Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has now eclipsed the $300 million mark here in the United States. The movie currently sits at #8 on the all-time worldwide grossing list with $927.4 million, just behind Order of the Phoenix ($938.2 million).

Thanks to Snitch Seeker!

The Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince DVD will be released on Dec. 8, but the video on demand will not be available until Dec. 15, according to Video Business.

Noonan [a WHV spokesman] said the film “will be held back a week [on VOD] in an effort to further enhance the extraordinary sell-through possibility” of the DVD, calling Potter a unique property.

Thanks to Leaky for the tip!

The latest episode of our Harry Potter podcast has arrived! Join Laura, Eric, Micah, Nick and I for another great episode where we discuss the latest Potter news stories, answer more of your burning questions about the series, and much more.

- We discuss the recently announced release dates for the HBP DVDs..
- ...and get into all the details surrounding the Ultimate Editions.
- What would have happened if Harry chose the Hallows?
- We tell what one thing we would change about the series and why.
- Which professor (aside from Dumbledore) was the most influential for each member of the Trio?
- What if Hermione had a brother or a sister - how would her character change?
- This Week in MuggleCast history goes way back to our "lost" episode.

All that and a LOT more can be found in this week's show! To download the fun for free, we recommend subscribing through iTunes. Just CLICK HERE and then press "Subscribe" to the right of our album art. (Already subscribed? Refresh your feed!) No iPod or MP3 player needed! You can also visit the MuggleCast website to listen right within your browser, or to download the MP3 file to your desktop.

Warner Bros. announced details pertaining to the new Harry Potter: Wizarding World DVD game in a news release yesterday.

Based on the second three Harry Potter films – Harry Potter: Wizarding World™, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire™, and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince™ – the DVD game enables fans to extend the movie experience with activities that include escaping Death Eaters at the Quidditch World Cup, learning defensive magic in Dumbledore's Army, potion-mixing in Advanced Potions class and much more. Harry Potter: Wizarding World™ hits stores on December 1, 2009 for $24.98 SRP. Order due date is October 27, 2009.

For more details, click the link below.

This information is thanks to the Harry Potter Film Twitter.

Since the Potter fandom is Twitter-crazy over the news today that author JK Rowling has joined the social networking site (and hinted that she's busy writing.. something), we wanted to help you follow ALL the Potter stars who are on Twitter.

By clicking here and putting your Twitter username and password into the box provided, you will be able to follow JK Rowling, Tom Felton, Matthew Lewis, Oliver Phelps, James Phelps, and many other stars instantly! You'll also be able to add the official MuggleNet account (maintained by us) and the official Harry Potter account (maintained by WB).

A list of MuggleNet staffers on Twitter can be found here.

The author of the Harry Potter books has an official Twitter account!

A visitor to our friends at Leaky reported the verified Twitter account and they confirmed with Jo's reps that it's legitimate.

Jo created the account to put an end to all the fake ones. She also wrote this first (and only) message:

I am told that people have been twittering on my behalf, so I thought a brief visit was in order just to prevent any more confusion! However, I should flag up now that although I could twitter endlessly, I’m afraid you won’t be hearing from me very often, as pen and paper is my priority at the moment

Pen and paper are Jo's priorities at the moment? Hmmmm?! You can follow MuggleNet's official account right here. To follow all the Potter stars from the films, simply click here and follow the easy instructions!

As we reported yesterday, Potter actors Matthew Lewis and Evanna Lynch were atop Millennium Bridge on Thursday to kick off a new promotion for the Half-Blood Prince DVD.

While there, they spoke to The Daily Record and revealed that they'll be busy filming many scenes for Deathly Hallows soon. Evanna again emphasized that a big portion of Deathly Hallows Part 2 will be dedicated to the Battle of Hogwarts, and the movie as a whole follows very closely with the book.

Warner Brothers sent out an e-mail this evening to those subscribed to the Official Harry Potter Newsletter. In it, they promote a new Harry Potter DVD website that keeps track of all the Potter DVDs - including the Ulimate Editions.

The newsletter included a small thumbnail (image left) of all the Ultimate Editions, although it's too small to make much out.

Potter actors Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) and Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) released 1,000 balloons on Millennium Bridge in London today to celebrate the upcoming Half-Blood Prince DVD release and to kick off a new contest.

