Why do people like “Harry,” “Spidy,” and “Yoda?” Find out… Perhaps more than ever before, Hollywood is an empire of fantasy. But despite the popularity of these movies – and despite the unmatched power of the studios to blanket the real world with publicity, advertising and media hype – Hollywood is not the center of …read more!

The BBC reports on the sales success of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: Harry Potter has helped push up video sales in the UK after becoming the most successful release of all time. The boy wizard’s hit film has sold almost 1.6 million copies in one month, helping total video sales in 2002 so …read more!

American Harry Potter fans have seen the full-length Chamber of Secrets trailer – and they love it! Kids in the US can now see the trailer when they go to see Scooby-Doo. Loads of fans told CBBC Newsround Online that Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson look older and have matured into even better …read more!

JK’s brother-in-law’s car seems to have been… torched… literally (From the Daily Record). Luckily no one was hurt. The brother-in-law of Harry Potter author JK Rowling has had his luxury sports car destroyed by an arsonist. Businessman and restaurateur Roger Moore’s £30,000 Audi TT was set ablaze in Greenhill Gardens in Edinburgh’s smart Bruntsfield area …read more!

A report from MSN Money details the marketing campaign for the paperback release in the USA of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. (Thanks to TWW for the link.)

Thanks, Victoria, for a report about JKR’s involvement with a new charity book. The article she forwarded states: Harry Potter author JK Rowling today launched a book of short stories which aims to raise thousands of pounds for a charity helping single parents and their children. The writer has written the foreword to Magic – …read more!

Thanks to Martin for pointing us to a user report on Slashdot about WB’s nonuse of a copy protection scheme on the DVD in the States. And Melissa’s going to clear that up about Tom Felton’s age as soon as she gets online. Yes, he’s 14 – 15 before the movie even comes out. (Note …read more!

A few of you have mentioned this to us, but reader Eric sent us proof. Before I continue, apologies to Tom Felton (and his mom). Tom Felton, you look just like rapper Eminem. The malevolent, arrogant smugness seems to have settled under Felton’s skin – of all the images we’ve seen, he seems to have …read more!

And the image parade continues! Thomas from the Zweinstein Club sends us three more, including our first glimpses of the Slyth common room and Colin Creevey!

Another note on those pics – notice Ron and Harry, at Christmastime, sitting faaaaaaaaaar away from the rest of the school. Looks like a case of Slytherin-heir-suspicion to me!