News For The Day 11/02/07

Hi ya folks... there was nothing much to post yesterday.. .so here I am once again with the news for the day.

tejas

Stuart Craig Now Designing Astronomy Tower for "Half-Blood Prince" Film

Well as if there hasn't been enough interesting news tonight, as a followup to those new Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix set photos we first told you about Friday, Newsweek has now posted a short new interview with Stuart Craig about his work on the film for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. In an article that gives some cool tidbits and trivia about the sets used for the first five Harry Potter films, Mr. Craig also confirms again he is hard at work designing the sets for the sixth Potter film, including those pivotal (and tragic) scenes at the end of HBP:

"Craig is now designing sets for the sixth film, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," including the astronomy tower where a beloved character will plummet to his death. "It has to be impressive and beautiful and poignant," Craig says. "So I'm looking forward to doing that." He's also anxious to get his hands on J. K. Rowling's seventh, and final, book in the series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," due in stores July 21, one week after "Phoenix" hits screens. "I can't wait," he says. "We need to know which sets to retain for the last film." Not that he'll get an early peek. "I never have before," he says, and laughs. "I just have to go to the bookshop"—like every other fan."

While no director has yet been announced for the movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is set to begin filming later this summer.

Dan Radcliffe: JKR says Dumbledore in "Deathly Hallows" was "Giving Me a lot of Trouble"

A second in depth interview with actor Dan Radcliffe is now online tonight, where the young actor discusses his role as Harry Potter as well as his performance in the upcoming production of "Equus.There are also some very interesting comments on a conversation Dan recounts that he had with author J.K.Rowling during a recent set visit while filming Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, where the subject of writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was briefly discussed, and our beloved late Hogwarts Headmaster was mentioned. Full quotage from this new interview in The Guardian is as follows:

"What does he think will happen in the final book? Will he die?

'I think I will. I sort of hope I will, really. I think that's really the only way Jo can end it, if Harry and Voldemort... Maybe one can only die if the other one dies. I don't know that for sure. But I'm quite looking forward to doing a death scene, if I get that opportunity.'

But honestly, he says, he has no idea of how the series will end. Nor does he want to. He's a Potter fan, like everyone else. 'Jo came down to the set at one point and I said, "Oh hello, why are you here today?" And she said, "Oh I just needed a break from the book - Dumbledore's giving me a lot of trouble." And I said, "But isn't he dead?" And she said, "Well, yeah, but it's more complex ..." I was like, [briskly] "OK, I'm not gonna ask anything else!"'

This lengthy interview also covers subjects such as his career, future films, a tad on the upcoming OotP film, and Dan also says Jo will be coming to see him in the production of "Equus," which begins previews next week in London.

"'She's coming to see it!' he says, beaming. 'She's very excited about it, which is great! I think it will be weird for her because - I'm not sure how true it is - someone said that when she first saw my screen test she said something about it being like she'd found the son she never had. So it's going to be very weird for her to see her long-lost son blind horses! I look forward to hearing what she thinks.'

Sunday Times Feature on Actor Dan Radcliffe

The Sunday Times newspaper has a lengthy new interview with actor Dan Radcliffe covering his role as Harry Potter, his future acting career, and his upcoming appearance in the play "Equus." In this in depth piece, Dan addresses why he is taking on the challenging role in the play noting the time is right for him to grow and develop his career as an actor.

"Better sooner than later. To some people, I will only ever be Harry. I know that, I don't fight it. I don't want to distance myself from him. I'm proud of that work. But I do want to show them that I am not Harry Potter. I am an actor."

There is a mention that Dan has signed on to return as Harry Potter for the last two films, and Dan continues on to says that filming that very last scene as Harry would be a difficult thing for him.

"When I've shot the last scene of the last movie, I will be devastated. Harry Potter has provided my friends, seen me through my exams. I've had my first girlfriend, my first kiss. It's been my life." Does Harry need to die for Radcliffe to be finally free of him? "I want him to die because I have a melodramatic yearning for a death scene. And the prophecy in the fifth book says only one of Harry and Voldemort can live. Or is it that neither can live while the other survives? Oh God, what is it? The fans will kill me if I've got that wrong."