The contest, open to anyone 18 or older in the UK, is simple: find one of the black balloons Evanna and Matthew launched today and follow the instructions on the attached card. You'll then be entered into a contest where the winner will receive a trip to the Deathly Hallows set where they'll be turned into a painting!

This is London has video from the balloon launch, which also includes a nice interview with the two actors. They note that Deathly Hallows is going to be "insane" and Evanna reveals that the producers are keeping it true to the book and paying a lot of attention to the final battle. Photos from the event can be seen here on Getty.

David Thewlis' wife was recently interviewed by The Independent, where she reveals that David will be filming Deathly Hallows through March 2010:

Thewlis is filming the final instalments of Harry Potter until March and Friel is choosing between scripts which could take her to New Zealand or back to LA in the new year.

Filming is expected to be entirely completed in Spring 2010, and Part 1 will be released on November 19th, 2010. Thanks to Snitch Seeker for the tip!

Evanna Lynch recently spoke with EvannaLynchFans.com about what she's been up to lately. The Luna Lovegood actress also offered some encouragement to people reaching for their goals:

I'm sure many of you have or have had the same dream and have encountered all the apparent obstacles. People like to hype it up and make is sound impossible, unattainable, too good for you... Just the other day I was trying to clean out my desk (anything other than study exactly!) and I came across the letter that I received from the HP casting dept. It was a reply to a tape I sent long before the open audition, long before the release of Goblet of Fire even, on my own initiative. They did reply and kindly told me that there were no openings on the film at the minute and that also nationality played a big role in casting. Plainly put, it looked like the cards were against me and I'm sure I felt that way at the time.

I'm not saying this to big myself up ('cause I know they use this on press releases etc. etc.), I mean to remind you how fine the line is between reaching a goal and not. I wasn't an actress with connections or anything particularly distinguishing. This is why I hate the probability chapter in my maths book. Manifestation doesn't take into account how many chances you have. If it happens it happens and it didn't matter what anyone else told you. Sorry to annoy any mathematicians out there but I don't believe in probability! So strip away all the hype, because anything anyone tells you is just...chat, and it's really up to you and you'll get nowhere if you don't at least believe you deserve everything you dream about.

UPDATE: Haley sent us a picture of her with the horse in Boston! Thanks again, Haley!

As most know, the Potter Exhibition is currently wrapping up its time in Chicago and will soon move to Boston for an October 25th opening at the Museum of Science.

Thanks to MuggleNet reader Haley for letting us know that the first piece of the Exhibit has arrived at the Museum to promote the Exhibition! She writes:

I went to the Museum of Science in Boston last night, and lo and behold, there was Ron's knight from SS in the middle of the lobby. The exhibit might not be there yet, but it's coming!

If you're in the Boston area, go check it out!

Birthday wishes are in order for Tom Felton, as it's now Sept. 22 in the U.K. The actor who plays Draco Malfoy turns 22 years old today!

Join us in wishing him the best on his day! Send him your birthday wishes in the comments and his Twitter account here.

Addressing the press last night after winning an Emmy for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in the HBO miniseries Into the Storm, actor Brendan Gleeson noted that he has just finished filming in his role as Mad-Eye Moody for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I.

"I waved goodbye to him a week and a half ago. It was great fun, playing Mad-Eye was a hoot."

Thanks to Snitch Seeker for the tip!

Twitter is a very popular social networking site that allows you to follow people's "tweets" (short messages that explain what they're up to, etc).

As it turns out, many Potter stars use Twitter! In the past we've learned cool info through the tweets of Tom Felton, Warwick Davis, and others.

Recently we discovered a cool service that lets you create a list of people on Twitter so they can all be followed in one click. We used this service to create a list of Potter stars on Twitter. Click here to check it out and follow all their official accounts instantly! The list also includes the official Harry Potter Film and MuggleNet accounts.

We also made a list of MuggleNet staff members that you can easily follow (we all tweet Potter stuff from time to time). Check that list out right here.

The other day we told you about the Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets Ultimate Editions being released on December 18th. You can see a full feature list for each Edition right here.

Today, we now have a trailer for both editions. It reveals some sneak peeks at never-before-seen footage, including the trio's initial screen test. View it right here on YouTube.

The trailer also confirms that Ultimate Editions will be released for all eight Potter films (no date on those yet). Thanks to John for the link!

