J.K. Rowling's new book 'The Casual Vacancy' out 27 September 
By Andy on 13 April 2012 at 04:41 GMT
J.K. Rowling's new novel for adults is called The Casual Vacancy and will be released on 27 September of this year.
When Barry Fairweather dies unexpectedly in his early forties, the little town of Pagford is left in shock.
Seemingly an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.
Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils…Pagford is not what it first seems.
And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?
Blackly comic, thought-provoking and constantly surprising, The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults.
Jo's website has also been given a revamp and features a comprehensive timeline of everything Rowling and 'Potter'. While you're at it, bookmark thecasualvacancyfanzone.com – it redirects to Harry Potter Fan Zone where we'll be keeping you up-to-date with this new chapter in Jo's literary life.
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J.K. Rowling working on a novel for adults, out later this year
By Andy on 24 February 2012 at 00:46 GMT
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling today announced that she is working on her first novel since 'Potter', a story for adults.
Although I've enjoyed writing it every bit as much, my next book will be very different to the Harry Potter series, which has been published so brilliantly by Bloomsbury and my other publishers around the world. The freedom to explore new territory is a gift that Harry's success has brought me, and with that new territory it seemed a logical progression to have a new publisher.
I am delighted to have a second publishing home in Little, Brown, and a publishing team that will be a great partner in this new phase of my writing life.
The title and release date are yet to be announced, but it's safe to say exciting times lie ahead!
Update: According to a tweet from Jo Rowling, the novel will be released later this year and will be, "very different to Harry". She added, "I’ve enjoyed writing it every bit as much".
Tags: J.K. Rowling, The Casual Vacancy - 2 Comments - Permanent Link
'Deathly Hallows: Part 2' receives three Oscar nominations, snubbed in the major categories
By Andy on 26 January 2012 at 01:01 GMT
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 has received three nominations for the 84th Academy Awards (Oscars).
The film has been nominated for: Art Direction (Stuart Craig, pictured right, for production design and Stephanie McMillan for set decoration), Makeup (Nick Dudman, Amanda Knight and Lisa Tomblin) and Visual Effects (Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson).
Despite a large push by studio Warner Bros., the 'Potter' films were once again bizarrely snubbed by the Academy for consideration in the major categories.
Tags: Awards, Deathly Hallows Movies, Stuart Craig, Warner Bros. - 1 Comment - Permanent Link
'Wizarding World of Harry Potter' theme park coming to Hollywood
By Andy on 9 December 2011 at 10:21 GMT
Warner Bros. and Universal have announced plans to expand The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park by bringing it to Universal Studios in Hollywood. The park in Florida will also be "significantly expanded".
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling said of the decision, "I am delighted that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has been so popular with fans since the opening in Orlando last year and I am sure that the teams at Universal and Warner Bros. will bring their expertise and attention to detail to Hollywood to make this new experience equally as exciting."
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James and Oliver Phelps launch 'Harry Potter: The Exhibition' in Sydney
By Andy on 18 November 2011 at 11:50 GMT
Last night, James and Oliver Phelps (Fred and George Weasley in the Harry Potter films) attended the gala launch of Harry Potter: The Exhibition in Sydney.
I had the pleasure of attending the event, as well as a media preview earlier in the day, which was hosted at Sydney's Powerhouse Museum. James and Oliver, along with creative wizards Eddie Newquist and Robin Stapley, shared a number of interesting facts about the exhibition.
Notably, they spoke about the logistics of bringing such a large exhibition to Australia and some of the more recent props and costumes on show for the first time.
Here are some of the most interesting facts that were shared.
- It took 23 shipping containers and 40 days to bring Harry Potter: The Exhibition to Sydney.
- At one point, James and Oliver had to have their wands shipped back to Leavesden Studios for 'Deathly Hallows' filming.
- There's a mark on one of the Bludgers where it was dropped on set.
- There's authentic James and Oliver Phelps graffiti carvings on the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall.
- There are new props and costumes on show for the first time in Sydney, including the Hallows and Horcruxes (photos below).
- Bellatrix's costume is a new edition to the Sydney display (photo below).
Harry Potter: The Exhibition runs through until 18 March 2012 at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney. Tickets are now on sale.
Tags: Exclusives, Harry Potter Fan Zone, Harry Potter: The Exhibition, James Phelps, Oliver Phelps - Add Comment - Permanent Link
Alan Rickman opens up about playing Severus Snape
By Andy on 13 November 2011 at 01:16 GMT
Alan Rickman has remained tight-lipped over the last decade about his portrayal of Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films. In a new interview with Warner Bros. France, Rickman opens up about the role.
Harry Potter : Interview d'Alan Rickman by WarnerBrosPicturesFrance
Tags: Alan Rickman, Deathly Hallows Movies - 1 Comment - Permanent Link
J.K. Rowling reveals she almost killed Ron Weasley in 'Deathly Hallows'
By Andy on 6 November 2011 at 09:54 GMT
J.K. Rowling has revealed that she almost killed Ron Weasley in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
"Funnily enough, I planned from the start that none of them would die. Then midway through, which I think is a reflection of the fact that I wasn't in a very happy place, I started thinking I might polish one of them off. Out of sheer spite. 'There, now you definitely can't have him any more.' But I think in my absolute heart of heart of hearts, although I did seriously consider killing Ron, [I wouldn't have done it]," she told the actor Daniel Radcliffe, who plays Harry Potter in the films and who was "convinced one of the main three had to buy it".
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Cast and crew look back at Harry's relationship with Dumbledore
By Andy on 27 October 2011 at 23:10 GMT
David Heyman, Emma Watson, Dan Radcliffe and Michael Gambon look at Harry's relationship with Dumbledore in this new video from "Harry Potter: the Quest".
