Additional casting has been announced for characters in the upcoming “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” film. As referenced briefly in the recent PotterCast interview with Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, the role of would be Gryffindor keeper Cormac McLaggen will be portrayed by actor Freddie Stroma. CBBC Newsround also reports that “18-year-old Louis Cordice will play Blaise Zabini, a Slytherin student who dislikes muggle borns.” Lovelorn Romilda Vane, who inadvertently causes Ron a bit of havoc, will be played by actress Anna Shaffer. Rounding out the casting updates includes word that actress Georgina Leonidas will take on the part of Gryffindor chaser Katie Bell, with her friend Leanne to be played by Isabella Laughland. Finally , actor Robert Knox will play Ravenclaw student Marcus Belby. As reported previously, many of the scenes with the students at Hogwarts will be filmed starting in early January. “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” will be released in theaters November 21, 2008.
@Victoria: Not even a 1/3 of the book is about relationships? How do you come up with that statistic? Think about all the scenes in the book that have to do with either a growing relationship or an existing relationship. Ginny and Dean (from going out to break-up), drama between Ron and Hermione (trying out for quidditch, Slughorn’s party, Hermione sending birds at Ron), Ron and Lavender (making out non-stop through out the book, trying to avoid her in the end), Harry’s thoughts about Ginny and the conflict of him wanting to act on these feelings but not betray Ron. I am sure there are several more scenes. I don’t know how you see this as less than a third of the book. It’s extremely important to build these relationships correctly. The fact that you take the other things in the book as being more important, does not mean everything else is less important, nor does it change the fact that the romance in the book is most certainly more than a third of the book. One could argue it being half of the book’s main focus, but I will say it is nearly half of the story of book 6.
not being a shipper I think it might be enjoyable to see more of the general school life with all these new young cast members. All these additional people will balance against the shipping aspect of the first half of the book eg Quidditch trials, Slug club party (and if Luna says that line about the Rotfang conspiracy I’ll be very happy!). Both of these are also important RE the R/Hr relationship, his lack of confidence, exclusion from Slug Club, jealousy etc.
another part of the first half of HBP is the potions book, which seems largely irrelevant to me now but must feature otherwise the film title will be meaningless! They need sectumsempra.
but for me the most important part of HBP is the memories that Harry and DD see together. The only thing about not having the Gaunts is how are they going to get across about the locket being Slytherin’s and the ring being Peverell, and that both belonged once to the Gaunts? Have they cast Hez Smith and/or Burke to explain the provenance of the locket? To me, the Peverell connection is most important of all and I can’t see how that will be explained without the Gaunt memory.
This happens every time. The film will never be as rich as the book and is always limited to the combined imaginations of the director and whoever adapted it. I love the films and adore the books, but side by side comparisons are only going to make you miserable!
This gives me great hope that more of the little stuff will be included. HBP and DH have so much sub-plot that just CANNOT be left out. I am so excited and so absolutely terrified to see them brought to life on film. I have tried to put the film version of GOF behind me but it haunts me still… shiver
"He's not even good-looking!" she muttered angrily, glaring at Krum's sharp profile. "They only like him because he's famous! They wouldn't look twice at him if he couldn't do that Wonky-Faint thing --"
the guy who plays mcclaggen looks like a male model lol