As marked by the calendar on J.K. Rowling's website, Saturday, Sept. 19 is Hermione Granger's 30th birthday. Join us in wishing the brightest witch of her time a very happy birthday!

Also, in honor of Hermione's big day, the WB shop is offering a 25% discount on all Harry Potter merchandise this weekend!

Thanks to MuggleNet readers Mez and Luke for letting us know that Australia will see the Half-Blood Prince DVD on store shelves November 18th. The Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets Ultimate Editions will be released on the same day.

To the dismay of United States and United Kingdom fans, Australians get it three weeks early!

The Potter DVD news continues this week with the full list of features include in the Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets Ultimate Editions. We originally told you yesterday that these Ultimate Editions are due out December 8th.

The list is extensive, so click here to read every little feature. Here are some of the coolest features included on each Ultimate Edition:

Sorcerer's Stone:
- Introduction by Daniel Radcliffe - An introduction to the many special features for the Harry Potter films (new)
- Creating the World of Harry Potter, Part 1: The Magic Begins: discover the story of how one vision for the Harry Potter films came together out of limitless possibilities to create the visual world we have come to know and love (new)
- In-Movie Experience with Director Chris Columbus: an interactive viewer experience where the entire film is examined; includes PiP, storyboard comparisons, still galleries (BD exclusive)
- WB Maximum Movie Mode picture-in-picture programming, cast walk-ons, focus points, graphics and more (BD exclusive)

Chamber of Secrets:
- Creating the World of Harry Potter, Part 2: Characters - Explore how the cast and creative team of directors and designers take the characters’ descriptions on the page to the actors’ performances on film. [NEW]
- Screen Tests of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson [NEW]
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Revealed - 2002 HBO First Look special

Following today's announcement that the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince DVD will be released on December 8th in the US, we can now reveal that several UK retailers are listing December 7th as the release date for the UK.

Both Play.com and Amazon.co.uk are now taking pre-orders for the DVD, which comes in several different versions, including a 2 Disc Edition, a Blu-Ray release and a 'Years 1- 6' boxset.

To find out more information about the DVD's, please visit our Half-Blood Prince DVD page, where you can view the cover art and special feature listings.

A couple months ago, we reported that Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets Ultimate Editions were in the works.

Today, with the news of the Half-Blood Prince DVD arriving December 8th, we've now learned that the Ultimate Editions will hit store shelves on the same day. As Video Business reports:

The new Ultimate Editions of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, priced at $39.92 on DVD and $49.99 on Blu-ray, will each include five hours of special features, theatrical and extended versions of the film, a 48-page photo book and other collectibles.

Among the special features will be screen tests, new featurettes with the cast and filmmakers and the first two one-hour installments of a new comprehensive documentary about the making of the movie franchise. Called Creating the World of Harry Potter, the eight-hour documentary will have one hour on each Ultimate Edition.

Additionally, Video Business reveals that a new iPhone app - allowing users to learn and fire virtual spells at friends - will arrive in November.

Our friends at Magical Tours have let us know that their great Harry Potter themed tours in Britain are ready for reservations. Next summer, five tours are being offered. It’s a little soon to tell too much, but their 2010 tour season is slated to have some really amazing surprise events.

Magical Tours also revealed that there will be another Summer Intern Contest – soon to be announced right here on MuggleNet!

Visit Magical Tours to see what’s coming up next summer, and stay tuned to MuggleNet to get the details on the contest to determine who will win an all-expense paid summer internship to learn the travel biz while traveling to all the Harry Potter book and movie locations in England and Scotland!

It was announced earlier today by Warner Home Video that the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince DVD will be released in the United States on December 8th. There will be a 1-disc DVD, 2-disc DVD, and 3-disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo release.

You can take a closer look at the DVD cover art below:

- HBP DVD Single Disc (1, 2)
- HBP DVD 2-Disc Special Edition

We know the DVD will include an 11 minute insider look at the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park, the full documentary of J.K. Rowling: A Year in the Life, as well as other great behind-the-scenes segments you can read about here.

Thanks to HPANA for the tip!

Universal Studios has released the full video from their Wizarding World webcast which MuggleNet took part in yesterday.

To view it, click here and then click "View" on the first video. Watch as Universal execs, along with actor Tom Felton, reveal some really cool info about the park!

