthday later this month, joins a host of celebrities at the famous London landmark - and Ben Lovett, a spokesman for the museum, insists that regardless of age, the young star deserves to be waxed up. Lovett claims Radcliffe's recent naked turn onstage in controversial London play Equus gave the actor a celebrity edge he never had before. He says, "With his 18th birthday around the corner and stage roles like Equus under his belt, Daniel has become a young British acting force to be reckoned with. It's been great for the studio's sculptors to recreate someone who we've all watched growing up on the big screen."

Hacker Claims To Have Posted Final Harry Potter Book
21 June 2007 (StudioBriefing)
A hacker claims to have been able to break into a computer at Bloomsbury Publishing in London, where he downloaded a copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. He in turn posted the copy on the website InSecure.org, saying "We make this spoiler to make reading of the upcoming book useless and boring." The authenticity of the manuscript has not been confirmed. The book is scheduled to be published on July 21, ten days after the next Harry Potter movie, The Order of the Phoenix, is due to be released in theaters. Some Warner Bros. executives had reportedly questioned the timing, expressing private concern that the expected revelation in the final book that at least one of the primary characters will die could affect ticket sales.

New Harry Potter Movie Gets "Mature" Rating In Australia
18 June 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Australia's Office of Film and Literature Classification has given an M rating ("requires a mature perspective") to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, an advisory rating that could discourage parents from allowing their children to see it. The rating is less restrictive than the board's MA 15+, which requires children under 15 to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Although Roadshow Films, which is releasing the movie in Australia on July 11, had previously appealed M ratings for earlier Harry Potter movies -- with mixed success -- it said it would not do so for the new film.

Watson Plays Down "Stalker" Reports
15 June 2007 (WENN)
Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix actress Emma Watson has played down reports she lived in fear for her life after a male stalker started talking to her at school. The 17-year-old star was alarmed when a man in his 20s - who cannot be named for legal reasons - managed to enter her English school and started talking to her about playing Hermione Granger in the wizard movies. However, Watson says it wasn't as serious as the British press had reported. She says, "That stalker stuff was exaggerated. To be honest, my friends were more freaked out that I was. I'm used to it. My friends were quite shocked by how blase I was about it."

'Phoenix' to Premiere in Japan
29 May 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix will be the next major Hollywood blockbuster to premier in Japan rather than the United States, the Hollywood Reporter reported today (Tuesday). The film is due to open in Tokyo on June 28, followed by a second red-carpet event in London on July 3. "Japan has always been the biggest territory outside North America, and the final box office figures in Japan have sometimes outgrossed the U.S. take," Noriyuki Sano, head of the publicity division at Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan, told the trade publication. "But there are other considerations, not least the fact that there is less piracy here than in other countries, which makes companies more lenient about releasing titles here first."

Next Harry Potter Film To Open in Tokyo
22 May 2007 (StudioBriefing)
For the second time this year, a blockbuster movie is scheduled to premiere in Tokyo. Warner Bros. said that it plans to open the fifth Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix, in Tokyo on June 28. Earlier this month, Sony opened the third Spider-Man movie in Tokyo -- but Sony, unlike Warner Bros., is a Japanese-owned company. A spokeswoman for the Time Warner-owned studio told Reuters that there was "no special reason" why the film is premiering in Japan.

Warner Bros. Bans Advance Screenings in Canada
10 May 2007 (WENN)
Warner Bros. has banned all advance screenings of its films in Canada, claiming piracy is rife in the country. The studio's forthcoming releases Ocean's Thirteen and Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix won't be shown north of the US border ahead of their release after Warner executives decided copyright laws in Canada fail to sufficiently protect films from being illegally copied. They claim 70 percent of Warners' releases in the last 18 months have been pirated in Canada. At present, it is not a criminal offence in the country to record movies in theatres for personal use. Darcy Antonellis, Warner Bros senior vice president of anti-piracy operations says, "Canada does have the highest camcording rate (by individuals in theaters) of any other territory. This is eliminating one of the avenues of leaks that we have already identified." Last year 20th Century Fox threatened to delay the release of its films in Canada in a bid to combat piracy.

