ROTTEN TOMATOES: Potter Part 5 Gets Production Underway

Potter Part 5 Gets Production Underway

by Scott Weinberg | February 03, 2006

Principal photography will commence February 6 at England’s Leavesden Studios on "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," the fifth film adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s beloved Harry Potter novel series.

Directed by award winning British filmmaker David Yates ("The Girl in the Café," "Sex Traffic," "State of Play"), "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" is produced by Harry Potter film series producer David Heyman and David Barron, from a screenplay by Michael Goldenberg ("Where the Wild Things Are," "Peter Pan," "Contact").

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson reprise their roles as close-knit teen wizards Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The production also welcomes back production designer Stuart Craig, costume designer Jany Temime, creature effects supervisor Nick Dudman, special effects supervisor John Richardson and visual effects supervisor Tim Burke. The director of photography is Slawomir Idziak ("King Arthur," "Black Hawk Down") and the editor is Mark Day ("The Girl in the Café," "State of Play").

Joining the stellar cast are Imelda Staunton ("Nanny McPhee," "Vera Drake") as Dolores Umbridge, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher; George Harris ("The Interpreter," "Black Hawk Down") as Kingsley Shacklebolt; Helen McCrory ("Casanova," "Enduring Love") as Bellatrix Lestrange; Natalia Tena ("Mrs. Henderson Presents," "About a Boy") as Nymphadora Tonks; Kathryn Hunter ("All or Nothing," "Orlando") as Mrs. Figg; and 14 year-old newcomer Evanna Lynch, who beat over 15,000 hopefuls at an open casting call to win the role of Luna Lovegood, a Ravenclaw student who becomes an important ally of Harry, Ron and Hermione’s.

In "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," Harry returns for his fifth year of study at Hogwarts and discovers that much of the wizarding community is in denial about the teenager’s recent encounter with the evil Lord Voldemort, preferring to turn a blind eye to the news that Voldemort has returned. Fearing that Hogwarts’ venerable Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, is lying about Voldemort’s return in order to undermine his power and take his job, the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, appoints a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher to keep watch over Dumbledore and the Hogwarts students. But Professor Dolores Umbridge’s Ministry-approved course of defensive magic leaves the young wizards woefully unprepared to defend themselves against the dark forces threatening them and the entire wizarding community, so at the prompting of his friends Hermione and Ron, Harry takes matters into his own hands. Meeting secretly with a small group of students who name themselves “Dumbledore’s Army,” Harry teaches them how to defend themselves against the Dark Arts, preparing the courageous young wizards for the extraordinary battle that lies ahead.

"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" will be released in 2007.

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(1-20 of 20 posts) | Reply

sparetime writes:
on Feb 03 2006 07:35 PM

[b]it'll be a while, but...[/b]
I can't wait to see production pics...

(Reply to this)

TheIceGhost writes:
on Feb 04 2006 12:20 AM

i think the 4th book is still my favorite book, but this movie should be better than the 4th movie if they do it right (and if richard harris starts playing dumbledore like he should).

(Reply to this)

dracus writes:
on Feb 04 2006 04:54 AM

In reply to this comment (#830788)
TheIceGhost, it's good to see that you picked up on the fact that Richard Harris hasn't been doing as good a job playing Dumbledore as of late. There's a very good reason for that; he's dead. Richard Harris died after The Chamber of Secrets and since The Prisoner of Azkaban, Michael Gambon has been playing Professor Dumbledore. Judging by the fact that you thought Richard Harris was still playing the part, Gambon’s been doing an amazing job, don’t you think?

(Reply to this)

tiamotzz writes:
on Feb 04 2006 07:25 AM

In reply to this comment (#830788)
Huh?! Richard Harris? You mean Michael Gambdon I hope, unless Harris can channel from the beyond?

(Reply to this)

inessalenin writes:
on Feb 04 2006 08:48 AM

Hope the script adaptation get a breakthough better!
Not only changing director, but also script writer!

(Reply to this)

lovelykeira writes:
on Feb 04 2006 11:35 AM

The 4th book was by far the best, so it's all downhill now, definitely including that the last book was my least favorite.

(Reply to this)

sauronthegr8 writes:
on Feb 04 2006 11:48 AM

[b]was 4 best?[/b]
Alright I know everyone says that potter 3 was the best one and is so much better than the previous two. but in my humble opinion, I really think that all of them are pretty much equal as far as how good they are. The third and fourth do have a different style, but they're all pretty much just three star movies, meaning they are good, but not masterpieces. I'll admit Harry and the gang are aging wonderfully, but neither 3 nor 4 was better than 1 or 2, so if they continue making quality movies like they have been, I see no way it could go wrong.