There are also some great new behind-the-scenes shots in the clip. Watch it below.
Tags: Dan Radcliffe, David Heyman, Emma Watson, Michael Gambon, Videos - Add Comment - Permanent Link
Ron and Hermione kiss in this 'Deathly Hallows: Part 2' featurette
By Andy on 23 September 2011 at 12:48 GMT
From the 'Deathly Hallows: Part 2' DVD/Blu-ray, available on December 2nd.
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'Deathly Hallows: Part 2' on Blu-ray and DVD December 2
By Andy on 23 September 2011 at 12:38 GMT
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 will be released on Blu-ray, DVD, Triple Play and Digital Download on December 2. Check out the box art below.
Tags: Deathly Hallows Movies, DVD/Blu-ray - Add Comment - Permanent Link
Happy birthday J.K. Rowling and Harry!
By Andy on 31 July 2011 at 11:05 GMT
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling celebrates her birthday today, along with her fictional hero Harry Potter. Happy birthday Jo!
Tags: Birthdays, J.K. Rowling - 1 Comment - Permanent Link
Photos from the London 'Deathly Hallows: Part 2' premiere
By Andy on 10 July 2011 at 11:38 GMT
Harry Potter Fan Zone attended the London premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 last Thursday. We saw the film which was both amazing and a fitting end to the series.
Here are some of our photos from the event.
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'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2' world premiere tomorrow!
By Andy on 6 July 2011 at 14:25 GMT
The world premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in London is tomorrow!
Harry Potter Fan Zone will be on the red carpet wearing black and blue HPFZ stickers – if you see us, come and say hey.
Live stream of the premiere event:
Stay tuned for photos and videos form the event. We'll also be updating our Twitter account with live updates from the red carpet.
Tags: Deathly Hallows Movies, Exclusives, Harry Potter Fan Zone, Premieres - Add Comment - Permanent Link
Composer Alexandre Desplat talks to fan sites, Harry Potter Fan Zone
By Andy on 6 July 2011 at 13:51 GMT
Recently, Harry Potter Fan Zone, along with a number of other fan sites, spoke with composer Alexandre Desplat.
Desplat recently scored Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (he also scored part one last year).
Harry Potter Fan Zone: When you wrote the score for the film, did you find that your ideas came to you very quickly in short bursts, or did they take a long time to develop?
Alexandre Desplat: You know these films are such huge machines–there’s such a huge expectation and so much pressure from the past because its the biggest series of the last 10 years–that you have to be very careful and double-check, triple-check that every note you write is accurate and fine, and you want to challenge yourself to be, if not as good, to approach the talent of the master that John Williams is, so it requires a little bit of attention. You can’t write a score of that kind in a short amount of time so you need to really try things over and over again. Also on these big machines now, the editing keeps changing and you have to adapt to that, so you need that time to be able to write properly and accurately.
Did you compose the soundtrack for Part 2 as a follow up for Part 1 or did you treat them as separate projects?
When I first was asked to write Part 1, it was not yet signed that I would write Part 2, so, unfortunately, I could not write thinking of the two episodes at the same time. However, there are still some themes of Part 1 which continue in Part 2 like what I call the “Band of Brothers” theme when all the friends reunite at the beginning of Part 1. We hear this theme again in Part 2 and also some of the themes and motifs of “Obliviate,” the thing that opens Part 2, that comes back also in Part 2, so there is some continuity.
Did you get to see the first half of the final film with your score added to it, and how did you feel about seeing everything put together?
I saw Part 1 finished a long time again, and it was great. I think the essence of what it portrayed–the sense of loneliness and a loss of childhood–were very strong, and I think it was a great first part.
Since Deathly Hallows – Part 2 was filmed way before it normally would be, did you got more time to score the film, and if so, did that affect your scoring process at all?
I think I had a lot of time to write, a very comfortable amount of time to write, because all together writing it and composing took about three and a half to four months for each episode. When you're filming on set, you can decide on shooting all the scenes that belong to this set and then you can still change them. It's very different with the score. I had to wait until I saw Part 2 edited to be able to start putting ideas together and try to find a sense of an arc and a dramatic sense for the film. There was enough time, and it was hard work for many months but also still very inspiring.
There are quite a few deaths in this film. Which was the most difficult to write, for and were there any that hit you harder than the others?
Death is very present in the Harry Potter story from the beginning because it starts with an orphan who lost his parents, and, actually, the theme of death is very present in this episode, since Lily, Harry's mother, is the lead character of this episode. We start the film with hearing Lily’s theme, which will kind of ghost the film all along and be the music thread that will take us from the beginning to the end of the film. So that's one element of death, the people that you miss, the people that you long for, the sorrow, and the question about death and the resurrection stone and how you cope with the death of the people you love. That’s very present in the themes that are used and you see it when you see the film and hear the soundtrack that I’ve tried to be very sensitive and emotional on these matters. The other side of death is, of course, also the battles, the duels, the final battle between Harry and Voldemort, and they are both fighting for death, and there’s no mercy. So I wrote some epic and lyrical pieces for these battle moments.
Desplat conducts the score to Deathly Hallows: Part 2
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J.K. Rowling announces 'Pottermore'
By Andy on 23 June 2011 at 11:00 GMT
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has just announced Pottermore, a "free website that builds an exciting online experience around the reading of the Harry Potter books."
Fans can register their email address with the project now, and more information will be revealed on July 31 (Harry and Jo's birthday).
Tags: J.K. Rowling, Pottermore - 2 Comments - Permanent Link
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