Moviefone Editorial

Tag: jk-rowling

  • ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Starts Filming: New Details on Harry Potter Spinoff

    And so it begins! Principal photography has started on “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” starring Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne, directed by “Harry Potter” veteran David Yates, and set in the wizarding world of J.K. Rowling. It’s exciting news, and by “exciting” we’re directly quoting the Harry Potter author herself, who just tweeted about the start of filming:


    That “exciting” probably could’ve used more oomph, but who are we to question the queen? That tweet link led to a press release from Warner Bros. Pictures with more details on the movie. Here’s a portion of the release, which includes more casting news:

    Filming started today, August 17, at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden, under the direction of David Yates, who helmed the last four “Harry Potter” feature films.

    Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne (“The Theory of Everything”) stars as Newt Scamander, the wizarding world’s preeminent magizoologist, who stops in New York following his travels to find and document magical creatures.

    “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” also stars Katherine Waterston (“Inherent Vice”) as Tina; Alison Sudol (“Dig,” “Transparent”) as Tina’s sister, Queenie; Tony Award winner Dan Fogler (“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”) as Jacob; Ezra Miller (“Trainwreck”) as Credence; two-time Oscar nominee Samantha Morton (“In America,” “Sweet and Lowdown”) as Mary Lou; Jenn Murray (“Brooklyn”) as Chastity; young newcomer Faith Wood-Blagrove as Modesty; and Colin Farrell (“True Detective”) as Graves.

    Marking the screenwriting debut of J.K. Rowling, the script was inspired by her character Newt Scamander’s Hogwarts textbook, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

    The film is being produced by David Heyman, producer of all eight of the blockbuster “Harry Potter” features; J.K. Rowling; Steve Kloves; and Lionel Wigram.

    Warner Bros. Pictures has slated “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” for worldwide release in 3D and IMAX on November 18, 2016.”

    J.K. Rowling had only just revealed, on August 15, the last names of two of those characters:


    Now that filming has started, we’ll have to keep our eyes peeled for set photos, first footage, and other sneak peeks. Or perhaps we can just say “Accio updates!” and have it all arrive at our doorsteps.

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  • J.K. Rowling Reveals Her Horcrux Object (If She Had One)

    If you’re ever fortunate enough to have an audience with “Harry Potter” queen J.K. Rowling, keep an eye on her tea protocol. Is she, perhaps, a little careful around certain items? There could be a reason for that. HP fans know that Horcruxes are bad news — objects in which dark wizards hide pieces of their souls. Horcruxes are so evil even the official magic texts refuse to explain how to make them. He Who Must Not Be Named had seven of them, after multiple murders. So you can imagine author Rowling was a bit taken aback at the idea of having her own Horcrux.

    Still, a fan asked what she’d have as a Horcrux object and she answered:


    That led to a series of follow-up questions on the stability of a teabag as a Horcrux (it might be better as a portkey) and other Potter world queries, like what were Fred and George’s Patronuses.

    Rowling does tweet quite frequently about tea, so it’s no surprise she’d pick that as a (possible) Horcrux. In fact, her previous tweet teased an upcoming lesson on loose tea and the proper use of the strainer. That came after other tea-making tips, and the announcement that “Tea takes skill, not nerve. Tea is not to be made recklessly.” Don’t mess with her tea!

    Have you ever thought about what you’d use as a Horcrux, if you even knew how to make one? It’s kind of a dark topic, but since it’s hypothetical … maybe an old stuffed animal?

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  • ‘Harry Potter’ Cast’s Birthday Messages Will Make You Laugh and Cry

    Author J.K. Rowling and her greatest creation, Harry Potter, both have birthdays today — July 31. The author already tweeted her thanks to fans, but did you see the sweet birthday messages shared by several “Harry Potter” cast members to Time?

    As Harry turns 35, his mum turns (it’s not polite to say but the cast does refer to it) 50. Time celebrated J.K. Rowling’s big milestone by getting 17 birthday notes from these movie stars: Alan Rickman (Snape), Imelda Staunton (Dolores Umbridge), Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid), Natalia Tena (Tonks), David Thewlis (Lupin), Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom), Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy), Clemence Poesy (Fleur), movie director Chris Columbus, Oliver and James Phelps (George and Fred Weasley), Katie Leung (Cho Chang), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Sean Biggerstaff (Oliver Wood), Frances de la Tour (Madame Olympe Maxime), Mark Williams (Arthur Weasley), and Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley).