The Nintendo Wii made using a wand semi-realistic, but now engineers at the Wand Company have created a universal Kymera Magic Wand remote control.

Yet another way the wizarding world is coming to life! Will you check it out when it comes out Oct. 1 for $80?

Read the rest of the article here.

Thanks to Ashley for the tip!

UPDATE: Andrew, Eric and myself discuss all the Wizarding World developments on Episode 180 of MuggleCast. We recommend subscribing to the show through iTunes. If you're already subscribed, just simply update your feed. Other options include listening to the show in your browser live on MuggleCast.com or simply download it onto your computer: Direct Download | Low Bandwidth

At a press conference earlier this morning, Universal Studios confirmed that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter will officially open in the Spring 2010. No specific date was given.

Names of the three main park rides are Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Flight of the Hippogriff and Dragon Challenge. Flight of the Hippogriff will include interaction with Hagrid as you fly on a Hippogriff for training. Dragon Challenge will center on flying either a Hungarian Horntail or Chinese Fireball. Univeral's existing ride, Dueling Dragons, will be re-themed into Dragon Challenge.

Other attractions include Ollivander's Shop, Owl Post, Dervish and Banges, Three Broomsticks, Honeydukes, Zonko's and Filch Emporium.

A ton of artwork was revealed of virtually every part of the park, including a map.

VIDEO:
- Introduction video with Dan, Rupert, and Emma | YouTube Version
- Virtual map fly through | YouTube Version

HIGH RES ARTWORK:
- Beautiful map of entire area
- Zonkos
- Owlery
- Ollivanders
- Honeydukes
- Flight of the Hippogriff
- The Dragon Challenge
- Filch's Emporium
- The Exterior of Hogwarts

Press release announcing today's news - click here. The press release includes descriptions of each ride.

The presentation included a video introduction from Dan Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson who all expressed their excitement about the park. Tom Felton was live at the event speaking with the creators.

Scenes for the theme park were filmed right after they finished filming Half-Blood Prince.

Don't forget that Infinitus 2010 will be taking place in Orlando, Florida, from July 15-18, 2010. Click here for more information.

MSI Chicago has announced that the hours for Harry Potter: the Exhibition have been extended through the end of its run:

Harry Potter: The Exhibition has extended its hours in its final weeks at the Museum of Science and Industry, in response to recent sold-out weekends. The exhibition—which made its world premiere at the Museum in April 2009—will close on September 27, 2009. Beginning Friday, September 18, the Museum will offer extended exhibit hours until midnight on both Friday and Saturday nights though the exhibition’s closing date, September 27.

“Hundreds of thousands of Harry Potter fans have been captivated by this exhibition, and by extending our weekend hours, we hope many more will have the opportunity to do so before it leaves Chicago,” said David Mosena, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Museum of Science and Industry.

After Chicago, the Exhibition will then move to Boston for an October 25th opening!

UPDATE (9/15): The press event begins today at 10:30 AM EST. We're not sure if we'll be able to report as the event happens but we certainly will as soon as it ends!

As mentioned previously, MuggleNet staff member Andrew is at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, covering a special press event for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. He will continuously update all the action from down in Orlando via the MuggleNet Twitter. You can check out all of the updates on our site in the Twitter box located to the right of this post.

Andrew has already posted several great videos (1,2) of construction from inside the park itself. Check back often as there will be plenty more coverage to follow!

"A Very Potter Musical," the popular musical parody, now has a website and a soundtrack!

The website crashed earlier this week when it was first announced, but it is up and running again with information about "A Very Potter Musical" and "Little White Lie."

The soundtrack is available for download for free right here, but Team Star Kid is asking for donations to fund any future projects.

There's a new article online today quoting JK Rowling's lawyer and an insider, who both say Jo's upcoming Encyclopedia still has no release date yet.

Neil Blair, a lawyer for Rowling's agents Christopher Little, downplayed expectations of imminent publication.

He said: "The encyclopaedia simply remains something Ms Rowling would like to complete sometime in the future."

But an insider said: "Everyone hopes it comes to fruition.

"Even though the original Harry fans are now adults the obsession remains and this would be a huge seller.

"Obviously she is under no pressure and can pick and choose her projects but Harry is more than just another character for her."

