This is the Japanese version of the Harry Potter teaser poster art. As you can easily read (well.. ), the movie is expected to reach Japanese theatres on December 1st. This image is taken from one of these highly collectible Japanese promotional flats. The reverse side shows a few scenes from the movie and information …read more!

The new movie “America’s Sweethearts” apparently has a Harry Potter mention. Several readers emailed us this exchange: In the movie “Americas Sweethearts,” the sister played by Julia Robert’s complains that the famous sister [Catherine Zeta-Jones] never reads a book, the sister replies: quote “I do too, I’ve read all 4 Harry Potter books.”

Empire Online has a great article about Leslie Phillips, voice of the Sorting Hat.

HOL News and Vacancies The HOL Great Hall Forum has opened its gates last weekend. Due to the overwhelming demand, we’ve decided to open some more classes in HOL. If you want to be a HOL Teacher, please check the HOL Vacancies page for details. Webmasters needed for HOL Hogsmeade: HOL will have a huge …read more!

Weakening to the rumor of Hugh Grant playing Gilderoy Lockhart in the second HP movie, a reader sent us the following summary of Hugh Grant’s appearance on the Rosie O’Donnell show: “I have the April 2001 Rosie interview on tape [and] watched it again. He brought Rosie the two Harry Potter Comic Relief books, he …read more!

We’ve seen a news article about Claire Etaugh of Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois who has reportedly “studied” twenty books – possibly “picture books” – to make a determination that female characters are shown as often as male characters in books, but “are often weak, submissive and dependent”. In her presentation at the British Psychological …read more!

Thomas de Veen tells us that the Scholastic Harry Potter Poster Book is now available for pre-order at Amazon. This is the book being released to celebrate Harry’s birthday on July 31st.

Thibault Caizergues emailed us a Word document he received from Alnwick Castle spokesperson Stephen Manion that shows these two images from the first trailer, that were filmed at Alnwick. Mr. Manion also send us this official comment regarding filming of the next two movies: Alnwick Castle was used for the first Harry Potter film. We …read more!

Gary Hodgson from The Snitch has informed us that the Jackie Palmer Talent Agency has changed their original casting information. It used to read: In the new “Harry Potter” film Joshua Herdman plays Goyle, Will Theakston plays Marcus Flint – captain of the Quidiche (sic) team, Emily Dale plays Katie Bell and Scott Fearn plays …read more!

Another reader sent us this interesting rumor which, although not officially confirmed, supports speculation that Movies 2 & 3 will be filmed back to back: I can confirm that the next two Harry Potter Films will be shot at least back to back, and possibly at the same time. Alnwick Castle has been used extensively …read more!