Today, our favorite author and her brainchild Harry Potter turn 41 and 26 respectively. Please join us in wishing them the very best of birthdays!

Scotland on Sunday has posted an interview with the Snape actor. In it he discusses being a "baddie" in movies such as Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Die Hard - plus several more. With a note of sarcasm, Rickman says, "Oh, God, it's years since I played the villain ... I haven't played a baddie for ages." The article talks not only about how playing the role of villain has made him quite desirable among women, but also about upcoming parts in plays and films.

Thanks to HJS for sending this to us.

Jo has updated her site to wish our favorite forgetful character a happy birthday. Happy Birthday, Neville!

The Daily Record has a new article today on An Evening with Harry, Carrie, and Garp, which says Sigourney Weaver, Meryl Streep and Uma Thurman will all be there to watch the readings. The article also quotes Scholastic's Kris Moran, who calls the demand for tickets "amazing."

MuggleNet will provide all-out coverage of Jo's visit to New York City over the next week. Photos, videos, reports, and much more will all be posted on our site. Stay tuned!

The premiere of Driving Lessons, starring Rupert Grint and Julie Walters, will take place on September 4th in Leicester Square, London at the Vue Cinema. Right now, tickets are unavailable for purchase. The movie is set to be released on September 8th in the UK and October 13th in the US.

Thanks to HPANA for the tip!

Many of you have flooded us with rumors (BBC, CNN, The Times) regarding Daniel Radcliffe's involvement in the West End play, Equus. We now have confirmation that Dan will indeed take a leading role in the mature play. This is what he had to say:

"I'm really excited to be part of this production and thrilled to be working with Richard Griffiths (Uncle Vernon) again. This is obviously a huge departure for me as an actor, but Equus is such an amazing play that this really was an opportunity not to be missed. Rehearsal starts in January and I am very much looking forward to working with Thea Sharock who is an incredibly talented director. I only hope I do the role justice."

According to DanRadcliffe.com, who received the news from Daniel, "Equus focuses on the relationship between seventeen-year-old Alan Strang (Radcliffe), who has blinded six horses with a spike, and Martin Dysart (Griffiths), a middle-aged psychiatrist who tries to figure out what drove Strang to commit the crime."

The role of Alan is usually performed nude in several parts of the play. However, there have been multiple versions of Equus in which no nudity was involved. Whether Dan will play the part nude or not, we don't know at this early stage. The play is expected to open in London sometime next spring.

The rumors are true: The MuggleCasters and the PotterCasters will be squaring off in the ultimate Harry Potter trivia battle at the end of the LeakyMug podcast on Saturday. Be there for the grudge match. It starts at 6:30 PM at the J.W. Marriott in Las Vegas; we'll be giving out wristbands starting at 4 PM at Lumos. If you're a registered Lumos attendee, you get preferred seating, but you don't have to be registered to see the show.

Meanwhile, Lumos has started and we're having a great time. Just a heads-up for those of you who can't be with us on Saturday, the LeakyMug website now has a page with links to blogs where you can get updates from MuggleNet and Leaky staffers, or you can add your own.

The Official Scholastic podcast at the Barnes & Noble in Summerlin on Monday was another big success. In case you missed Ciaran's post earlier, the audio for the Chicago event is now online. Our next stop is in Los Angeles on July 30 at the Barnes & Noble at The Grove at 1 PM. We hope you'll come see Melissa, Cheryl and me if you're in the area! And don't forget - we're doing another live LeakyMug podcast in New York City on August 2nd at the Union Square Barnes & Noble at 12:30 PM - you should go.

We now have nine brand new photos, taken behind-the-scenes at Leavesden Studios where the Order of the Phoenix movie is currently being filmed. While the pictures don't reveal much in the way of never-before-seen sets, they're still interesting and provide some new angles. Check them out here.

Thanks to Hermes for sending these in!

Jo Rowling's first daughter, Jessica Rowling, turns 13 years old today. Happy birthday, Jessica, and have a great day!

The Oxford Mail reports that filming for the Order of the Phoenix movie took place recently in the grounds of Blenheim Palace. Although the filming crew declined comment on the situation, the newspaper says that filming took place near a lake in the park and Daniel Radcliffe was present.

WB Consumer Products announced yesterday "a multi-year licensing agreement that names NECA, Inc. the master toy, gift and specialty product licensee for the magical Harry Potter series throughout North America, Latin America and Asia Pacific." NECA will develop gifts, toys and specialty products, to be aimed mostly at older Harry Potter fans and released in conjunction with the fifth movie.

