Bloomsbury Redesigns Harry Potter Books! Bloomsbury’s Harry Potter website has been updated to show us that they have designed new covers for all the Harry Potter books; “The Signature Look”. Theywill be released on November 1st! According to The Bookseller:
The new “Signature” livery was created by Webb and Webb Design Limited, with illustrations by linocut artist Clare Melinsky on the front cover, back cover and spine, to “appeal to the next generation of readers who did not ‘grow up’ with Harry Potter and who have not yet experienced the thrill of life at Hogwarts”, according to the publisher.Melinsky said: “I was delighted and excited to be asked to illustrate the covers for such massively famous books—and seven of them! It was top secret for the best part of a year.”
Coincidentally, I had just finished my own redesign of the Potter books, I went for a more simple look but if you are interested you can check them out here!
Harry Potter LEGO Y1-4 video game News
Today we have a bunch of news on the Harry Potter LEGO Years 1-4 video game. First, the release date has been pushed back to June 29, 2010. Also, thanks to UHP we have a new video from WB France that shows the game being played.
Ellen’s Official Website has been updated with a preview of her trip to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Theme Park.
The episode featuring the full visit will air on Thursday, April 1st! Check your local listings to see when the show airs in your area.
Rupert Talks Deathly Hallows Filming
Rupert spoke to the Press Association about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows filming and the epilogue!
Asked who he would like to play him as an older man, Rupert said: “I think they’re going to go down the route of using make-up to make us look older, ’cause it’s only 20 years, we won’t have changed too much.”
The final scene sees Harry married to Ginny Weasley, played by Bonnie Wright, and Hermione and Ron married. Rupert admits filming the last instalment of the franchise has been emotional.
Speaking at the Empire Awards, he said: “We’re approaching the last few weeks, I think it will be quite a sad one, but it’s been so long, I think we’ll get over it. We’ll stay in touch.”
Monday, March 29, 2010
Time to Vote!! This time, it's for the 2010 MTV Movie Awards. What's at stake? Five slots for our beloved Harry Potter cast. Tom Felton as Best Villain Daniel Radcliffe as Best Male Performance & Global Superstar category Emma Watson for Best Female Performance and lastly Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince for Best Movie. Competition's fierce this year, so every vote counts. Let yours be counted. Go vote HERE! And then stay tuned 6-June-2010 @9PM EST.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Dumbledore wraps!
Thursday last week (18th March) officially marked the final day of filming for Sir Michael Gambon in this, his 6th Harry Potter film...... where does the time go! We wish him well in his future projects and thank him for doing the impossible and replacing the late Richard Harris and making Dumbledore his own - a job very well done in the end.
"Hogwarts is threatened! Man the boundaries, protect us, do your duty to our school!"
As the magically amplified voice of Voldemort booms out over Hogwarts demanding Harry Potter be handed over to him, the final battle commences........
" I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you.. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."
If the picture doesn't say it all, then this muggles, is another exclusive hp4u photograph of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, as it stands now :-(
High-Res version will be posted, along with MORE amazing photos and reports which you will only find HERE!
If you've not done so already, be sure to check out the online store, now fully stocked with some of THE most incredible Harry Potter 1st Editions money can buy.
Godric's Hollow Scenes An odd bit of news on some filming for the film. The following has been reported by Suffolk Free Press: Scenes from the forthcoming Hollywood blockbuster Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows have been filmed in Lavenham. Although none of the cast was present for the filming, the characters of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger will be added through computer wizardry – meaning film fans will actually see the Warner Bros blockbuster's main protagonists appearing in Lavenham's streets. Jane Gosling, manager of the National Trust-run Lavenham Guildhall, spoke to the Free Press about the film crew's visit in January.
She said: "It was all very exciting. What the film-makers are going to do is turn parts of Lavenham into Godric's Hollow (a village featured in the book and film series) and the Guildhall will be Harry Potter's parents' house. "It is all very clever. They filmed parts of Lavenham and will edit out any modern houses and bits they don't want digitally." Prior to the day of filming, which took place on Friday, January 29, location managers working on the seventh instalment of the film franchise made several visits to Lavenham and decided to use it as the basis for Godric's Hollow after deciding it had an "ethereal" quality.