'300' & 'Dead Man's Chest' Lead MTV Movie Award Nominations
1 May 2007 (WENN)
War epic 300 and sequel Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest are leading the nominations for the 2007 MTV Movie Awards with five and four nods apiece. Both films have been nominated for the Best Movie award, alongside Blades Of Glory, Borat: Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan and Little Miss Sunshine. 300 star Gerard Butler is up for Best Performance and Best Fight, while Lena Headey and Rodrigo Santoro have been nominated for Breakthrough Performance and Best Villain respectively. Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest actors Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley have also both picked up nods for Best Performance, while Bill Nighy is up for Best Villain. The nominations are:

Best Movie: 300, Blades of Glory, Borat: Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan, Little Miss Sunshine, Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Best Performance: Gerard Butler - 300; Johnny Depp - Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest; Keira Knightley - Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest; Jennifer Hudson - Dreamgirls; Beyonce Knowles - Dreamgirls; Will Smith - The Pursuit Of Happyness

Breakthrough Performance: Emily Blunt - The Devil Wears Prada; Abigail Breslin - Little Miss Sunshine; Lena Headey - 300; Columbus Short - Stomp The Yard; Jaden Smith, The Pursuit Of Happyness; Justin Timberlake - Alpha Dog

Best Comedic Performance: Emily Blunt - The Devil Wears Prada; Sacha Baron Cohen - Borat: Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan; Will Ferrell - Blades Of Glory; Adam Sandler - Click; Ben Stiller - Night At The Museum

Best Kiss: Cameron Diaz & Jude Law - The Holiday; Will Ferrell & Sacha Baron Cohen - Talladega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby; Columbus Short & Meagan Good - Stomp The Yard; Mark Wahlberg & Elizabeth Banks - Invincible Marlon Wayans & Brittany Daniel - Little Man

Best Villain: Tobin Bell - Saw III; Jack Nicholson - The Departed; Bill Nighy - Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest; Rodrigo Santoro - 300; Meryl Streep - The Devil Wears Prada

Best Fight: Jack Black & Hector Jimenez vs. Los Duendes (Wrestling Match) - Nacho Libre; Gerard Butler vs. 'The Uber Immortal' (The Spartan/Persian Battle) - 300; Sacha Baron Cohen vs. Ken Davitian (Naked Wrestle Fight) - Borat: Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan; Will Ferrell vs. Jon Heder (Ice Rink Fight) - Blades of Glory; Uma Thurman vs. Anna Faris (Super Girl Fight) - My Super Ex-Girlfriend

Best Summer Movie You Haven't Seen Yet: Evan Almighty ; Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer ; Hairspray; Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix ; Rush Hour 3 ; Transformers

Warner Bros. Confirms Watson Won't Quit
26 March 2007 (WENN)
Actress Emma Watson has ended speculation about her future as Harry Potter's pal Hermione Granger by confirming to movie executives she'll be by the boy wizard's side for all seven films. Fans were left fretting last week when Watson's co-star Rupert Grint suggested, in a British newspaper article, that his pal might not play a part in all seven planned films. But now Warner Brothers bosses have confirmed the actress has no plans to quit the film franchise. In a statement released on Friday, Warner production president Jeff Robinov said, "We are thrilled and proud that Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert and Emma have chosen to complete the arc of their characters in the final two films." The franchise's fifth movie, Harry Potter & The Order Of The Phoenix will be released this summer - just as author J.K. Rowling's seventh and final Potter book, Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows, hits stores. The sixth Potter film, Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince is scheduled to hit cinemas next summer.