Dan Radcliffe and Warwick Davis (Professor Flitwick) praised talented students recently at the first Peterborough Children's Film Awards, a competition which gathered 208 short film entries. Warwick had this to say: "The children had to think of an idea, write the story, and script and create a storyboard. They then had to learn how to act and to edit films and work as a team. The results are fantastic and I'm sure we have a future Steven Spielberg or George Lucas among us."

Dan presented an award via a pre-recorded video to much surprise from the audience. You can hear what he had to say here (bottom right link) and can see a photo of him here.

Thanks to Alana for the tip!

MuggleNet reader Mischa recently wrote to the two actors who play the Patil sisters in the Potter films. The other day, they received a response from both Afshan and Shefali. In it they express their thoughts on Indian culture in Hollywood, personal favorites, Harry Potter, and more.

We've all heard the story of the Harry Potter reader who had no interest in reading before HP came out, but for the first time, a report by Scholastic has quantified the huge impact the books have had on kids' reading attitudes and behaviours. Here are some astounding facts discovered in the survey:

- 51% of HP readers, aged 5-17, say they had not read before for fun
- 65% say they're now doing better in school as a result of their newfound interest in reading
- More boys than girls read the books (57% vs. 51%) (surprising, seeing as more girls than boys visit MuggleNet)
- 62% of boys felt it important to read the books to feel "in" with their friends while only 44% of girls felt the same
- Almost 60% of 9 to 11-year-olds have read the books; 70% are interested in re-reading them
- 63% of 12 to 14-year-olds have read the books; 69% are interested in re-reading them
- 57% of 15 to 17-year-olds have read the books; 60% are interested in re-reading them

Thanks to Elizabeth for the tip!

You can now download the final question in Scholastic's "Think You Know Harry Potter?" special, counting down to the release of Book 6 in paperback. It's in podcast form and features Emerson, Melissa, and Cheryl. For information on subscribing to this podcast feed, click here. It will eventually include recordings from the trio's "Official Scholastic Podcast Tour," which continues tonight at 7 PM in Barnes & Noble Summerlin, Las Vegas. If you're in the area, be sure to go along. It'll be fun, and, if not, demand MuggleNet stickers.

Over 12,000 of you entered our contest for a free first edition, deluxe copy of Book 6. Entries closed on Saturday and the winner is Kamille Fowle from the USA! Thank you to everyone who participated - look for more book giveaways in the near future.

The paperback edition of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was released today in the United States. Save yourself a journey to the bookstore by purchasing it online at Amazon for only $9.99.

USA Today reports an initial print-run of two million copies and says that if this book follows the same pattern as the first five, it should reach #1 on the bestsellers list.

Movie Web has posted some quotes by David Yates and Daniel Radcliffe from their taped video shown recently at Comic-Con. Yates had this to say:

"Harry is in a battle for his life and soul. There's a wonderful battle scene at the end for his life; it's absolutely amazing." On Imelda Staunton as Professor Umbridge, he said: "She's a cross between Doris Day and Freddy Krueger." They're also going to add some new creatures for this fifth version of the Harry Potter series; "We're also bringing in these half-men/half-horse characters to the mix that are wonderful."

Thanks to TLC via Alicia for the tip!

Soo it's a little late this week, but here nonetheless! As Emerson mentioned the other day, we've been having too much fun in Vegas to get the show out on time.

Our first ever live episode of MuggleCast! Featuring a JKR book reading giveaway, a 12-year old dissing Eric, Hogwarts discussion, and much more! It's a different (and kinda late) episode of the show because we're busy in Vegas...excuse the less-than-perfect quality that you expect every week!

To listen, visit the MuggleCast portion of the website. You can also subscribe via iTunes, which will download the show to your computer automatically each week. Enjoy!

Actor Daniel Radcliffe appeared on a graphic in today's edition of Newsweek. The artwork, entitled "Lunchroom Politics," depicted the celebrities that rule the "tween" world. Playing on the idea of cliches in a high school cafeteria, the graphic separated celebrities into "The Grads," "The Wanna-Bes," and "The Cool Kids." Dan sat with Jamie Spears and other celebrities at the cool table, where he was cited: "In order to play the world's greatest literary hero, you've got to be one cool Muggle."

Thanks to Cody for the tip!

Reader Ashleigh has sent us several photos of Harry Potter movie props on exhibit at this year's Comic-Con convention in San Diego. They include costumes, books, letters, and more. You can see the pictures here and a video here.

