Alan Rickman to Star in New Film and Direct in Edinburgh

During the hiatus from Order of the Phoenix filming, Alan Rickman will be keeping busy. He is attached to star in the film The Villa Golitsyn with Kristin Scott Thomas, which begins shooting in France this summer and is slated for a 2007 release. He will also bring "My Name is Rachel Corrie," which he directed and co-wrote, to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The play will be performed at the Pleasance Courtyard Theatre on Aug 3-13,15-20 and 22-28. Tickets for the Fringe Festival go on sale July 12.

Thanks, Andy!

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

Devon Murray & Stan Ianevski Visit Japan

Harry Potter actors Devon Murray (Seamus Finnegan) and Stan Ianevski (Viktor Krum) are currently visiting Japan on vacation and we have some photos of their trip.

Thanks to John for the photos and the following information:

1. Devon & Stan visit the Red Monkey shop in Shibuya - Red Monkey Watches are known as celebrity watches. They both picked their favorite ones.

2. In Fukushima, they visited a girl’s school and experienced tea ceremony.

3. At the school, they played "KOTO," a Japanese harp.

4. They talked about their filming experiences and personal story.

5. After coming back to Tokyo, they met some sumo wrestlers.

6. In Sasebo, Kyushu (Southern island), they visited a famous hamburger shop "LOGKIT" and met The Burger MAMA-san.

7. Visited a famous local cookie factory in Sasebo and wore the worker’s costume.

8. Devon & Stan on the glass top of a high bridge (43m from the sea level) in Sasebo.

9. They posed at YY Boueki shop in Sasebo with the Japanese promoter, Mune.

On June 9th, Devon & Stan will make an appearance at the Hotel Monterey La Sceur, in Osaka, Japan from 2 pm through 5 pm. There is a fee for autographs and photos, and on the June 11th, both will make an appearance at RERA Outlet Mall in Chitose, Hokkaido from 11 am through 6 pm.

You can get more information here (in Japanese) and for event and appearance information, you can call 090-9140-9104.

(SOURCE: HPANA)

Rowling Named Best British Author

Harry Potter author JK Rowling has been voted the best British author that is still alive.

She got three times as many votes as the second-placed writer, Discworld creator Terry Pratchett.

The three authors that came next in the survey from The Book Magazine have all won the most important book award in the UK, the Booker Prize.

Another kids' favourite Philip Pullman - who wrote His Dark Materials - also made the top 10, at number six.

JK Rowling is currently hard at work on the seventh and final book in the Harry Potter series.

(SOURCE: CBBC NEWSROUND)

New Michael Gambon Interview: Driving, Dumbledore and More

Michael Gambon recently appeared on the British television show Top Gear, and sat down with presenter Jeremy Clarkson for a chatty and very funny interview in which he discussed cars, interviews, theater and film. You can see this interview in WMV and iPod-friendly format here, thanks to our reader Sarah, who sent it in:

WMV
MP4 (iPod Friendly)

Here's the Dumbledore bit -- but please bear in mind that this was said in a tongue-in-cheek manner:

Jeremy Clarkson: " . . . but of course since then, now Harry Potter has come along."
Michael Gambdon: "Yeah, I'm Dumbledore. Richard Harris did two films, and he died. I am now on my third."

JC: "Do you understand the first thing that's been said in Harry Potter?"
MG: "Well, I read the script and learn the lines and I try to understand. I have to understand it, don't I, sort of . . . Quite often I don't know what's going on."

Thanks Sarah!

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

EW: Harry Potter Number Two Fictional Character

There is a new list out from Entertainment Weekly magazine, this time of the top fictional characters. Harry Potter came in at number two on their list of top franchise characters, with Wolverine from X-Men taking the top spot:

Few other teenagers could boast of vanquishing evil wizards and box office records even before puberty began to take root. The most recent film, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, has raked in $290 million, bringing the series' total box office to more than $1 billion. The sixth chapter, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - directed by series newcomer David Yates (The Girl in the Cafe) - will hit theaters next summer.

Note: yes we know that they have the number wrong, it's the fifth film, not the sixth. Thanks to everyone who emailed!

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)

New HPEF Convention: Prophecy 2007

HPEF, the same group who brought Potter fans Nimbus 2003, The Witching Hour, and the upcoming Lumos 2006 convention, have announced their new event: Prophecy 2007. Being held in Toronto, Ontario Canada, Prophecy 2007: From Hero to Legend will occur August 2-5 next year. Hotel and registration information will be coming soon. Members from HP Education Fanon will be at Lumos to answer questions and more, so stay tuned! Thanks Doris!

(SOURCE: THE LEAKY CAULDRON)