Thanks to Audrey for the tip!

The County Times recently reported that The Limehouse Lamp Company is producing lights for a new Harry Potter ride at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.

Managing director Elliott Maurice said the lamps are similar to those seen at Hogwarts. Universal wanted authenticity, as the look and feel of these rides is crucial to the Potter experience.

Thanks to Leaky for the tip!

Thanks to BrianOrndorf.com for letting us know about several new photos he took at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park construction site. The photos show lots of new construction taking place both on site and off for Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.

At the bottom of his post Brian included this video of a strange noise coming from the site of the theme park construction. It could be for either the Potter park or another area of Universal Studios.

Thanks to the BBFC there are more details about the upcoming Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince DVD, which is expected to be released in December.

We now know that the JK Rowling documentary "A Year in the Life", which follows the author as she finishes Deathly Hallows, will be included in the DVD set.

The BBFC also lists "Close Up With the Cast", "One Minute Drills", and "What's On Your Mind". Thanks to Sara and Leaky for the tip.

MTV has a new interview with the actor who will play Grindelwald in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. In it, he compares the Twilight and Potter franchises and briefly discusses his character in Deathly Hallows:

As for the look of Gellert, the actor revealed: "We're pretty much keeping it straight; the costume is fantastic — we had this idea that he's very bird-like. He's described in the book as almost looking like a crow or something like that, and we [latched] onto that; I have a nice jacket which makes me look cool."

Jamie also reveals that he'll be in one half of the two-part film. Read more from Jamie here and here!

The latest episode of our Harry Potter podcast has arrived! Join Micah, Eric, Nick and I for a great new show where we discuss the latest news and go in-depth on several topics submitted by listeners:

- News: Half-Blood Prince box office update, Deathly Hallows filming continues, theme park updates, John Williams performs Potter at the Hollywood Bowl.
- Registration for Infinitus 2010 is now open!
- Could Dumbledore have stopped Voldemort from becoming what he did?
- Why did JK Rowling get rid of Harry's father figures?
- Who that died in Deathly Hallows would have become a ghost?
- How does Harry get away with so many crimes?
- How will kids discover Potter in 20 - 30 years?
- Chicken Soup: Back to School Edition!

All that and a LOT more can be found in this week's show! To download the fun for free, we recommend subscribing through iTunes. Just CLICK HERE and then press "Subscribe" to the right of our album art. (Already subscribed? Refresh your feed!) No iPod or MP3 player needed! You can also visit the MuggleCast website to listen right within your browser, or to download the MP3 file to your desktop.

On Saturday, we first told you that Draco Malfoy actor Tom Felton would be in Orlando for a Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park press event on Tuesday, September 15th. The actor has now confirmed this news on his official Twitter account and talks about what he plans on doing:

just confirmed i'm going to see the wizarding world of harry potter at universal on tuesday! i'll let u know how its coming along... gonna go on other rides to..cant go to the simpsons ride tho...have to admit it made me feel slightly worse for wear after i went on it!

MuggleNet will be at this press event and will provide full coverage.

As many tabloid sites have reported, Emma Watson arrived at Brown University a few days ago to begin orientation for her freshman year.

We didn't want to post the news because it was an invasion of privacy, but today Emma updated her official website to clear up the rumors and confirm she is indeed attending Brown:

"I know, according to the papers I was definitely attending both Columbia and Yale but I've finally arrived at Brown University and while I wish that I could be in three places at once I wouldn't believe everything you read! I arrived [last] Tuesday and I'm having the most amazing time. I'm still so excited to be here. I've already met so many incredible people. I'm over my jet lag and now I just want classes to start!!"

Read more from Emma right here! Thanks to everyone who e-mailed with the tip.

MTV is reporting today that Bluewater Productions, the company behind the Barack Obama, Stephenie Meyer, Oprah Winfrey and Michael Jackson comic books, will be releasing a comic book based on the life of J.K. Rowling.

The comic, written by Adam Gragg examines Rowling’s middle class upbringing, her time in Portugal teaching English, her meteoric rise with seven immensely successful books adapted into several high-grossing Hollywood blockbusters, and her post-Potter endeavors.