Leaky has received a picture of David Yates and Dan Radcliffe at this year's Comic-Con 2006 convention. As we reported yesterday, David and Dan spoke about the upcoming Order of the Phoenix film.

Today, July 23rd, is Dan Radcliffe's 17th birthday! The staff at MuggleNet wishes Dan a great day.

As your Durmstrang school captain, I have news to report. For those of you entered in the Triwizard Tournament, the second and third tasks are online at Dissendium.com, and if you use this link you'll receive 50 bonus points for your school. Taking part in the final two tasks will keep you in the running for prizes from Warner Bros. and HarryPotter.com.

The Chicago bookstore event was a huge success, thanks goes out to the 275 of you or so who showed up! I'm writing from Vegas, here with Ben, Andrew, Kevin, Jamie, and Melissa and John from TLC. We're having a blast and are excited for the live LeakyMug podcast on the 29th at the JW Marriot, and on August 2nd at the B&N at Union Square in New York City. Just a reminder, Melissa and I will be at the B&N in Summerlin (Vegas) on the 25th and the B&N at The Grove in LA on the 30th for the rest of the official Scholastic podcast tour. Make sure to come out and see us if you're in the area.

Ain't It Cool News has posted a brief report on what Order of the Phoenix director David Yates and Dan Radcliffe had to say at Comic-Con:

The video was really short, but had Daniel Radcliffe sitting in Trelawney's classroom, introducing David Yates. He acts like he's about to tell us a big Potter secret when Yates shows up and interrupts. They talked a tad about getting to see Umbridge (who Yates called a genetic splice between Doris Day and Freddy Krueger) and Hagrid's big giant brother.

UPDATE: We now have a more detailed report from ComicBookResources.com:

Harry Potter made an appearance after this...sort of. A quick video clip of Daniel Radcliffe (who plays Harry) speaking from the set of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" was shown. For fans who are interested, his hair appears to be the shortest it's ever been for this film. Daniel said the movie is going great, and said that he was sure audiences were curious about the kiss Harry Potter receives in the movie. He then went on to say, "Well, the kiss is..."

Unfortunately, the director, David Yates, then appeared and started talking about the movie as well. He mentioned that Hagrid's giant brother Grawp will be in the film, as well as Dolores Umbridge, whom the director described as "a cross between Doris Day and Freddy Krueger."

Yates then addressed the issue of the kiss of the kiss as well, saying "Oh, the kiss? It's..." A production assistant interrupted and said they were both needed on the set. They quickly said goodbye and left, smiling as they left the audience wondering about that darn kiss.

Thanks to Tim for the tip!

MuggleNet's official chat has now re-opened. All registered information saved when the chat closed in February has been restored, but will expire within a month unless utilized.

TV Guide recently spoke with the actor who plays Lucius Malfoy in the Potter films, including the upcoming Order of the Phoenix:

TVGuide.com: Where do you stand with the next Potter film, Order of the Phoenix? [Isaacs plays Lucius Malfoy, the father of Harry's archrival, Draco.]
Isaacs: I'm shooting [State Within in Canada] all of next month, and then I go home, unpack, get the mothballs off the wig, stick it on and start waving my wand about.

TVGuide.com: A Potterphile pal of mine says fans are anxious to see how Order of the Phoenix handles the Battle of the Ministry, a "beyond huge" moment, I am told, in Potter lore.
Isaacs: I am, too. This is all as entertaining for me as it is for many of the fans. I turn up and they go, "OK, you materialize from here and you fly in over here, and then you point at this and it's going to explode...." I stand there with my jaw dropped.

Thanks to everyone who's e-mailed with the tip!

CBBC Newsround has just posted their interview with Evanna Lynch. In it, she talks about getting the role of Luna, reactions from fans, and much more. Read it here! You can see pictures from the interview in our gallery.

UPDATE: The video has been posted on CBBC's website...you can watch it by clicking here. You must download RealPlayer for the video to work. The interview, which aired on the BBC earlier today, included short clips of Dan and Emma talking about Evanna.

NEW MEDIA: You can find screencaps from the entire segment right here. We also have the video up (in a higher quality than the one on the BBC's site) which you can download in two different formats:

- Windows Media [10.46 MB, WMV]
- QuickTime/iPod [4.93 MB, MP4]

Thanks to EvannaLynchFans.com and everyone who's e-mailed with links!