New & Improved Scholastic.com has made some changed to their page dedicated to Harry Potter. They had this to say for it: "This site now offers a great new level of interactivity for people unfamiliar with the books as well as those fans that have followed the series form beginning to end. The new site is specifically built to be an evergreen destination and will grow to accommodate more fun activities for the rabid Harry Potter fanbase. Users can practice their Harry Potter knowledge via the orbs to possibly unlock some interesting magical challenges (currently for Years 1 and 2 only), get an overview of the books, find out more about the author and illustrator, and engage with the series like never before." To enter, you must answer 4 answers correctly out of 5 questions given. Be sure to check it out HERE.
Two new Videos!! The 1st is from one Thierry Coup, via News4Jax in Florida. This piece is an interview with the head of Creation for Universal Studios' The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and also shows a bit of The Forbidden Journey. The video is 5:48 long, with the last minute completely spent on showing us bits and pieces of the inner workings of Hogwarts. Check it out HERE. There's also a short bit (1:01) featuring Mark Woodbury- Pres of Universal Creative, that Universal Studios just put out. The first is Definitely much better, but should you wish to check out US's official piece, you can find it HERE. For the page Universal Studios has created for the newest theme park, check it all out HERE.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
And the date is..... After one seriously long wait for the upcoming theme park, we've been given its' grand opening date. They will open the gates to Hogsmede 18-June-2010!! Some of the fan sites got a chance to check out the place earlier, and if you'd like to get a detailed bit on what it's like inside, please check out a report written from our friends at The Daily Snitcher here.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Contest through Scholastic New contest yet again. This one is through Scholastic. The details: If you're living in the United States and are between the ages 7-14, you may enter for the chance to win a trip (for four) to Universal Studios' new Harry Potter theme park. There will a total of four grand prizes given away.
Four Grand Prize trips for 4 include:
Roundtrip airfare
Ground transfers to/from airport in Orlando
3 nights at an on-site hotel
3-day/2-park admission to both Universal Orlando theme parks
All that's required is your name, email, and your parent's email. Simple as that. Contest runs from 1-March-2010 at 12:01 a.m. EST through 1-June-2010 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Scholastic will be contacting winners 10-June-2010. Go HERE to enter. Good luck!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Fire on the set A fire broke out at an HP set in Leavesden. What with the pyrotechnics in these movies, it's really to be a surprise it's not happened until now. Fire Patrol was called out when a mocked up castle caught on fire around 9pm last night.
Watch commander Tony Smith said: "I think they are filming some stunts for the last scene. There is a big battle scene involving a lot of pyrotechnics and explosions. There is a mocked up castle made of timber, steel and plastic - somehow it caught alight. By the time we got there the on-site fire crew had it pretty well under control - they did a good job. We just helped damp it down and inspected the area. I didn't see any cast - but there were about 100 crew, who were all evacuated to a marshaling area. They didn't seem too concerned. It's hard to say how much damage was caused, because some of it may have been planned as part of the filming. Perhaps they got much better footage than they expected." **This is Local London
Explosives used in action sequences set light to scenery for the wizardry school. Firefighters battled for 40 minutes to bring the flames under control but the set - centerpiece for the film's Battle of Hogwarts climax - was left badly damaged. Our source on set said: "We were shooting the scenes where Hogwarts gets blown up during the battle. But fire managed to catch hold of the set and it went up in flames. It was completely out of control at one point." Some actors were still filming at the studio but none of the movie's biggest stars - Daniel Radcliffe (Harry), Emma Watson (Hermione) or Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) - was involved. No one was injured but our source added: "The special effects guys involved are devastated." "There's always a risk when there's shooting involving fire and explosives but this shouldn't happen." The costly blaze will not help studio bosses, who are battling to finish the film in time for its November release.