    While some of the messages were short and sweet (Rupert Grint clearly did not put much thought into his simple note, but that’s very Ron of him), others were very clever and a few were touchingly heartfelt.


    The Phelps twins scored points for references to Puking Pastilles and “Mischief managed” but Imelda Staunton wins for writing her note in full character. Here are some of our favorite b-day cards for the HP queen:

    Dear Miss Rowling,
    On the occasion of your birthday I trust you will be clothed in delicious pink garments surrounded by plates of purring kittens.
    These wishes come By order of Dolores Umbridge

    — Imelda Staunton

    Happy Birthday! Jo. You don’t look a day over 40; everyone knows what a wonderful writer you are, and how much you did to get children to read books, and your charity work, but they perhaps don’t know that in private you are very very funny. Perhaps you could celebrate your half century by writing a hilarious film. Perhaps, starring, I don’t know, a large Scottish man. Have a great day, you so deserve it, all my love, Robbie C. XX

    — Robbie Coltrane

    To the woman whose imagination has made half the world feel less alone, afraid and in the dark; may the light you continue to shine always bounce back with interest. And at a flattering angle, naturally.

    Jason x

    — Jason Isaacs

    So where the hell do I start? 50 years ago, a someone was born that has done what most of us dream of. She has made this little planet of ours a better, happier place and will leave a legacy that means that, that joy will continue to exponentially grow, generation by generation. I’m saying something everyone has said and will continue to write and say. Still it needs to be said and written.Let’s face it, we all want to live in her world, identify individually with the characters and the magic wielded there which seems to be like a fantastic extension of our tangible world.

    She has made children turn back to the loving medium of books, feel the power of a page and fly behind the eyes of witches and wizards.

    She has made me remember feeling young.

    She deals with the ultimate anchor of our lives: death, and introduces it to children in a healthy, aware way that can propel them to find a concrete way of dealing with it.

    She makes me laugh.

    Thank you and I’ll be having pint of butter beer (JK, please tell us the recipe!) here’s to another 50 years (can’t believe you’re 50 by the way, you look HOT!)

    X
    — Natalia Tena

    Dearest Jo,

    When we first met in person it took me a few frozen moments to recognise you. My reaction should have been instant given the level of mega-fan obsessiveness I’d proudly cultivated for years or by the impressive entourage of smiling faces that trailed in after you, or by the heavily expectant silence that was quickly becoming awkward. But it took me several seconds longer than was normal to have the appropriate jumping /squealing /hyperventilating fangirl fit because it seemed impossible to fathom that everything I loved – a vast universe, the very buildings and sets we were standing on, the hundreds of people milling about with one creative vision in mind – all of it, had come from the lovely, glowing, blonde woman before me who was on the small side of human and the miniature side of SuperWoman.

    You squatted down by the make up chair to chat and it was very hard to piece words together into sentences because I wasn’t sure whether I was talking to a person or a spiritual portal connected to hundreds of different voices, souls and energies, all of whom I wanted to speak to and ask the geekiest of questions. But we continued to talk and it was both marvelous and incredible to realise you were human, to see your warmth, curiosity, the generous gaze and genuine interest you afforded each person you encountered. By the time we parted (rather, when I was dragged sullenly back into tutoring…) you left me with the distinct impression that small, sensitive ladies can change the world.

    It’s been ten years and you are still reminding me of this. I’ve come to realise that it was that precise humanity and warmth I experienced when I met you, that curse of caring too much and of feeling too many feelings and that uncontainable imagination that can see far beyond what is real, that make you such a force of change and – and I don’t care what disclaimers you make about being Hufflepuff deep down – such a fierce, bold Gryffindor! You inspire me endlessly in your art, your activism and your sassy Twitter comebacks so please keep loving and caring and imagining as hard as you do.

    Love you. Happy 50th!! Have the most Magical Happy Birthday ever!!

    Evanna xox

    — Evanna Lynch

    Isn’t that beautiful? Read all 17 messages, and share your own if you’d like. Not to linger in the shallow end of the gene pool, but we agree that she does not look 50. Then again, that’s magic for you.