We have some official Scholastic podcast and tour info for you: On the following dates, Melissa of Leaky, Cheryl Klein, continuity editor for the HP books (don't challenge her to a trivia contest - it's a no-win situation, trust me) and I will appear at bookstores to talk about, um, Harry Potter! We'll be discussing our favorite theories, what we think may happen in the rest of the series, and more. And we want your input, too. I welcome good-natured heckling from still-disgruntled Harry/Hermione shippers.

Starting July 25, you will be able to listen to these appearances in podcast form - but we certainly hope if you're nearby you'll come out anyway! We'll be fun, I promise. And if we're not, well, I'm giving out tons of stickers. We'll provide links to the podcasts as soon as they are available.

The first event is tomorrow, Thursday, July 20, in Naperville, Illinois - we hope to see you there!

The BBC has announced that they will be conducting an interview with Luna Lovegood actress Evanna Lynch tomorrow, at 5:25 PM in the UK.

If anyone is able to capture the video, please e-mail it to tips at staff dot mugglenet dot com! Thanks to everyone who e-mailed with the info.

The first-ever Magical Tour of Scotland and northern England for MuggleNet Fans is a wrap, and the first trip reports are in! We understand the Ministry of Magic gave special permission for the tour members to visit Magical Britain, and that the Ministry was not disappointed. Reports are that the visitors managed to behave themselves, leaving MuggleNet's reputation abroad intact.

You can view pictures here, and for full reports:

Sony Classics has confirmed on their official website that Rupert's film will indeed be released on October 13th, 2006. An article on BoxOfficeMojo.com listed it as a possibility, as we reported earlier today. Thanks to Lucian for the tip!

We've now learned more details on when the video of OOTP director David Yates and Dan Radcliffe will be running at Comic-Con. The video will run in Hall H between 11:00 AM and 12:30 PM on Friday, July 21st. We will have a correspondent at Comic-Con to give visitors a report on what David and Dan said, so stay tuned!

EDIT: The video will be aired July 21st, not June 21st.

James Krasner, professor of English and British Victorian literature at the University of New Hampshire, has spoken out on the recent media frenzy over two characters dying in the seventh book...and why it won't be Harry who meets his death:

"Whenever an author's books become very popular in his or her lifetime, as is the case with Rowling, a tug of war starts between the author and the fans about who the characters really belong to. Rowling, like Conan Doyle (creator of Sherlock Holmes), is trying to assert her control. She's reminding us that Harry is her character, not ours; she can kill him if she wants to. Doyle actually did kill off Sherlock Holmes, but Rowling won't go that far because she cares about Harry. Conan Doyle was really sick of Holmes," Krasner says.

To read the entire article, click here. Thanks to Donald for the link!

BoxOfficeMojo.com is reporting that Driving Lessons, starring Potter actors Rupert Grint and Julie Walters, will be released in the United States on October 13th, 2006. Thanks to C. Pagan for the tip!

JK's Army is giving away a rare deluxe version of Book 6 and all you have to do is enter your details for a chance to win it. The contest is finishing this Saturday at 6 PM EST, so if you haven't already entered, hurry and get your e-mails in!

Cinemark, America's third biggest theater chain, has announced that it plans to use "Real D" technology in 150 theaters by the end of 2007, thus attracting more audiences. Real D enables a single digital projector to beam images that seem to move toward or away from viewers wearing special glasses. While we already know that Order of the Phoenix will be played in IMAX theaters, the company has apparently discussed with OOTP producers the idea of including some 3-D scenes in the movie for some non-IMAX theaters.

Regarding the increased interest in 3-D, Research Associates analyst Marla Backer says: "Nobody has forgotten last year's box office slump." If sales fell because consumers preferred to watch DVDs in their living rooms, then "theaters need a more compelling reason for people to get out of their homes."

Thanks to everyone who e-mailed!

Last night, Rupert Grint appeared briefly on the BBC's "Question of Sport" for Sport Relief, where he acted out a scene from Color of Money. You can check out a video here (right click, "Save Target/Link As..."), thanks to RG.net.

On this week's episode of our Harry Potter podcast, join Ben, Jamie, Kevin, Eric, and me as we tackle the Room of Requirement, Voicemails, Rebuttals, and Michael Gambon. Plus:

- Listener Rebuttals cover the Mirror of Erised and Snape.
- How DOES the Room of Requirement really work?
- Is there any way to empty it out?
- Using it to hide Horcruxes?
- What are its limitations?
- Do the effects of the room last only while you're inside?
- Don't trust something if you can't see where it keeps its brain!
- One listener gets in an accident while listening to the show.
- Favorites: End Battle Scene.
- This Week in Potter: the release date of Half-Blood Prince.
- Jamie tells a bold face lie to the BBC.
- Could Ron and Hermione's actions in the final scenes of the first book foreshadow HP7?