“She is a remarkable and multi-dimensional woman,’” Gragg noted, “Learning about who she is and how she struggled to become a success was a truly enlightening experience. Twelve publishers turned her down. If it weren’t for the daughter of a British publisher who liked Rowling’s first chapter of ‘Philosopher’s Stone’, we might never have met Harry Potter.”

The list of deleted scenes from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has appeared on the British Board of Film Classification's website. They are in line with the scenes David Yates described to us at the NYC Half-Blood Prince premiere:

- Harry and Hermione walk through Hogwarts hall (26 seconds)
- Harry and Hermione discuss Marauder's Map (1 minute)
- Harry, Ron, and Hermione discuss the Vanishing Cabinet (1 minute, 4 seconds)
- Harry and Dumbledore arrive at cave entrance (38 seconds)
- Harry and Dumbledore leave cave (19 seconds)
- Clouds gather over Hogwarts as Flitwick conducts choir (1 minute, 39 seconds)
- Harry joins Ron, Hermione, and Ginny in the Common Room (40 seconds)
- Harry and Hermione discuss Ron at Astronomy Tower (42 seconds)

Additionally, the BBFC has listed a 11 minute, 38 second look at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park. At that length, expect a pretty cool look at the park! Thanks to Leaky for the tip.

Various actors and a director celebrate their birthdays this month, so let's take a moment to recognize them!

First up is Joshua Herdman. The actor who plays Gregory Goyle turns 22 today, September 9!

September 10 has director Chris Columbus' name all over it, as he turns 51!

And last but not least, Tom Felton, known for his portrayal of Draco Malfoy, celebrates his 22nd birthday on September 22!

Join us in wishing them all the best on their birthdays!

In a speech to the schoolchildren of America, President Obama mentioned Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling to remind kids of the power of perseverance. As The Times Online reports:

Those who do hear what he has to say will be encouraged to aim almost as high as he has. Michael Jordan, the basketball star, “was cut from his high school team,” Mr Obama said, and “J.K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter book was rejected 12 times”.

The full transcript of the speech can be found here.

You may recall that the Sasha and Malia Obama are also big fans of Harry Potter and had the chance to visit the set this past summer.

Cincinnati, Ohio played home to a very cool Wizard Rock event last weekend called "Hogwarts Class of '84", where popular Wrock bands busted out their 80s gear and played classic wrock.

MuggleNet staff member Kyle attended the event and filed the report below for our visitors (use the link below to view pictures):

"The night started out with the eighty or so attendees (dressed in their best 1980s fashion) filling the banquet hall that was rented out at the Doubletree Guest Suites. Tonks and the Aurors opened the show, playing several of her hits to a roaring crowd. Second came Alex Carpenter, better known as The Remus Lupins, who played his set with no pants on." (Edit: Alex was making a reference to the 80s movie "Risky Business" in which Tom Cruise rocks out the same way.)

Legendary film composer John Williams, who Potter fans know for (among other classics) scoring Sorcerer's Stone through Prisoner of Azkaban, just completed two nights of "Music of the Movies" at The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.

MuggleCast co-host Matt and I attended Saturday night's show and we were treated to something Williams has never done before at these annual performances - he dedicated the first hour of the show to Potter films. The setlist: Hedwig's Theme (SS), Aunt Marge's Waltz (POA), Diagon Alley (SS), Knight Bus (PoA), Nimbus 2000 theme (SS), Fawkes the Phoenix (CoS), Window to the Past (POA), Chamber of Secrets (CoS), and Harry's Wondrous World (SS) - all performed by Williams and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Some songs included video montages from the films that were sync'd with the live music.

As an extra treat, legendary UK actress Lynn Redgrave sat beside John and introduced each Potter score. She connected one to another and ran through several facts that proved the success of the franchise. It was similar to a series of performances hosted in Boston last year.

With all this Potter goodness going on at the show, we can't help but wonder if this franchise is stuck on his mind. Rumors of his return have been swirling ever since an article quoted him as saying he believed "with confidence" (link goes to John Williams Fan Network) that he'd be back for the final film. Were these performances to get back into the Potter groove?

UPDATE: The kitties were having some issues in our image gallery so we moved them to their own area of the site. View them starting right here!

Kitty Cats. We love them. They're adorable, fluffy, sometimes innocent, and most of all: exploitable.

That's why we've opened up a new section on MuggleNet today that was inspired by the internet phenomenon affectionately titled "lolcat".