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Bits of The Deathly Hallows Shown WB was apparently a smash at ShoWest the other night. They brought out several different movies to get a glimpse at, one of course being the upcoming Death Hallows. Cinemablend had the following to say on the viewing: They weren't just bold in what they showed us, but how they did it-- the first scene of the extended trailer was Harry and Voldemort's confrontation in the woods outside Hogwarts. Harry, bloodied and visibly terrified, approaches a cold Voldemort (flanked by Bellatrix Lestrange); Voldemort taunts Harry, "The boy who lived, come to die." We saw little bits of everything, from the seven Harry Potters escaping from the Dursleys house (totally surreal) to the attack at Bill and Fleur's wedding to the escape from Gringotts on the pale dragon and even Hogwarts on fire. With unfinished effects it's hard to really say how it all looks, though some of the most effective moments were the simplest-- Ron and Harry's fight in the tent, Harry visiting his parents' graves, running away from the Snatchers in the woods, Harry defiantly telling Voldemort that he stays alive "because I have something worth fighting for." One odd moment-- one of the final shots was of Hermione riding a broom, by herself, escaping from a fireball that's likely the curse that Crabbe and Goyle set off in the Room of Requirement near the end. Did Hermione ever ride a broom by herself in the books? Is this a change that will mean something bigger, or just something convenient so the movie doesn't have to bother explaining that Hermione isn't good on a broom? It's the kind of nitpick that only the geekiest Harry Potter fans will ever care about-- but that's what you have me for, isn't it?
Collider.com was also there, and had this to say: The footage started with Voldemort walking in the forest with all of his followers around him. He was looking for Harry. While I assumed the footage was going to be just from the first Harry Potter movie coming this November, I think the opening was from part 2 and it was from the big climatic battle between Harry and Voldemort! I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. So we see Harry coming towards Voldemort partly beat up and with a look of nervousness. It was then we cut away… I’d say in total the footage was 4-7 minutes but I could be off. Other bits of footage were Harry, Ron and Hermione in the forest fighting as Ron tells Harry that since he already lost his family his pain isn’t as important (or something like that). We also saw tons of pre-viz mixed in with shot footage like Harry flying with Hagrid and Voldemort chasing him with other Death Eaters. I also saw a scene of all the Harry’s from the beginning of the book. Other bits were the kids in London walking around, Bill Nighy as Rufus Scrimgeour, Harry and Ginny kissing, Snape at a very large table with Voldemort and his followers telling him that Harry will be brought to a safehouse where it would be hard to get him (the beginning of movie 1), and so much more. Some of the footage looked like it was done and some was very rough. The only thing I knew for certain after watching the footage was the movie is going to be amazing and I am so happy the last book is in two parts.
The trailer ended with the info of when the movies are getting released and how they’re both in 3D. Which is awesome.
New Video Footage First, for a sneak peak behind the scenes of HP. It's just a one minute long piece trying to gear everyone up for the announcement of the Grand Opening of the HP theme park. Which will be announced 25-March @ 12 EST.
The next is another small piece by Orlando's 6 News, showing some aerial footage of what they say is the Park entertaining the Corporate big shots. Also has many employees in their costumes and moving in and out of the now guarded area. You can check that out by going HERE. **Thanks to The DailySnitcher on this.;)
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Tom Felton Talks DH Filming and DH Epilogue! While at the Remember Me premiere last night, Tom Felton did a few interviews where he talked about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Freddie Stroma Back for Deathly Hallows! Freddie Stroma will be returning as Cormac McLaggen in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II! Waring and McKenna have updated their site to confirm this news!
His status is set at: “Filming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”
Amazon.com has put up a bunch of 2011 Harry Potter Calendars for pre-order and release in August! I know I’ll be getting the wall calendar and a day-by-day if that is what “Box Calendar” means; how about you?!
Video Inside Potter Theme Park The Today Show has posted a video from inside The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park! They show a newscaster at the Hogwarts Express and he talks about some of the things you can buy! We even get to see some store fonts!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
New Interview with Jason Isaacs BBC Radio 2 has a new interview on Lucius Malfoy's 'ending' in The Deathly Hallows. To listen to the piece go HERE, or view below: "In fact, [Lucius' ending] wasn't planned. It was a decision made about how Lucius should end his bit in the story and we'd been leading up to it for a while and David - the lovely director - came to me and goes "What are we going to do with you that's really great? How are we going to do the ending?" And one day I came up with this thing and he went "gasp Oh that's it! Oh that's it. It'll be great."