All that and much more can be found on this week's episode. To download, visit the MuggleCast portion of the website and then click on "Episodes" at the top. You can also subscribe via iTunes...just click here and then press "Subscribe" to get the newest show each week. Enjoy!

It was just one year ago today that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was released to the world! Even though so much time has passed, fans are still going wild over Horcruxes (Can Harry find them?), Snape (Good or Bad?), and just WHO will die in the final book?

Remember the moment you first heard the title of the sixth novel? Or the second that you laid eyes on that all-important release date? What's more, possibly in another year from now the entire series will be finished with the final book being released.

Post your Half-Blood Prince release party stories in the comments! And maybe celebrate by reading HBP for the 8174th time.

UPDATE: Nominations are now closed! We'll find out if we're nominated within the next two weeks.

The clock is ticking! There are only just a few more hours left to nominate MuggleCast for the 2006 Podcast Awards. We're seeking nominations in the categories of People's Choice and Best Entertainment Podcast. Click here to nominate us now.

Also, our friends over at PotterCast are in need of nominations in the Arts and Culture category, so don't hesitate to show them your support!

An article published today in JAM! Television has announced Robbie Coltrane's involvement with a new BBC America film titled Cracker: A New Terror. He says it took "10 seconds" to get back into the role as "Fitz," who he played in the last Cracker film ten years ago.

Of more interest to Potter fans, the article also reports that Robbie has "just wrapped his scenes on the fifth Harry Potter movie." All filming for Order of the Phoenix is scheduled to be completed by late fall.

Yesterday, July 14th, MuggleNet's absolutely unhackable Senior Systems Manager Damon "?" Brangers celebrated his 21st birthday. Damon, who joined the MuggleNet staff in 2003, is responsible for fixing the site when it breaks and managing our ever-growing server farm. It may be a little bit late, but certainly not forgotten: happy birthday, Damon!

Jason Cockcrock, known by UK Potter readers for illustrating the Order of the Phoenix cover, was in attendance at the Art in Action Festival today. MuggleNet visitor Kulsoom was there during Cockcrock's appearance and e-mailed us with what Jason had to say about illustrating a Potter book:

He displayed his Harry Potter book illustrations, along with others. He talked about how it was really easy for him to [illustrate] them because JK is such a good writer and he got a clear picture in his mind once he read the book. He also talked about being "quite lucky" because he got to the books before a lot of other people.

A new article published by Entertainment Weekly today gives their take on the top sidekicks ever to be together, from real life to fantasy. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger come in together at #11 behind Ed McMahon, Robin, George Costanza, and several others.

Thanks to Kimba for the tip!

Electronic Arts, the worldwide video game developer known to us for their work on the Harry Potter video game franchise, announced yesterday that they are actively developing six new titles to be released this Fall for the Nintendo Wii. Of those, one is a new Harry Potter game specifically designed for the new video game system.

The Wii's prime new feature is its controller, which is held with one hand and waved at the screen. From this, it's easy to assume that the developers could create an area of the game that lets you cast spells to affect game play. We'll keep you updated with any further developments as we may receive them.

Last week, M. Night Shyamalan told ComingSoon.net that he has put some thought into directing either of the final two Potter films. Today, our friend Melissa from Leaky has informed us that she's conducted an interview with Shyamalan which will be released this Sunday on their Potter podcast, PotterCast.

In a preview posted on their site, the director states he would offer the "greatest protection" on the author's work. From the report:

"The themes that run through it...the empowering of children, a positive outlook...you name it, it falls in line with my beliefs," he said. "I enjoy the humor in it. When I read the first Harry Potter and was thinking about making it, I had a whole different vibe in my head of it. [There would be] a lot at stake emotionally. The teaching of magic would be desperately needed, there would be a lot riding on it."

Our sister site DanRadcliffe.com has received the latest copy of Dan's newsletter. To keep the surprise for those who still haven't read their copy yet, DR.com gives us a summary of the letter:

THE HEART OF THE MATTER by Graham Greene and ROBINSON CRUSOE by Daniel Defoe are just a couple of the books he has read recently. Dan has also "...discovered Regina Spektor..." and "...loved WATERLOO by Dirty Pretty Things" on the music front. Other topics mentioned include plays he has attended in London, his recent exams, post-production work on December Boys, filming Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and a plea for donations to Demelza House instead of sending him birthday presents (there will be more details about this in the next post).