Radcliffe Signs On for Final Two 'Potter' Films
4 March 2007 (WENN)
British actor Daniel Radcliffe's representative has confirmed he has signed on to star in the final two films in the Harry Potter series. The 17-year-old, who has won rave reviews for his performance in the provocative play Equus, will start filming again in September. The then-unknown actor shot to fame in 2001 when he appeared as the boy wizard in the first Harry Potter film. The hit franchise, which continues with the fifth installment, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, later this year has grossed $3.5 billion globally at the box office. Rowling recently announced that the seventh and final book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, will be published on July 21, but no film start date has been officially set.

Rowling Marks Final Potter Moment
2 February 2007 (WENN)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix author J.K. Rowling finished writing the final book in the fantasy franchise three weeks ago - and marked the occasion by leaving graffiti in a Scottish hotel. Eagle-eyed guests at the five-star Balmoral Hotel spotted a line from the best-selling author scrawled in black pen on the back of a marble bust in a room Rowling occupied. She wrote, "J.K. Rowling finished writing Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows in this room (652) on Jan 11th 2007." Rowling yesterday revealed the book, the seventh in the series, will be released onJuly 21.

Final Potter Novel To Be Published on July 21
1 February 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Within minutes after reports appeared that the final Harry Potter novel will be published on July 21, online book sellers were posting announcements that they would begin taking pre-publication orders for it. Interest in the last installment was piqued by author J.K. Rowling's recent revelation that two principal characters in the saga will be killed off (possibly Harry himself). Publication of the book will be preceded one week earlier (July 13) by the penultimate Harry Potter movie, The Order of the Phoenix.

Oprah Is Richest Female Entertainer
19 January 2007 (WENN)
Talk show superstar Oprah Winfrey has topped the first Forbes magazine Richest Women Entertainers List. The big business publication estimates the media mogul has made a staggering $1.5 billion in her career as a newscaster, talk show host, publisher and actress. Winfrey tops Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix author JK Rowling, who comes in second with a $1 billion fortune, while US lifestyle queen Martha Stewart rounds out the top three with $638 million. Madonna ranks fourth on the new list, followed by Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lopez and Jennifer Aniston.

British Film Industry Makes Comeback
15 January 2007 (StudioBriefing)
The hard-hit British film industry came roaring back to life in 2006 as spending on film production rose 48 percent to $1.64 billion, largely due to Hollywood-backed movies like Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, The Bourne Ultimatum, and The Golden Compass. Hollywood films accounted for 60 percent of the total, or $984 million. However, spending on domestic film productions dropped 11 percent to $290 million, according to the British Film Council. John Woodward, chief executive officer of the Film Council, said in a statement: "We are back in business with British film-makers winning international awards, a crop of great British films produced and British talent and facilities in demand from filmmakers around the world. The new tax credit which came into force this year will ensure that the U.K. stays one of the best places in the world to produce a film."

'Order of the Phoenix' Rising
21 November 2006 (StudioBriefing)
Warner Bros.' marketing/publicity campaign for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was officially launched Monday with the release of a still photo showing Harry, played by Daniel Radcliffe, experiencing his first kiss with Cho Chang, played by Katie Leung. A trailer for the film, due to open on July 13, appeared in theaters showing Warner's Happy Feet, then was set to go online on Monday.

Potter Filming Disrupts London Commuters
24 October 2006 (WENN)
Filming on the next Harry Potter movie angered thousands of Londoners on Sunday, after Westminster underground station was closed all day. Angry passengers were turned away by beleaguered tube station staff as film-makers shot sequences for Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix. A Transport For London spokeswoman says, "Planned closures are timed to cause minimum disruption to passengers and commercial requests such as this are subject to an agreed fee. There has been publicity in the area to warn passengers."

