Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Film

Africa

Egypt – January 15, 2003
South Africa – November 29, 2002

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Asia

China – January 24, 2003
Hong Kong – December 19, 2002
India – April 25, 2003
Israel – November 21, 2002
Japan – November 23, 2002
Kazakhstan – December 26, 2002
Kuwait – December 4, 2002
Malaysia – November 14, 2002
Philippines – November 13, 2002
Romania – December 20, 2002
Singapore – November 16, 2002
South Korea – December 13, 2002
Taiwan – November 15, 2002
Turkey – November 29, 2002

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Europe

Austria – November 14, 2002
Belgium – November 20, 2002
Bulgaria – December 6, 2002
Croatia – December 12, 2002
Czech Republic – December 12, 2002
Denmark – November 22, 2002
Estonia – December 20, 2002
Finland – November 22, 2002
France – December 4, 2002
Germany – November 14, 2002
Greece – November 29, 2002
Hungary – December 5, 2002
Iceland – November 22, 2002
Ireland – November 15, 2002
Italy – December 6, 2002
Lithuania – December 19, 2002
Netherlands – November 21, 2002
Norway – November 22, 2002
Poland – January 1, 2003
Portugal – November 29, 2002
Russia – December 24, 2002
Slovenia – December 5, 2002
Spain – November 29, 2002
Sweden – November 22, 2002
Switzerland (French) – December 4, 2002
Switzerland (German) – November 14, 2002
Switzerland (Italian) – December 6, 2002
United Kingdom (London World Premiere) – November 3, 2002
United Kingdom – November 15, 2002

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North America

Canada – November 15, 2002
Mexico – November 29, 2002
Panama – November 29, 2002
United States – November 15, 2002

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Oceania

Australia – November 28, 2002
New Zealand – November 28, 2002

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South America

Argentina – November 28, 2002
Brazil – November 22, 2002
Chile – November 22, 2002
Colombia – November 22, 2002
Peru – December 5, 2002
Uruguay – November 29, 2002
Venezuela – February 26, 2003

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"More on HARRY POTTER & THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS" - Ain't It Cool News | November 7, 2002

"A New Review Of HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS!!" - Ain't It Cool News | October 22, 2002

"HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS" - By Roger Ebert | Chicago Sun-Times | November 15, 2002

"Review: 'Chamber' a rousing, top-rank sequel" - By Paul Clinton | CNN | November 18, 2002

"Wizard - until the end" - By Lizzie Rusbridger | The Guardian | November 4, 2002

"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" - By Eric Harrison | Houston Chronicle | November 15, 2002

"HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS" - By Mark Dujsik | Mark Reviews Movies

"Chamber Made" - By Richard von Busack | Metroactive | November 14, 2002

"Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" - NY Movie Reviews

"The trouble with Harry" - By Stephanie Zacharek | Salon | November 15, 2002

"'Chamber' lacks spark, imagination / Overblown effects bury Potter sequel" - By Mick LaSalle | San Francisco Chronicle | April 11, 2003

"Sadder, more shadowy and better than the first Harry Potter film" - By Sukhdev Sandhu | The Telegraph | November 15, 2002

"A potion for 'Potter' success" - By Claudia Puig | USA Today | November 14, 2002

"Magical Mystery Tours" - By Ed Park | The Village Voice | November 12, 2002

Awards Won

AFI Awards

Special Award
Won along with the rest of the Harry Potter films.

Art Directors Guild

Contribution to Cinematic Imagery Award
David Heyman, David Barron, David Yates, Chris Columbus, Mike Newell, Alfonso Cuarón, J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves, Michael Goldenberg, Stuart Craig, Neil Lamont, Stephenie McMillan
Won along with the rest of the Harry Potter films.

British Academy Children's Awards

Kids' Vote

British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards

Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema
Won along with the rest of the Harry Potter films.