If you're looking to get a newsletter from Dan, first you need to write to him with one of the addresses on our Dan Radcliffe contact page.

One year from today, July 13th, fans across the United States and United Kingdom will be lined up and dressed in their Potter robes in anticipation of the release of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix!

The next 365 days will be, without a doubt, one of the busiest times for the Potter fandom. Between the pending seventh book and the fifth film, news will run rampant across the globe. We promise to bring you the latest and greatest Potter news and content daily, so stay tuned!

James and Oliver Phelps, Fred and George Weasley in the Potter films, took part in the "Warren Clarke Golf Day" at the Beaconsfield Golf Club in the UK today. You can see 25 pictures from the event at London Features International.

The event benefits Sign, "the only charity in the UK dedicated to the field of mental health and deafness."

At last night's presentation of the 2006 Home Entertainment Awards, the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire movie picked up prizes in the categories of "DVD Extras of the Year" and "Sell-Through Title of the Year." The Awards recognise outstanding achievement in home video.

Today, The Edinburgh News reports that Driving Lessons, the movie starring Rupert Grint and Julie Walters (Mrs. Weasley in Harry Potter), will be featured at the 60th Edinburgh International Film Festival, which begins on August 14th. The article doesn't state whether or not the starring actors will be in attendance. Thanks to Erika for the link!

Ricky Gervais recently announced on his official podcast that the second series of the BBC's "Extras" show will commence on September 14th. Daniel Radcliffe and Warwick Davis (Prof. Flitwick) will guest star in the third episode of the six-part series, indicating that it will be aired September 28th - although nothing has been confirmed yet. There is not currently a release date set for the show's airing on HBO in America, although Warwick revealed in our interview with him on MuggleCast that it is to be aired in the Fall.

Thanks to DR.com for the info!

Yesterday we reported a rumor stating that a clip from the fifth Harry Potter movie would be shown at Comic-Con. According to Warner Bros., this is not the case. Director David Yates and Daniel Radcliffe will be included in a special taped greeting that will play at the convention.

MuggleCast listeners: We need your help! Our weekly Harry Potter talk show is trying to get nominated in the "Peoples Choice" and "Entertainment" categories at the 2006 Podcast Awards.

To earn the two spots we need as many nominations as possible, so we ask listeners, visitors, and fans to visit the nomination page on the Podcast Awards site. Fill out the ballots for "Peoples Choice" and "Entertainment" with the podcast name and URL (which is http://www.mugglenet.com/mugglecast). Then fill out the "Your Details" area and let them know why you listen weekly.

You're allowed to nominate once every 24 hours, so please fill out the form daily to increase our chances. Help show the podcasting community that Potter podcasts are just as good as the rest of them in this growing medium! Thanks!

Last Thursday, Dan Radcliffe attended the Bush Theater's Annual Summer Party where he helped sell "Bush Bushes" to guests. You can see some images of Daniel at the event here. Thanks to HPANA via Alicia!

In a list of the 100 greatest family films compiled by Channel 4, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone came in at #15. ET, Shrek, and Mary Poppins took the top three spots. Thanks to Rosie, Rukhsar, and Abi for the tip!

According to a report by Dark Horizons today, a clip from the fifth Harry Potter movie will be played at the upcoming Comic-Con convention, before a question and answer session with some of the cast. DH reports that the footage will be shown at around 11 AM on Friday, July 21st, but Comic-Con.org's schedule doesn't mention a clip of Movie 5 at all. We'll keep you informed on any updates.

This week's episode of MuggleCast features an interview with HP actor Warwick Davis. Warwick has played Professor Flitwick in all the Potter films, including Order of the Phoenix, and also a Gringott's Goblin. We talk to him about the new director David Yates, the atmosphere on the new OOTP set, and much more. Plus:

- Listener Rebuttals tackle last week's hot topics.
- Can the Mirror of Erised reveal where the final Horcruxes are?
- Dumbledore and Harry's relationship in Half-Blood Prince is analyzed.
- Jo says that the POA film foreshadowed events in the final two books. Like what?
- MuggleCast interviews Warwick Davis, who plays Flitwick in the Potter films.
- Why did Flitwick's appearance changed so dramatically from COS to POA?
- Warwick explains how the crowd-surfing Flitwick scene came to be.
- He tells us about his time on the OOTP set and the new director, David Yates.
- He's currently planning a new podcast of his own, titled "Small Talk."
- We learn about his filming career, his perspective on films, and much more.