We call ours: I Can Haz Pottur! Visitors have been submitting their best Potter-related lolcat images and we now have them online. You can also visit the page to find out how to submit your own images. This area will be permanently accessible from the link under "Fun" on the left side of MuggleNet. Enjoy!

Yesterday we told you about a press event to be hosted at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Theme Park in Orlando on September 15th, and we've now learned that at least one actor from the Potter films will be present.

Tom Felton is currently in Atlanta at DragonCon 2009, and he revealed to a friend of MuggleNet's that he'll be in Orlando for the Wizarding World event. MuggleNet will be in Orlando as well to cover the new info Universal reveals.

Readers may recall that Tom was at Universal Studios Orlando back in January with his girlfriend. The same day, Universal released these publicity photos of the actor enjoying the park.

The Park will also play home to HPEF's Infinitus 2010 from July 15th - 18th, which just opened registration a few days ago. To learn more about Infinitus, click here!

Yesterday on BBC Radio Five Live Radio Simon Mayo, author Ian Rankin, a friend of J.K. Rowling, revealed that the last time he saw her, she was working hard on the Encyclopedia. He also mentioned he saw her drawing up family trees.

It should be mentioned that Rankin said he has not seen Rowling in some time and that he didn't know whether the encyclopedia was for her own fun or not.

Could the Encyclopedia be nearing its release? Let's hope so!

Thanks to Chris for the tip!

We've received word that Play.com--a UK DVD distributer--has updated its Half-Blood Prince Blu-ray and DVD pages with the cover art. They've also added the box set covers.

Check them out at the link below!
-Half-Blood Prince Blu-ray cover
-Half-Blood Prince DVD cover
-Harry Potter Complete DVD Box Set
-Harry Potter Complete Blu-Ray Box Set

These covers could change by the release date and the movies are not yet available for pre-order. These are also UK covers, so the US covers may be different.

Thanks to Simon!

Warner Brothers and Universal Studios have long been quiet about the upcoming Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park in Orlando, Florida since they announced it two years ago.

Now though, it looks like some big details are about to emerge. As The Orlando Sentinel reports, Universal has been sending out invitations to various members of the press for an event in Orlando on September 15th.

MuggleNet is one of those members invited and we will be providing full coverage of the event! In the mean time, check out all we got on the Theme Park right here.

Attention Canadian fans! CBC Newsworld will be airing "A Year in the Life of J.K. Rowling" Saturday, September 5 at 10 pm ET and Sunday, September 6 at 8 pm ET.

You may recall that the documentary follows Rowling as she writes Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and gives viewers insights on her past.

Thanks to Lucas for letting us know!

We all the know that there are incredible amounts of special effects involved in the Harry Potter films. Now we can take a look at the process behind the special effects in Half-Blood Prince thanks to one company involved in the film--Rising Sun.

Check out the video here to see how Dumbledore's hand was digitally altered, and much more!

It was only a few months ago we first told you about MuggleNet FanFiction's wonderful AudioFiction feature (link goes to their iTunes listing), and now we're pleased to report that they've hit their 100th episode!

The landmark episode actually featured this news poster reading the FanFic. It was a ton of fun recording it and I hope you all enjoy it too!

In case you don't know what AudioFics are: they're Harry Potter fanfictions read aloud by MuggleNet FanFiction staff and then released in podcast form. They're lots of fun to listen to whether you love Fan Fiction, love listening to audiobooks, or just love Harry Potter in general!

In what may win the Most-E-mailed-Story-Of-The-Year Award (and we're not sure why), Harry Potter has been nominated in numerous categories at Spike TV's 2009 Scream Awards:

Best Sequel: Half-Blood Prince
Best Fantasy Movie: Half-Blood Prince
Best F/X: Half-Blood Prince
Best Actor in a Fantasy Movie or TV Show: Dan Radcliffe
Best Actress in a Fantasy Movie or TV Show: Emma Watson
Best Supporting Actor: Rupert Grint
Best Supporting Actress: Evanna Lynch
Best Villan: Helena Bonham Carter
The Holy [Censored] Scene of the Year: The Death Eaters Attack London (Half-Blood Prince)

To vote, click here! The award ceremony will air Tuesday, October 27th at 10 PM EST/PST on Spike TV. Thanks to everyone who e-mailed with the tip!