Film News: Order of the Phoenix

[Dave]

Warner Bros. hasn't confirmed it, but Hailing Frequencies #312 thinks that a perfect piece of casting may have been made for Dolores Umbridge in Order of the Phoenix: Imelda Staunton (the Nurse in Shakespeare in Love (1998) and Charlotte Palmer in Sense and Sensibility (1995).

They have barely finished filming Goblet of Fire, can they really be casting for this already?

[TessaJackson]

I heard they wanted to finish the fifth movie for june 2007... if they really mean to, they should have already casted or at least contacted most of the actors...
IMO it's going to be longer and more difficult compared with the other movies of the saga...so they have to start as soon as they can...

[PTeppic]

If they want to use the current cast before they're all too old for their roles (though 3-5 years over-age between friends won't stop them) then they need to keep moving. At the end of the day the book has been available for Mr Kloves, the director is allegedly appointed and the audience is ready for it. So the only thing stopping them is getting publicity for this one out of the way! And pre-prod.

[Dave]

Originally posted by TessaJackson
I heard they wanted to finish the fifth movie for june 2007... if they really mean to, they should have already casted or at least contacted most of the actors...

I wrote that quite some time ago... you are right they should be further along than that. Imelda Staunton is confirmed now. Since then she was nominated for an Oscar as Vera in 'Vera Drake', and was the cook is 'Nanny McPhee'.

I don't think the main cast are too old yet, but the Weasley twins in 'Goblet of Fire' did look too old.

[TessaJackson]

Well I don't have yet seen GOF...but Potter, Granger and Weasley's characters grow up too, not just the actors...
They're teens, just like the characters, I don't think that they're too old. Maybe Felton or the twins would be, but not the trio...

[Dave]

Not much other new news on this.

They have been casting at schools for Luna Lovegood, and the director, David Yates, is having some difficulty setting up the big broomstick chase scene in the film.

Harry should be seen in a high-speed broomstick chase down the Thames. Unfortunately, several local councils are refusing to play ball.

"So far, we have spent a lot of time on boats on the Thames," said Yates.

"I want to do a great big wizard chase past the London landmarks and it is going to be very exciting, but it has not been easy to set up.

"We need to secure the co-operation of 17 different councils, and some of them are doubtful at this stage.

"My location manager is going to spend the next four months trying to sort it all out - we don't start shooting until the spring."

[philoSCIFI]

Where'd you get this information?

[Dave]

Google searches mainly

The Luna Lovegood casting news has been everywhere including children's TV. The Imelda Stauton casting news was also everywhere, I heard it on the radio first.

The quotes from the director were from 'The Independent Online'.

[Trunks]

The Idea is actually trying to release films every year and books every other year, this way when the 7th book is released it will be followed by a film months later..
makes for the ultimate marketting and allows them to keep the cast in there roles

[Dave]

The cast is still going to look a bit old by the seventh film.

This is from Hailing Frequencies:

Luna Lovegood will be played by 14-year-old newcomer Evanna Lynch, who bested more than 15,000 girls at an open casting call. Imelda Staunton is Dolores Umbridge (booo hissss), George Harris is Kingsley Shacklebolt, Helen McCrory is Bellatrix Lestrange, Natalia Tena is Nymphadora Tonks, and Kathryn Hunter is Mrs. Figg.

[bookaholic]

wow, pretty good cast then, so far!

[Adasunshine]

Yep, seems pretty good, my only gripe is George Harris, I always Kingsley to be rather a good looking specimen of a man (no offence George)...

xx

[carrie221]

Last I heard they are working on book 5 and 6 basically at the same time and will start on book 7's movie next spring.

Because of the gap between the last two movies they have felt the need to work even faster.

[orionsixwings]

I think the original casts should be used in all 7 films. It doesn't matter if they are older than the characters - I really don't get that. Michael J. Fox was 27 when he played the role of 17-year-old Marty McFly in Back to the Future for petesake! They can be 21 or 22 and play the role of a 16 year old - it doesn't matter! What matters is how they portray the role! That's where the acting bit comes in.

Anyway, I heard that the whole WEASLEY IS MY KING plot has been taken out of the Film. There'd be no Quidditch this time round too - or so I've heard from Mugglenet anyway.

[carrie221]

I agree that they should keep the actors especially Alan... yeah it is important to keep all the actors for character showcasing

They keep taking more and more out of the films... I know they are long books but they take essential things out that affect the feeling of the story