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  • J.K. Rowling Celebrates Her Birthday by Thanking Fans

    JK Rowling Hosts Fundraising Event For Charity 'Lumos'In case you didn’t know, “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling shares her birthday, July 31, with the titular boy wizard, and to celebrate, she took to Twitter on Friday to thank fans for their love and support.

    In a series of tweets, Rowling acknowledged her and Harry’s shared special day, and revealed that she’s vacationing somewhere sunny with her family to celebrate. The author, who turns 50 today, then joked that she was going to post a picture of herself with her dog, because “in dog years I’m dead.”

    We wouldn’t expect anything other than loveliness and cheekiness from the notoriously hilarious and heartfelt author. In fact, that loveliness extended to yet another high-profile person who shares Rowling’s birthday: “Daily Show” correspondent Jessica Williams, who Rowling also gave a shout-out to. Somehow, it just makes sense that Rowling would love the equally-awesome Williams. (Williams later responded, “This was awesome to wake up to! … Enjoy our day!”)

    Check out Rowling’s tweets below, and feel free to wish her a happy birthday yourself over on Twitter. You may just get a reply from the author — and make her day even more magical.

    [via: J.K. Rowling]

    Photo credit: Photo by Danny E. Martindale/Getty Images

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  • Chris Columbus Wants to Direct New ‘Harry Potter’ Movie to Fill in 19-Year Gap

    Two questions: 1) How do you feel about the first two “Harry Potter” movies, which were directed by Chris Columbus; and 2) How do you feel about a new “Harry Potter” movie following what Harry, Ron and Hermione did in that 19-year gap between the main story’s end and the flash-forward?

    Some fans may think we should leave Harry Potter well enough alone, and for all we — or Chris Columbus — know author J.K. Rowling may be among the “leave it alone” crowd. So far, she hasn’t addressed the director’s pitch, which he just made to Entertainment Weekly Radio.

    Kit-14 Ron Weasley (RUPERT GRINT) and Harry Potter (DANIEL RADCLIFFE) arrive late to class in Warner Bros. Pictures� family adventure film "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer�s Stone."
    Chris directed the first two movies, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” and “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” which were very faithful to Rowling’s books and the most childlike of the series. After Chris, things got increasingly dark, adult, and creative with the filmmaking and artistic license. Chris told EW he originally wanted to direct the whole series but stepped away because it would take too much time away from his family. Here’s his pitch to go back to Harry’s world:

    I would love to go back and do another one. Not ‘Fantastic Beasts’ as much, which I think is going to be amazing, but I would love to do another movie with those three characters — Harry, Hermione, and Ron. I’m just fascinated about what happened to them after the end of the last movie, because then they cut to [19] years ahead. There’s [19] years there of great Harry Potter stories.”

    EW asked if he had approached J.K. Rowling, and he admitted, “I don’t have the courage to actually mention that to her because I have such respect for her. She should do what she wants to do, but I really would love to know what’s in her head about those missing years.”

    Well, it’s out there now, and fans are now debating Chris’s directing style, some praising his faithful adaptations and others yawning at his literal translations. Where do you stand on those movies, and do you think J.K. should give a green light to a movie (or movies) covering the time after our gang left Hogwarts but before they put their own kids on the train?

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  • How Much Does It Cost to Attend Hogwarts? J.K. Rowling Explains

    Kit-14 Ron Weasley (RUPERT GRINT) and Harry Potter (DANIEL RADCLIFFE) arrive late to class in Warner Bros. Pictures� family adventure film "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer�s Stone." It’s expensive to be a kid — even a magical one like Harry Potter. Those supply lists and new robes always set the Weasleys back, and there’s that long train trip from London to Hogwarts. Then at Hogwarts itself, even with House Elves doing all the grunt work, the teachers have to get paid, right? They must have to charge a tuition, at least for rich families like the Malfoys, no?

    Apparently “no” is right. Mic did a story calculating how much it would cost to attend Hogwarts, based on the price of tuition for British schools. Maybe this is “hypothetical” to Muggles, but it’s super important information if your kid ends up getting one of those letters. After the story came out, a fan tweeted to J.K. Rowling that she and her friend were debating the cost of Hogwarts tuition. So the queen shared an official ruling:


    But where does The Ministry of Magic get the money — wizard taxes? How much do they have to pay per student? Exactly what is covered? Rita Skeeter cannot be trusted to get to the bottom of this kind of thing, but Hermione Granger should be following the money so parents know what to expect.