(Reply to this)

sauronthegr8 writes:
on Feb 04 2006 11:49 AM

[b]was 4 best?[/b]
Alright I know everyone says that potter 3 was the best one and is so much better than the previous two. but in my humble opinion, I really think that all of them are pretty much equal as far as how good they are. The third and fourth do have a different style, but they're all pretty much just three star movies, meaning they are good, but not masterpieces. I'll admit Harry and the gang are aging wonderfully, but neither 3 nor 4 was better than 1 or 2, so if they continue making quality movies like they have been, I see no way it could go wrong.

(Reply to this)

Ashron writes:
on Feb 04 2006 02:31 PM

I just want to see how well Umbridge translates to the screen, because she's one of the most evil characters I've read in a book in a long time.

(Reply to this)

haelohm writes:
on Feb 04 2006 02:44 PM

[b]YES![/b]
I cannot wait for this movie! the 4th, 5th, and 6th books all tie for my favorites in the series. I really hope Michael Goldenburg does a great job with the script, because it will be tough. I think he will because he did a very decent job with Peter Pan. Bring on one of the most anticipated movies of 2007!!

(Reply to this)

r_curl04 writes:
on Feb 04 2006 09:28 PM

this is my favourite book out of all of them. the movies to me suck. they suck big time. but i will be willing to see this movie if they stay true to the story...

I don't think they really planned this movie when they were making goblet of fire. Seeing as to how Doby plays a big part in this book and how he wasnt in the last one. How will they just magically add that he is working at Hogwarts?

hah, i said magically.

(Reply to this)

tiamotzz writes:
on Feb 04 2006 11:21 PM

In reply to this comment (#830797)
I really liked Order of the Phoenix, and I DON'T say 3 or 4 was best at all.

(Reply to this)

sleeplessdave writes:
on Feb 05 2006 10:29 AM

Nothing happens in book 5 so I'm kind of interested in how they're going to fill a movie. There are some nice moments but overall it leaves you at the same place you are at when Goblet ends. Thank God she redeemed herself in book 6.

(Reply to this)

AgentIndigo writes:
on Feb 05 2006 02:31 PM

ever noticed that every Harry Potter movie is consistantly described as darker than the previous ones?

(Reply to this)

Friends_best_show_ever writes:
on Feb 05 2006 07:10 PM

They are darker than the previous ones. So far, anyway. The 4th was my favorite so far. I think they all keep getting better and better and hope this continues till the end of 7. The 4th was my favorite movie of last year (of the movies that I've seen thus far).

(Reply to this)

foolofatook writes:
on Feb 05 2006 08:35 PM

OotP disapointed me slightly when I read it first... though my expectations were just too high. Good book though, probably my 4th favorite in the series behind PoA, GoF, and then HBP. Looking forward to all the new cast members, hopeful it'll be another good installment.

(Reply to this)

green_day11 writes:
on Feb 06 2006 03:43 PM

the ice ghost, richard harris DIED right after chamber of secrets

(Reply to this)

AttackofClones18 writes:
on Feb 09 2006 09:19 PM

I REALLY hope they make this film REALLY dark. Like on the verge of "R". As Harry grows older, his life does get more complicated and the audience expects more of him as he grows older, so the climax of 'Sorcerer' Stone" should look like kiddy play once the series gets over with. And to be released in 2007??? The studio could push and have this movie out for a Christmas 2006 release.

(Reply to this)

Bane Of Anubis writes:
on Feb 10 2006 10:27 AM

[b]It doesn't matter.[/b]
The fourth book was the best book that could port to a movie. The 5th one's just a whole bunch of words that aren't saying too much, but Potterphiles will lap it up. Same w/ the 6th (although, though it ended a bit too predictably, it was more entertaining than 5) book.

JKR's writing is relativley fast paced, which is good, but there's just not much meat to the 5th book (I guess they'll have to play up to the psychological angst that's become thoroughly annoying and hackneyed).

Oh well -- it's entertaining at least, even if it has become overwritten and trite in far too many places.

And yeah, what's up with Michael Gambon looking like a hobo?

Here's another reason Book 3 is easily the worst book in the series:

If they've got their time shifting thingamabob, why not just go back in time and fix all the situations where people die, like they did in the 3rd book? Oh, because that would be a deus ex machina... Plot development is her strong suit -- plot consistency...hmmm, that she is far lacking in.

(Reply to this)

kenporules writes:
on Feb 10 2006 06:59 PM

Every time I hear of a new Potter movie, I think "if it's half as good as the last one, I'll be satisfied". But each film so far has managed to actually top the one before it. Not only are they incredibly entertaining, but quite well written, filmed, and acted too.

(Reply to this)

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