We shot some particular bit but I still had months left to film. And I went to the trailer and took my wig off and the First Assistant came to me and said "Jason I'm just looking at the schedule and I noticed that, actually, we don't need you now." And I said "Why?" and he said "Well because that thing you decided to do means you're not in that scene or that scene or that scene." And I went [jokingly] "Ahhh! I've changed my mind!" **Thanks to TheDailySnitcher for this
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Updates on the HP Park Behind the Thrills has some new pics along with a small piece they wrote up. You can find both below. You would think that with the closure of Dragons things would be flying up all over the place,but the biggest edition to the area seems to be two HUGE flying hog statues at the entrance to Hogwarts. These look like they may be animatronic, or lit up, or they simply have them covered to avoid damage to the facial features. But if you look closely at the wings, you can see they went a very brushed bronze and gave a lot of detail to them. The greenhouse is amazing. It is getting that old used look more and more. The three broomsticks is putting on huts on the back porch. the white aluminum is being painted to give it that wooden look, and I bet we see some thatch going up soon. But the most impressive thing happening at Potter is the light. The lanterns are lit, and in the night light you can see a lot of details that you weren't able to see in the daylight. The snow on the roofs sparkle like freshly fallen snow, and you can even see some of the icicles coming off the roofs as well. Late last week Universal sent out picture of the Hogwarts Express blowing smoke. If you look closely you can see a ramp leading up to it. Is this just an entrance into the owl post? Or is this just for effect? Maybe we'll see something else happening over there like perhaps all the students will come from backstage as if they just exited the HE? Exciting!
More New Pics A few more can be found at Worthington Photo. I've put a few below, but check out the site for all their images.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
HP Kids The Ellen Degeneres Show has something new for proud Harry Potter parents. A new page 'Be a Part of the Show' is up now on her site, and is for parents of Harry Potter fans. It reads as such:
Does Your Kid Know Everything About Harry Potter?
Do you have a precocious child who knows everything there is to know about Harry Potter books and movies? Is talking about Harry Potter his or her favorite subject? If so, we want to hear about them! Click here to tell us about your little wizard.
They request simple things such as: Name, email, phone number, address, photo (of child) and a small (1500 characters limit) 'Tell us your story'. To check it out and/or fill it out, go HERE.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Unrelated, but Smashing!! Ok, there's absolutely no news in the HP World, so I'm going to post a piece that's totally unrelated, but good news. I'd like to take a minute to congratulate Ellie Goulding. Her debut album, Lights, just hit the charts and went straight to the top. HP4U and I would like to wish her the best! Cheers all!
Monday, March 08, 2010
Nighy on The Deathly Hallows Bill Nighy spoke a little on his part in the upcoming The Deathly Hallows.
Friday, March 05, 2010
The Making of Potter Universe NBC made an announcement the other day that they're going to have a 'Making of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter' special on 6-June-2010. No other information has been given out so far aside from the following: "The Making of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter," which gives viewers a sneak peak of the Universal Orlando Resort's new theme park attraction"
New HP Park Brochure Universal Studios has just released a brochure that includes the new Harry Potter Park. It tells the following: Dragon Challenge You’ll feel like a Triwizard Tournament competitor as you climb aboard one of two ferocious dragons that twist, loop and nearly collide in an intertwining roller coaster chase across the sky. Each “dragon” is a completely different ride! Must be at least 54” (5 feet).
Flight of the Hippogriff Hagrid will teach you the proper way to approach the Hippogriff before you take off on a family-friendly coaster that spirals and dives around the pumpkin patch and past Hagrid’s hut. Must be at least 36” (3 feet).
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey Make your way through the classrooms and corridors of Hogwarts, then soar above the castle on this groundbreaking ride that lets you join Harry Potter and his friends on a thrilling adventure. Must be at least 48” (4 feet).