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  • ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ Is NOT a Prequel, Dammit

    harry potter and the cursed child, harry potter, j.k. rowling“Harry Potter” fanatics were no doubt dipping into the butterbeer this weekend after author J.K. Rowling announced that a new, Potter-centric story called “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” would be heading for the London stage next year. But amid all the celebration over the continuing saga of The Boy Who Lived, one detail seems to have slipped through the cracks: the story is not a prequel.

    Despite Rowling’s initial announcement of “Cursed Child” including that disclaimer (her exact words: “it is not a prequel”), media outlets rushing to cover the news nevertheless repeatedly — and erroneously — dubbed the play a prequel. The reports were so numerous that Rowling took to Twitter once again to clarify that point, but it was to no avail, as the news cycle ran with that descriptor ad nausea.


    As the weekend wore on, Rowling went from annoyed to angry to amused, finally just openly mocking those who kept insisting the play was a prequel. Her Twitter feed is full of tongue-in-cheek back-and-forth exchanges with fans, and is worth perusing for its biting humor. (We’ve embedded some of our favorites at the end of this story.)

    In the midst of the author’s annoyance, however, she did clarify a few behind-the-scenes details about “Cursed Child,” one of which is that she did not write the script, but collaborated on the project with playwright Jack Thorne and director John Tiffany. And for diehard Potterheads, there was one more important bit of intel: “The story of #CursedChild should be considered canon,” Rowling wrote.

    Rowling also directed interested theatergoers to a website, HarryPotterThePlayLondon.com, where they could get up-to-date info on “Cursed Child.” And just in case anyone is still wondering if the play is a prequel, Rowling has uploaded to Twitter a handy, fan-made disclaimer that should answer that question once and for all. (Spoiler alert: It’s (still) not a prequel.)


    [via: J.K. Rowling]

    Photo credit: HarryPotterThePlayLondon.com

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  • J.K. Rowling Reveals New Dursley Backstory, Including Awful James Potter Dinner

    Christmas has come again, Harry Potter fans! Author J.K. Rowling just shared magical new character details on Pottermore, in honor (sort of) of Dudley Dursley’s birthday. If you head to the cupboard under the stairs on Pottermore, you can unlock more backstory on Harry Potter’s Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon, who met at work when Petunia left home to take a typing course in London. Once Vernon proposed, Petunia accepted at once but she confessed the truth about her sister’s magical abilities on “a tear-stained date,” fearing his disapproval.


    Here’s the full description of what happened when Lily Evans brought her boyfriend James Potter to meet Petunia and her new fiancé Vernon:

    The first meeting between Lily, her boyfriend James Potter, and the engaged couple, went badly, and the relationship nose-dived from there. James was amused by Vernon, and made the mistake of showing it. Vernon tried to patronise James, asking what car he drove. James described his racing broom. Vernon supposed out loud that wizards had to live on unemployment benefit. James explained about Gringotts, and the fortune his parents had saved there, in solid gold. Vernon could not tell whether he was being made fun of or not, and grew angry. The evening ended with Vernon and Petunia storming out of the restaurant, while Lily burst into tears and James (a little ashamed of himself) promised to make things up with Vernon at the earliest opportunity.

    “This never happened. Petunia did not want Lily as a bridesmaid, because she was tired of being overshadowed; Lily was hurt. Vernon refused to speak to James at the reception, but described him, within James’ earshot, as ‘some kind of amateur magician’. Once married, Petunia grew ever more like Vernon. She loved their neat square house at number four, Privet Drive. She was secure, now, from objects that behaved strangely, from teapots that suddenly piped tunes as she passed, or long conversations about things she did not understand, with names like ‘Quidditch’ and ‘Transfiguration’. She and Vernon chose not to attend Lily and James’ wedding. The very last piece of correspondence she received from Lily and James was the announcement of Harry’s birth, and after one contemptuous look, Petunia threw it in the bin.”