'Potter' Fans Angry with Quidditch Omission
3 September 2006 (WENN)
Harry Potter fans are horrified after learning the boy wizard will not play the game of Quidditch in the latest movie. Upcoming installment Order of The Phoenix omits the Quidditch - where pupils at Potter's Hogwarts school try to catch a winged ball - sequence contained in author JK Rowling's book. Film producers decided to axe the sequence due to time constraints. A studio spokesman tells British newspaper The Sun, "It would be wonderful to include every single page of the book. But as with Harry Potter films, elements have had to be omitted." However, the decision has left fans angry. On a Potter website, one disillusioned follower writes, "This makes me mad. I loved that part in the book and Quidditch plays a pretty big part."

Potter Stars' Kissing Marathon
23 August 2006 (WENN)
Harry Potter lovebirds Daniel Radcliffe and Katie Leung had to lock lips a staggering thirty times on the set of the latest movie - just to perfect one kiss. The young stars, who play the boy wizard and his love interest Cho Chang in upcoming installment Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix, share their first love scene in the film but found screen smooching hard to master. Radcliffe, 17, says, "We probably got it on the thirtieth take. My god, it was fun. Me and Katie - we were awkward and nervous at first but once we got it, it was fine." Leung comments of her co-star's technique: "Daniel is a good kisser, I really enjoyed it. He's energetic and makes you feel relaxed."

Oldman Will Make Harry Potter Return
15 February 2006 (WENN)
Harry Potter producers have confirmed Gary Oldman will reprise his role as Sirius Black in Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix - despite reports to the contrary. Oldman, who has appeared in the last two movies adapted from JK Rowling's popular children's books, has yet to be signed for a third term - even though filming for Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix has already begun. But producer David Heyman insists there is plenty of time for Oldman to sign up: "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. We have every intention of having Gary Oldman play Sirius Black." The 47-year-old is currently shooting Zodiac in Los Angeles with director David Fincher.

Oldman Axed from Harry Potter Film?
10 February 2006 (WENN)
Actor Gary Oldman looks unlikely to reprise his role as Sirius Black in the next Harry Potter offering, after reports he has been mysteriously axed from the wizard franchise. Oldman, who has appeared in the last two movies adapted from JK Rowling's popular children's books, has yet to be signed for a third term - even though filming for Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix has already begun. The actor's manager, Douglas Urbanski, tells British newspaper The Sun, "You will be shocked to learn there are no plans for Gary to appear in the film. To say we are puzzled is an understatement at the very least! We are left with no choice but to pursue other employment for him." Vanessa Davis, spokeswoman for production company Warner Brothers, confirms no deal has been reached, but insists there is still time to resolve the confusion. She says, "With any film the priority is confirming the cast who will be on the set from the outset."

Potter Actor Now Richest Teenager in Britain
21 November 2005 (StudioBriefing)
The London Sunday Times has reported that 16-year-old Daniel Radcliffe has signed a deal worth at least $14 million to play Harry Potter once again in the forthcoming Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the fifth film in the series. (It noted that he received $250,000 to make the first Potter film.) The newspaper observed that the deal makes Radcliffe the richest teenager in Britain. In an interview with the newspaper, Radcliffe said, "I don't actually know how much I am worth at this point. In a way, I think that's right. It's not something that affects the way I think about things." The Times observed that Gilmore Jacobs, a firm set up by Radcliffe's parents to manage his business affairs, has earned $17 million from the first three films. Philip Beresford, compiler of The Sunday Times Rich List, said: "I've never seen such profitable accounts for someone so young. I would not be surprised if he enters adulthood with [$34 million] in the bank, with all his taxes paid. He has left his teenage rivals struggling in the slipstream of his broomstick."

Radcliffe Is Britain's Wealthiest Teenager
21 November 2005 (WENN)
Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has been calculated Britain's richest teenager. Radcliffe, who shot to stardom at the age of 11 after starring in JK Rowling's first magical wizard movie Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone, is now 16 and richer than fellow teenagers Charlotte Church and Joss Stone. Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire director Mike Newell is relieved Radcliffe and co-stars Rupert Grint and Emma Watson have not been carried away by their wealth. He says, "They all know exactly what they're worth but they have not become impossible. My worst fear is that they would have realized that they are absolutely the stars." Radcliffe has just signed a $14.4 million deal to make the fifth movie in the series - Harry Potter The Order Of The Phoenix.