BMI Film & TV Awards

BMI Film Music Award
John Williams

Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards

Best Composer
John Williams

Best Family Film - Live Action

Empire Awards

Special Award - The "Harry Potter" films for outstanding contribution to British cinema
Won along with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

London Critics' Circle Film Awards

British Supporting Actor of the Year
Kenneth Branagh

Mainichi Film Concours

Best Foreign Language Film
Chris Columbus

National Board of Review Awards, USA

Special Achievement in Filmmaking
David Heyman (For "The Harry Potter Franchise - A Distinguished Translation from Book to Film")
Won along with the rest of the Harry Potter films.

Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards

Best Live Action Family Film

Best Performance by a Youth in a Leading or Supporting Role - Female
Emma Watson

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Nominations

The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films

Best DVD Special Edition Release

Best Costumes
Lindy Hemming

Best Director
Chris Columbus

Best Fantasy Film

Best Make-Up
Nick Dudman and Amanda Knight

Best Performance by a Younger Actor
Daniel Radcliffe

Best Special Effects
Jim Mitchell, Nick Davis, John Richardson, Bill George

Amanda Awards

Best Foreign Feature Film
Chris Columbus

Awards Circuit Community Awards

Best Achievement in Art Direction
Stuart Craig

Best Achievement in Costume Design
Lindy Hemming

Best Achievement in Visual Effects

Best Original Score
John Williams

Awards of the Japanese Academy

Best Foreign Film

British Academy Children's Awards

Best Feature Film
David Heyman, Chris Columbus, Steve Kloves

British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards

Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects
Jim Mitchell, Nick Davis, John Richardson, Bill George, Nick Dudman

Best Production Design
Stuart Craig

Best Sound
Randy Thom, Dennis Leonard, John Midgley, Ray Merrin, Graham Daniel, Rick Kline

BMI Film & TV Awards

BMI Film Music Award
John Williams

Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards

Best Digital Acting Performance
Toby Jones

Favorite Film Franchise
Nominated along with the rest of the Harry Potter films.

DVD Exclusive Awards

Best Games and Interactivities
Jennifer Jones, Paul Hemstreet, Jamal Green

Best Overall DVD, New Movie (Including All Extra Features)
Paul Hemstreet, Jennifer Jones, Jeffrey Lerner

Golden Trailer Awards

Best Animation/Family
Warner Bros., The Ant Farm

Grammy Awards

Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
John Williams

Hollywood Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Guild Awards

Best Special Makeup Effects - Feature
Amanda Knight, Jane Royle, Clare Le Vesconte (For Kenneth Branagh)

Hugo Awards

Best Dramatic Presentation - Long Form
Chris Columbus, Steve Kloves, J.K. Rowling

Motion Picture Sound Editors

Best Sound Editing in Foreign Features
Randy Thom (supervising sound editor), Dennis Leonard (supervising sound editor), Derek Trigg (supervising foley editor), Martin Cantwell (sound editor), Andy Kennedy (sound editor), Colin Ritchie (sound editor), Nick Lowe (sound editor)

MTV Movie Awards

Best Virtual Performance
Dobby

Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards

Favorite Movie
Robert Legato, Nick Davis, Roger Guyett

Online Film & Television Association Awards

Best Visual Effects
Jim Mitchell, Nick Davis, John Richardson, Bill George

Onine Film Critics Society Awards

Best Visual Effects
John Richardson

People's Choice Awards

Favorite Movie Fan Following
Nominated along with the rest of the Harry Potter films.

Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards

Best Acting Ensemble
Kenneth Branagh, John Cleese, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Richard Griffiths, Rupert Grint, Richard Harris, Jason Isaacs, Daniel Radcliffe, Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw, Maggie Smith, Julie Walters, Emma Watson

Best Costume Design
Lindy Hemming

Best Makeup
Nick Dudman, Amanda Knight

Best Visual Effects
Jim Mitchell, Nick Davis, John Richardson, Bill George

Satellite Awards

Best DVD Extras
(For "Harry Potter Years 1-4")
Nominated along withHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Best Youth DVD
(For "Harry Potter: The Complete 8 Film Collection")
Nominated along with the rest of the Harry Potter films. 