New Contest @ Scholastic While Scholastic has temporarily closed the HP site (reads that it will be back up in two weeks with new features), it has also set up a new contest for Harry Potter fans. It's called The Real Magic of Harry Potter Sweepstakes! The prize? Not one, but four grand prize trips to the upcoming Harry Potter theme park in Florida's Universal Studios. Ok, here's the part many may not like: You MUST be a U.S. resident, and be between the ages of 7-14. What the trip contains? Roundtrip airfare, transportation to/from airport, 3 days at on-site hotel, and 3 day 2-park admissions to both parks (Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure). Contest is open till 1-June-2010. Winners will be notified on/about 10-June. Enter HERE.
Preview of HP Park in April Watch the Ellen DeGeneres Show? You might want to the 1st and 2nd of April. That's when she'll be airing a special walk-through of the Harry Potter Park on her show. It will be a pre-recorded piece that will actually have been done (walk-through) on 28-March, 2010, AND, if you'd like to be a part of the show, feel free to request tickets to the 28th's show. You can do that HERE. You must be at least 18 to request tickets and must be at least 14 to go. And yes, you need to be able to attend in Orlando, Florida. Good luck to any!
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Harry Potter Weekend PLUS Deathly Hallows Clip! abc Family is having another Harry Potter weekend, but what makes it fun is that they are playing the extended Order of the Phoenix AND showing a preview of Deathly Hallows (the one that was on the Half-Blood Prince dvd)!!!!
Spend three days enjoying every spell, snitch and scar-burning moment of the first five films in the Harry Potter franchise with ABC Family’s “Harry Potter Weekend” on Friday, March 19 through Sunday, March 21. The weekend event also includes the basic cable premiere of “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” featuring deleted scenes not included in the original film version.
Along with a weekend full of wizarding fun, ABC Family will be premiering a two-minute never-seen-before on television sneak peek of the upcoming film, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” throughout the weekend event.
Friday, March 19th • (7:30 – 11:00 PM ET/PT) Sorcerer’s Stone
Saturday, March 20th • (9:00 AM – 12:30 PM ET/PT) Sorcerer’s Stone • (12:30 – 4:30 PM ET/PT) Chamber of Secrets • (4:30 – 7:30 PM ET/PT) Prisoner of Azkaban • (7:30 – 11:00 PM ET/PT) Goblet of Fire
Sunday, March 21st • (9:30 AM – 1:30 PM ET/PT) Chamber of Secrets • (1:30 – 4:30 PM ET/PT) Prisoner of Azkaban • (4:30 – 8:00 PM ET/PT) Goblet of Fire • (8:00 – 11:00 PM ET/PT) Order of the Phoenix
Jason Isaacs Says Goodbye to his Lucius Wig In yet another great new interview, actor Jason Isaacs talks some more about saying goodbye to the Potter franchise and to his *gasp* long blond Lucius Malfoy wig! And no, he didn't get to keep it as a souvenir:
"... Saying goodbye to the wig was a very emotional experience. I don't get to keep the wig. I don't know, it might be on a traveling exhibit. I think it's got a very good agent who's got some more work lined up."
Monday, March 01, 2010
Daniel Talks About The End of Potter Filming MTV has a new interview with Daniel Radcliffe where he talks about the end of Potter filming.
“It will be very sad when it comes to a finishing,” Daniel Radcliffe said of his rapidly diminishing days working on the final “Potter” film. “But it’s something you have to accept. Yeah, we’ve had a few people finish off their stories in the film, and they’ve been going home,” Radcliffe said of actors like Helena Bonham Carter, who told us recently that she wrapped a few months ago. “It is odd [seeing them leave].
“I did have a moment the other day, in the makeup room that I have been in for 10 years now,” he revealed. “I did walk in and go, ‘Wow, this is [hitting me]. One day — in about four or five months from now — I’m gonna walk in here for the last time.’ Especially since, after we’re done shooting, they’re redoing the entire studio, tearing down and starting again.”
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