To download the show, visit the MuggleCast portion of the site and click on "Episodes" at the top. You can also get the latest episode of the show delivered straight to your iTunes-equipped computer as soon as it is released each week by clicking here and then pressing "Subscribe" (for free). Enjoy!

Movie site ComingSoon.net has posted a new interview with the director of great thrillers such as The Sixth Sense, Signs, and more recently The Village. Now partnered with Warner Bros, Shyamalan was asked if he's been approached to direct one of the last two Potter films:

"You know, that Harry Potter dance has gone on a long time," he told us. "The problem is that it is a living breathing thing now, all by itself. When it comes over to my camp, it needs to be kind of handed over, adoption papers and everything. That's a tricky move.

"I haven't met with J.K. [Rowling]," he continued. "The first one was offered to me, but that conflicted with 'Unbreakable,' which was unfortunate. I would definitely, but I think probably before that I would adapt a book. I've gotten close a few times to adapting books."

Thanks to everyone who e-mailed with the tip!

In the latest edition of Entertainment Weekly, the magazine offers their odds on various characters perishing in the final Harry Potter book. The odds are summarized below, but you can see the full article here.

Ron: 20-1, Ginny: 6-1, Hagrid: 3-2, Hermione: 50-1, Snape: 2-1, Harry: 9-2, Voldemort: even odds.

Thanks to Heather, Terry, and Kim for the scan!

We would like to take this opportunity to remember the victims of last year's July 7th terrorist bombings in London. Please keep the families and friends of those affected by that terrible atrocity in your thoughts and prayers.

Warwick Davis has let us know about a charity auction he's holding in Peterborough, UK on Sunday 16th July 2006. The auction line up includes many exciting pieces of Harry Potter memorabilia, with the star item being a very rare, original "Quidditch World Cup Programme" as seen in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. What makes this one extra special is that it has been personally signed by Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe.

Check the link above for more information on the auction lots and details on how to place telephone bids. Warwick will be personally auctioning off the items, so stop by and say hello to him if you are nearby!

Fans have speculated that HP 7 will hit shelves a year from today, and now an article by CNN Money describes how a 2007 release for the final Harry Potter book is just what the struggling American publisher needs. Scholastic's shares have fallen by 6 percent this year, and because of this drop, it has become more expensive for the company to borrow money.

The company is optimistic that its profits won't completely flat-line following the publication of Harry Potter 7. Drew Crum, an analyst with Stifel Nicolaus who follows Scholastic, said: "Post Potter, Rowling is on record saying she'll continue to publish books. Given Scholastic's relationship with her, they should be in good position to work with her. Of course, it will be nearly impossible to duplicate Potter but anything she writes will create some demand."

Thanks to Mark for the tip!

Hey guys, I'm in Indy right now with Melissa of TLC. We were invited to be guests at the 2006 InConJunction Sci-Fi convention. We'll be here for the whole weekend, so if you're in the area, feel free to stop by! Get more info about the convention, including admissions and directions, at the link; we'll be doing a number of HP panels and discussions, including predictions about Book 7. See you there!

Scholastic.com has been updated with a 20-day countdown to the release of the American Half-Blood Prince in paperback. Each day, a new question will be asked, with the answer being revealed the following day. On the release of the book, July 25th, the last question will take the form of a live Harry Potter discussion/podcast, featuring MuggleNet's Emerson Spartz, Melissa from TLC, and editor Cheryl Klein of Arthur Levine and Scholastic books. The show will take place at a Las Vegas Barnes & Noble store - more info here.

JK Rowling, president of the Multiple Sclerosis Society Scotland, was today presented with a Doctorate of Laws by Aberdeen University for her generous and philanthropic work aiding Multiple Sclerosis research.

Neva Haites, head of Aberdeen University's College of Life Sciences and Medicine, said: "J.K. Rowling is best known because of a book that she wrote in a cafe in Edinburgh which has made her a household name. However, what is less well known is Ms. Rowling's significant contribution to many charitable causes.

"She is an example of a Scottish leader who has used her reputation and wealth to support the battle for improving human health and for fighting human disease."

Dressed in a dark suit, Jo spoke to reporters about the honor: "I am thrilled... It is very exciting." Although she has already been honored for her contibution to literature by St Andrews, Edinburgh and Napier Universities, she said she found this one "particularly meaningful."

Photos of Jo (looking stunning) from the event can be seen here.