Rowling's Latest Book Beats Previous Potter Records
19 July 2005 (WENN)
Author JK Rowling's latest Harry Potter book has beaten the record of her last five boy wizard releases - by selling a staggering 6.9 million copies in America in just 24 hours. The eagerly-awaited Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince novel has earned more than $100 million in revenue by selling over 250,000 copies per hour since its release on Saturday. Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix was Rowling's most popular book until last weekend, selling five million copies in America when it was published in 2003. But her latest book's figures have even beaten the combined US box office sales of popular movies Wedding Crashers and Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. American publisher Scholastic's spokeswoman Lisa Holton says, "When a book beats out movies, we're in great shape. This is a cause for celebration, not just for Scholastic, but for book lovers everywhere."

Rowling Makes $36 Million in a Day
18 July 2005 (WENN)
Harry Potter author JK Rowling has added another $36 million to her fortune - only 24 hours after the sixth book of the boy wizard series went on sale. Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince hit the shelves at one minute past midnight on Saturday to queues of ecstatic fans, and has already sold two million copies by closing time yesterday. When the last book, Harry PotterAnd The Order Of The Phoenix, was released in 2003, the rags-to-riches British author sold 1.7 million copies in the UK and 7 million in the US. But her latest magical adventure is predicted to exceed all previous records, with publishing experts expecting worldwide sales in excess of 10 million. An insider says, "All estimates are that this book will be even bigger than the last one. I think we should expect 2 million sales in Britain on the day of publication."

Radcliffe's Parents Move Location of Fifth Potter Film
19 June 2005 (WENN)
The filming of Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix is returning to its original British location after the parents of Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe voiced safety fears over filming in the Czech Republic. The fifth big screen installment appeared destined to have a Czech location after Warner Bros executives announced earlier this year they were dismantling movie sets at Leavesden studios in Hertfordshire, and rebuilding them in Prague to save production costs. But Daniel's parents, Alan Radcliffe and Marcia Gresham, told producers they were concerned at letting their son - who turns 15 next month - spending long periods of time in a city increasingly famous for its wild nightlife and growing sex industry. As a result the most of the filming will now take place at the original Leavesden studios. A crewmember says, "Some of it is going to happen in Prague but we have been told that most of the filming is going to happen here. It's because of Daniel's parents, and you can see their point. Prague is not the place for a 15-year-old boy to spend several months in." The fourth movie, Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, hits cinemas this November .

Hurley Chased To Star in 'Harry Potter V'
21 February 2005 (WENN)
Movie bosses are pursuing Elizabeth Hurley to play a wicked witch in forthcoming sequel Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix. The 39-year-old British beauty is being lined up to play evil Bellatrix Lestrange, a member of Potter nemesis Voldemort's gang, in the fifth film of the popular wizard series. A source says, "The producers have tried to keep details of the cast under wraps but they have always wanted someone beautiful and mystical to play Bellatrix and they reckon Liz can pull it off." Before Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix hits screens audiences will first be treated to fourth film Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, due for release in November.

Nair Excited About Harry Potter Job
2 September 2004 (WENN)
Indian director Mira Nair has been approached to take charge of the fifth Harry Potter film in 2007. The Monsoon Wedding movie-maker is currently reading the script for Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and considering whether she wants to join the string of directors - including Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuaron and Mike Newell - who have made the big screen adaptations of JK Rowling's best-selling books. Nair says, "I read it over the weekend. I'm still deciding. I'm not letting all this go to my head. I'm grounded. I practice detachment, it helps me keep my balance. I'm a Dilliwalli, only an asana gets me on my head! My son Zoharan's excited. I've seen all the Harry Potter movies with him." Steven Kloves has written all the screenplays for the Potter films.