    Rowling also shared background on how she chose the names Vernon and Petunia, and revealed elsewhere that the Vernon’s dislike for Harry comes, in part, “like Severus Snape’s, from Harry’s close resemblance to the father they both so disliked.” Here are a few more Pottermore updates.

    What do you think about these occasional tidbits? Do you love learning more about Harry’s world or wish Rowling would let it rest?

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  • The American Hogwarts Will Be Part of ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’

    Inside The Harry Potter Experience At Leavesden StudiosAmerica has been mostly absent from “Harry Potter” lore, lurking in the background of the Potterverse without much definition since the British series’s debut. But now, the U.S. is taking center stage in the upcoming spinoff flick, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” and with it comes news that we’re finally going to find out about Hogwarts’s American counterpart.

    That word comes straight from “Potter” mastermind and “Beasts” screenwriter J.K. Rowling, who took to Twitter to answer fans’ queries about the place where Stateside witches and wizards get their magical schooling. And while Rowling didn’t reveal much, the few hints she dropped should tantalize moviegoers.

    “Fantastic Beasts” centers around magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) and takes place in New York City many decades before the events of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” When one fan asked if that meant that Scamander would be attending the U.S. version of Hogwarts in NYC, Rowling said no — but offered a couple other hints about the film’s plot.

    “(H)e’s going to meet people who were educated at [name] in [not New York],” Rowling wrote. When pressed by another fan about whether that school had Native American origins, Rowling coyly confirmed that yes, it will — though its name would not be a Native American one.


    That’s not much to parse, but let’s try anyway. First, we know that the flick will focus on Scamander as a young man (hence Redmayne’s casting), and perhaps will involve him meeting his future wife, Porpentina. Industry reports suggest that the flick is casting the roles of sisters Queenie and Tina (short for Porpentina, perhaps?), so maybe the sisters are the people that Scamander meets who’ve been educated at Hogwarts: American Edition?

    As for the hints about Native American influence, that’s bit more difficult to pin down, since tribes have settlements throughout the country, in places as spread out as the Southwest and upstate New York. Perhaps that latter location makes the most sense for “Fantastic Beasts,” since it offers proximity to New York City.

    The lilywhite casting so far — which includes potential leads such as Dakota Fanning and Kate Upton — suggests that none of the main characters will be of Native descent, though there are still reportedly two male roles that need to be filled. Stay tuned to see how this information factors into the finished film.

    “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is due in theaters on November 18, 2016.

    [via: J.K. Rowling, h/t Vanity Fair]

    Photo credit: Getty Images

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  • J.K. Rowling Just Threw Shade at Draco Malfoy on His 35th Birthday

    Draco Malfoy is 35-years-odious-old today, “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling confirmed on Twitter. Draco was never evil on the level of He Who Must Not Be Named, but he was a Slytherin snob and bully who made Harry’s life miserable, and his family was nothing but bad news throughout the series. But the actor who played Draco in the movies, Tom Felton, is a handsome dude, and (partly) because of that, Draco has developed his own gushing fan base. That’s what J.K. is referring to in this birthday tweet:

    Haha. Good for her, though. She’s right to push fans to hold people (even fake people) to a higher standard than “hot.” As she told The Leaky Cauldron a while back:

    …People have been waxing lyrical [in letters] about Draco Malfoy, and I think that’s the only time when it stopped amusing me and started almost worrying me. I’m trying to clearly distinguish between Tom Felton, who is a good looking young boy, and Draco, who, whatever he looks like, is not a nice man. It’s a romantic, but unhealthy, and unfortunately all too common delusion [of girls] that they are going to change someone. And that persists through many women’s lives, till their death bed, and it is uncomfortable and unhealthy and it actually worried me a little bit, to see young girls swearing undying devotion to this really imperfect character, because there must be an element in there, that “I’d be the one who [changes him].” I mean, I understand the psychology of it, but it is pretty unhealthy. So, a couple of times I have written back, possibly quite sharply, saying [Laughter], “You want to rethink your priorities here.”

    Yes. The queen has spoken truth this day. She’s the one who gave birth to Draco — and all the characters — so it has to be strange for her to see the various fan reactions, positive and negative. But anyway, happy birthday, Draco! Try to behave … or we’ll send Hermione after you.

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