NEWS FOR THE DAY 22.07.06

Update on OotP Comic-Con Video Message

Several reports are now online about the video message played at Comic-Con promoting Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Latino Review says the video of " Daniel Radcliffe and the director was played to introduce the film. Each of them alludes to a famous kiss, but is humorously interrupted by something in the telling." Quint from Ain't It Cool.com also attended the Warner Brothers presentation at Comic-Con today, and has a few additional details. He says:

"The video was really short, but had Daniel Radcliffe sitting in Trelawney's classroom, introducing David Yates. He acts like he's about to tell us a big Potter secret when Yates shows up and interrupts. They talked a tad about getting to see Umbridge (who Yates called a genetic splice between Doris Day and Freddy Kruger) and Hagrid's big giant brother.

We will update with more when we can. Anyone who attended, please send in their report!

New Interview with Actor Warwick Davis

SnitchSeeker.com let us know they have a new video interview with actor Warwick Davis. In this interview, he talks about his role as Professor Flitwick, filming for Order of the Phoenix, and his hope that Flitwick will be in all seven movies. To watch the interivew, and read the transcript, click here. Some highlights:

SS.com: Any romance on the set?

WD: I haven't noticed anything. I'm sure there are some. I'm sure some of the animals get friendly. You know, Filch's cat often likes the rat. But I think he's probably looking at it for dinner actually. He he.

SS.com: Will you be in all of the Harry Potter films?

WD: Will I be sticking around? I hope so, Goodness me! *crosses fingers* I'm hoping [Flitwick] make it through the books alive, and I'm hoping that the producers will ask me back for the movies. I'm part of the furniture now at Hogwarts, I'm part of the decoration there. Hopefully it wouldn't be the same without me popping up.

Thanks to SnitchSeeker!

Goblet of Fire Nominated for Spike TV "SCREAM" Award

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire has received a nomination as "Best Fantasy Film" at the first annual Spike TV SCREAM Awards. These award nominations, which were announced today at Comic-Con International, are being held to celebrate "horror, sci-fi, fantasy and comic books," and will be broadcast on cable channel Spike TV Tuesday, October 10. Voting is open to the public, which you can do via this link, and runs now through October 6.

Happy Birthday, Jamie!

Today is the 17th birthday of my favorite evil Slytherin, Jamie Waylett (aka Vincent Crabbe). Jamie, we hope you have an awesome one, and we can't wait to see what horribly embarrassing thing happens to Crabbe in Order of the Phoenix! :)

Jason Isaacs Talks OotP in New TV Guide Interview

TV Guide has a new interview with actor Jason Isaacs where he discusses his return role as Lucius Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Jason says again that he will be back filming OotP in September, and also reminisces about working on Chamber of Secrets as well in this funny new interview. Quotage:

TVGuide.com: Where do you stand with the next Potter film, Order of the Phoenix? [Isaacs plays Lucius Malfoy, the father of Harry's archrival, Draco.]
Isaacs: I'm shooting [State Within in Canada] all of next month, and then I go home, unpack, get the mothballs off the wig, stick it on and start waving my wand about.

TVGuide.com: A Potterphile pal of mine says fans are anxious to see how Order of the Phoenix handles the Battle of the Ministry, a "beyond huge" moment, I am told, in Potter lore.
Isaacs: I am, too. This is all as entertaining for me as it is for many of the fans. I turn up and they go, "OK, you materialize from here and you fly in over here, and then you point at this and it's going to explode...." I stand there with my jaw dropped. When I did [Chamber of Secrets], they said, "OK, there's going to be a little blue guy [Dobby the House Elf] walking next to you and then he's going to jump up to here...." [Laughs] On the first day of the first one I did, the first shot I had to do was storming out of a room, leaving the lovely Richard Harris (the original Dumbledore) and Daniel [Radcliffe, Harry]. [Director] Chris Columbus shouted, "OK, and then shut the door on your way out." I said, "Do I have to shut the door? I don't know what the rules are, but can I just wave my hand and the door shuts by magic?" Chris paused for a second and said, "Sure. If you like." That's when I knew I was going to have a great ride.

TVGuide.com: Lucius must be pretty fed up with always being bested by those pesky kids.
Isaacs: Well, I know that I go to prison for No. 6 [Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince], so I suspect that I have time to build up another deep well of bitterness that hopefully will burst out in No. 7.

In a related note, Jason has contributed for a charity auction on Ebay an autographed photo from his new television series, Brotherhood. The proceeds from this auction benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, an organization Jason has long supported. Thanks to Kim, Wendy, Hilary, Char, and Kay.