To read further remarks from this thoughtful young man about such things as actor Gary Oldman ("Gary is 5ft 8in and skinny, but he is magnetic. I'm 5ft 5in, but I'm going to start calling myself 5ft 6in."), as well as his feelings on subjects like school and dating ("I'm 17, and as long as girls are interested in me, that's fantastic."), please click here.

Equus, which co-stars Dan Radcliffe and Richard Griffiths (Uncle Vernon) begins previews in London on Feb 16.
Thanks to HPANA and DanRadcliffe.com!

OOTP pics: High-res Draco, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny

First up, the picture of Draco now online in higher quality.

Second, a scan of an upcoming German calendar can be found here, which features Harry and a new photo of Hermione.

Lastly, a large photo of an upcoming stamp to be used in France as part of a promotional campaign can be seen here. It includes a new photo of Harry and Ginny.

Rupert Grint interviewed in Saddle Club

The February/March issue of The Saddle Club features a new interview with Rupert Grint where he talks about the sixth film, the fandom, and recent rumors concerning Emma Watson:

I heard that Emma Watson might leave the series before it's over. Do you know the story there?
I'm not actually sure. I don't really know the details, but I have heard that. I don't know. It would be weird without her, and it would be a sort of shame if she doesn't stick it out. It's not up to me because they do take up so much of your life. I don't know what she thinks, but I do hope that she doesn't leave.

Did she say anything while you've been filming like, "I can't take this anymore!"
No, not really. She hasn't really talked about it. I know me and Dan [Radcliffe] are going to stick it out. So we'll just have to see really. I hope she doesn't leave.

It's important to note that, even though Rupert has heard them too, rumors of Emma leaving the series before the seventh film should be taken with a grain of salt.

Harry Potter 'Gets Fuzzy' twice

The two most recent comic strips from "Get Fuzzy" have included Voldemort and Chamber of Secrets, respectively. Thanks to everyone who's e-mailed with the tip!

Half-Blood Prince most borrowed book in Scotland

The Scotsman reports today that Half-Blood Prince is the most borrowed book in Scottish libraries:

The PLR's registrar, Jim Parker, said the regional trend in Scotland was much more pronounced than in other UK areas. The Welsh top ten, for instance, features only one Welsh writer, Iris Gower, at number ten.

"Whether it's because they want to read Scots writers, or because there are so many good Scottish crime writers, I'm not sure. Perhaps a bit of both.

HBP was followed by two Ian Rankin novels: A Question of Blood and Freshmarket Close.

MSNBC previews Order of the Phoenix

A few new pictures from the film are a part of MSNBC's special preview of Order of the Phoenix. You can now see high-res versions below:

- The Atrium
- Harry in the Ministry of Magic
- Harry preparing for Occlumency lessons

To read their article, click here, then click on "Exclusive look at new 'Harry Potter'" on the right.

Check it out right here. Thanks to Harry Latino!

This Sunday's edition of the New York Times will feature a review of MuggleNet.com's What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7:

The authors of "What Will Happen" run MuggleNet.com, a delightfully thorough and fanciful Web site devoted to all aspects of the world of Harry Potter. Though they self-deprecatingly call themselves Muggles - a Muggle is a person without the powers of a wizard - the authors of this rapt little volume appear to have magically transported every bit of information in the Potter epic into their own lively, teeming brains. They are as adept at parsing plot details as they are at anatomizing the characters' motives and predicting their next steps. The founder of MuggleNet.com - established when he was 12 - even has a name right out of Hogwarts: Emerson Spartz. Spartz and his colleagues apply themselves to every question and conundrum that Rowling (or J.K.R., as they affectionately refer to her) has created and thus far left unresolved.

You can read the full review online now and expect to find it in print this Sunday. There is also a small article on the online fandom (including a blurb about MuggleCast) that will accompany the review at this link. Interested in purchasing your own copy of the book? Click here!