Thanks to readers Hermes and Erin, we now have six brand new photos from the Order of the Phoenix set. They include shots of Hagrid's Hut and Privet Drive. We also have some photos from Fort William where the Hogwarts Express is being readied for filming.

After a month-long hiatus to allow some of the cast to study for and sit exams, Movie 5 filming is scheduled to recommence in two weeks' time.

Three new pictures have been taken by a visitor of HarryPotterDeluxe.com, revealing the Privet Drive set. The homes appear to be set up in two long rows, with only the fronts of the homes fully built (there's no reason to build the back of them, as they won't be filmed). You can check them out right here in our gallery.

The set is being readied for the opening scenes of Order of the Phoenix. In fact, a recent article in Playbill notes Richard Griffiths' (Uncle Vernon in the films) absence from his role in History Boys for the week of July 18th to "honor a film commitment."

Thanks to Veritaserum for the tip!

On Saturday we reported that a Canadian court ordered The Wyrd Sisters band to pay back WB's legal fees incurred while fighting the band's original court case. Today, the band says they are appealing the court's decision and will continue to push their $40 million dollar lawsuit against Warner Bros.

A spokesperson from WB says they are "extremely hopeful that we will continue to prevail in this case."

In the new film The Devil Wears Prada, a character named Miranda asks for the seventh Harry Potter book to give to her twin daughers (despite not being released yet), and another character named Andy gets the manuscript for her. The Book 7 prop used for filming is now being auctioned off on eBay to benefit the Dress for Success charity, "assisting more than 45,000 disadvantaged women each year as they transition into the workforce."

Thanks to Lauren for the tip!

Every Monday, CNN.com's Politics section features a humorous comic in response to big events of the past week. Harry and Jo were the introduction to this week's Cartoon Clicks, and you can see the funny sketch right here. Thanks to Lynne for the tip!

There is finally a central Web space for the Leaky Mug podcasts, the joint productions from Leaky and MuggleNet. This is what we were originally intending to do with the space (but don't worry, our April 1 merger is still available for viewing).

Now at LeakyMug.com you can find info about our upcoming live shows, both Vegas and New York. You can RSVP for those shows, find out more about the podcasters, and have fun reading/submitting quotes to our database. Finally, you will soon be able to subscribe to The Leaky Mug on ONE feed, as a separate podcast. Our subscription links aren't active yet, but we will let you know when they are.

Leaky's team put this great site all together. Heather Campbell designed that funny cartoon at the top, John Noe designed the theme, and Leaky's Nick Poulden programmed the neat features.

Our attempt at MuggleCast Live didn't go so hot. In fact...it was too hot (for Skype) to handle. This week's show features the triumphant return of everyone's favorite Brit: Jamie Lawrence! Plus:

- Was Voldemort born evil?
- What were his motives from the start?
- Why was Voldemort offering Lily so many chances to live?
- Why is Dumbledore the only man Voldemort ever feared?
- Could Voldemort come back as a ghost if Harry kills him?
- Ben's Gimme a Butterbeer calls out the media for blowing things out of proportion.
- Is Harry going to die in Book 7? We discuss the possibilities.
- Jamie's convinced Jo can't bring herself to kill Harry.
- Jamie will tape himself eating 50 jumbo sausages if Harry dies.
- Ben and Andrew think Harry's death would make a great ending.
- Could sequels be legally written?

You can download the show and read full show notes in the MuggleCast section of our website. Those who have iTunes can click here and press "Subscribe" (for free), which will download the show to your computer automatically each week.

Additionally, starting this week we will be releasing a second version of the show that is smaller in file size for those who are using a dial-up connection. Visit the Episodes page for a low-bandwidth link in Show 46 (past shows will be added soon).

A few weeks ago we told you about the mother from Georgia, Laura Mallory, who campaigned to have the Harry Potter books removed from her children's school library, because - put short - they "promote and glorify witchcraft." After the Gwinnett Board of Education dismissed the case, Mallory appealed the decision, and... ugh, the Board has announced it will hold another hearing on October 3rd. If you're in the vicinity and can attend, please let the Board know how we feel about the situation.

Last November we reported that Winnipeg musical group, Wyrd Sisters, sued Warner Bros. and attempted to have GOF banned from distribution across Canada because they believed a band with a similar name, The Weird Sisters, featured in the movie; the name of the band was never actually mentioned in the flick. They lost their case and have now been ordered to reimburse WB's $140k legal fees.

Thanks to HPANA for the tip!