Visual Effects Society Awards

Best Character Animation in a Live Action Motion Picture
David Andrews, Steve Rawlins, Frank Gravatt, Douglas Smythe (For "Dobby's Face")

Best Compositing in a Motion Picture
Dorne Huebler, Barbara Brennan, Jay Cooper,  Kimberly Lashbrook (For "Quidditch Match")

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• Daniel Radcliffe has said that Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is his favorite book.
• Hugh Grant was originally cast as Gilderoy Lockhart but was forced to withdraw at the last moment because of scheduling conflicts. Alan Cumming was also considered.
• Zoë Wanamaker does not appear in this film as Hogwarts' flying instructor, Madam Hooch. Her character was written out.
• Daniel Radcliffe was initially only offered £125,000 (approximately US$181,500) to film Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The Actor's Union Equity stepped in, however, and negotiated new terms that increased his salary to roughly £2,000,000 (US$3,000,000).
• Many Harry Potter fans went to see Scooby Doo just to see a Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets trailer.
• Christian Coulson landed the role as Tom Riddle, even though he is 23 and exceeds the 15-17 age group set for auditions.
• Fourteen Ford Anglias were destroyed to create the scene where Harry and Ron crash into the Whomping Willow.
• As Hagrid is taking Harry away from Knockturn Alley, we see, in one of the shop windows in the background, an entire set of Harry Potter books.
• The "Let's just hope Mr. Potter will always be around to save the day" dialogue (see quotes) was improvised by Radcliffe and Isaacs.
• During the shoot, the part of Dobby was played by an orange ball on a stick (he was added digitally later, of course).
• The train station interior used in the film is King's Cross in North London, whereas the exterior shot is actually St. Pancras. The two stations are adjacent to one another, but not the same building. This was done because the architecture of St. Pancras is much more visually appealing.
• The punch line for the "Japanese golfer" joke told by Uncle Vernon that Harry ruins is actually quite vulgar and not at all appropriate for young children or mixed company.
• As Harry enters Professor Dumbledore's study, a portrait of Gandalf the Grey is included in the collection of the great wizard paintings. It is above the doorframe and slightly to Harry's right.
• Harry Taylor reprises his brief role as the Train Station Guard from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone.
• A cinema manager in Stavanger in Norway reported that the film was making his younger patrons ill. Evidently many children who had overindulged on sweets and popcorn were throwing up when Ron begins vomiting giant slugs. "It is not a particularly fun task for our employees to have to wash away the sick," he said.
• Some of the portraits in Hogwarts are actually faces of production designer Stuart Craig and executive producer Mark Radcliffe.
• While chatting with the Grangers at the bookshop, Mr. Weasley says, "I understand that other Muggles are afraid of you." This makes little sense unless you know that both Hermione's parents are dentists.
• Emma Watson broke her left wrist during filming and you can just about see a cast under her sleeve in some scenes.
• The script originally said that Hermione would hug Harry and Ron in the final scene. Because Emma Watson was embarrassed about having to hug them in front of the entire cast, Chris Columbus changed the scene. Hermione just hugs Harry, and starts to hug Ron, but the two get embarrassed and shake hands instead.
• The tapestries hanging in the Gryffindor Common Room are copies of the "Lady and the Unicorn" series, a set of 16th century tapestries that are now displayed in the Cluny Museum in Paris.
• The title used by the film crew to disguise the shoot (and printed on the clapper boards) was "Incident of 57th Street".
• The Weasleys' car registration number is 7990 TD.
• All four of director Chris Columbus's children appear in this movie. Eleanor Columbus plays Susan Bones (also plays her in the first movie), Brendan Columbus plays a boy in study hall, Violet Columbus plays the little girl with flowers, and Isabella Columbus plays the little girl in the bookstore.
• When Harry and Ron are called to the dormitory it has been ransacked. As Harry sifts through the pile of books on the floor you briefly see Volume 4 of the Encyclopedia Magica from TSR's Dungeon and Dragons second edition.
• Filming began two days after the release of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone.
• Jason Isaacs originally auditioned for the role of Gilderoy Lockhart but was asked to audition for the role of Lucius Malfoy instead.

Information courtesy of IMDb.