Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

By: Corona's Coming Attractions
Date: Monday, August 09, 2004

Genre:
Family/Fantasy/Sequel.

Studio:
Warner Brothers.

Production Company:
Warner Bros./Heyday Films/1492 Productions.

Project Phase:
In the Can.

Who's In It:
Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter); Emma Watson (Hermione Granger); Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley); Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid); Maggie Smith (Professor McGonagall); Alan Rickman (Professor Severus Snape); Michael Gambon (Headmaster Albus Dumbledore); Gary Oldman (Sirius Black); Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy); David Thewlis (Professor Remus Lupin); Julie Walters (Mrs. Molly Weasley); John Cleese (Nearly Headless Nick); Fiona Shaw (Aunt Petunia); Richard Griffiths (Uncle Vernon); Julie Christie (Madam Rosmerta); Emma Thompson (Professor Sibyll Trelawny).

Who's Making It:
Alfonso Cuaron (Director); Steve Kloves (Screenwriter); David Heyman, Chris Columbus, Mark Radcliffe (Producers); Steven Weisberg (Editor); John Williams (Musical Score); based on the novel by J.K. Rowling.

Premise:
Harry Potter has been through a lot for a thirteen-year-old and is looking forward to having a nice, calm year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Instead, Harry's third semester becomes a nightmare as imposing Dementor guards from the wizard prison of Azkaban are summoned to the school. They're looking for an escaped prisoner named Sirius Black, a former student of Voldemort's and a convicted murderer who might now be after Harry. Why is Sirius Black at Hogwarts, and what connection does he have to the young wizard-in-training?

Release Date:
June 4, 2004.

Comments:
With the astounding financial successes of the previous two films, everyone expects the third HARRY POTTER film to do the same level of biz at the box office.

Scoop Feedback:

July 30, 2003... Newsweek broke an exclusive look at the new Harry Potter film, HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN, which included new photos from the set. Among them is a look at Gary Oldman's Sirius Black, the incarcerated magician that's central to this Harry adventure.

MSNBC is publishing a portion of the Newsweek article online.

Among the factoids revealed is that Michael Gambon's portrayal of Hogwart's headmaster Dumbledore is styled as an "elegant old hippie"; that the AZKABAN filmmakers have spent six months designing the Dementors we'll see in the film; and that the film's tone is more darker and adult than the previous two films. Part of that shift in atmosphere is due to the fact that the trio of youths that star in the HARRY POTTER films are growing up and have entered puberty full-on.

The British newspaper The Sun also has their own Harry exclusive complete with additional photos from the picture. Among the Sun snapshots are ones of the magical purple and triple-decker buses, Hermione attacking Draco with her wand and Professor McGonagall speaking with Harry. [Newsweek, MSNBC, The Sun.]

October 6, 2003... Via Coming Soon and the Herald Sun newspaper, it's been discovered that Emma Thompson will have a part in the upcoming HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN movie. Thompson will reportedly play Professor Trelawny, Hogwart's divinations teacher, in the third film.

Sources say that Thompson's appearance in the film is not much more than a cameo, further proof that the entire A-list of English thespians have worked or will be on the faculty of Hogwart's at one point in time. [Coming Soon, Herald Sun.]

October 10, 2003... First mentioned earlier this week, the casting of Oscar-winning actress Emma Thompson in HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN is now confirmed by Warner Bros. Thompson is playing the part of Sibyll Trelawney, Hogwart's eccentric Professor of Divination.

"I am very excited to work with Emma," director Alfonso Cuaron said about the addition of Thompson to the cast. "She brings such life and spirit to the characters she portrays, it will be exciting to see her as Trelawney."

Filming on PRISONER OF AZKABAN continues for a June 2004 release.

November 13, 2003... The teaser trailer for HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN has gone live at the film's official website and awaits your download. Available in Windows Media, Real Player and QuickTime formats, you even get to see a real quick glimpse of the scary Dementors. And Daniel Radcliffe is filling the shoes of the older Harry Potter quite nicely. Director Alfonso Cuaron looks like he's got this one nailed.

Go already! The movie is out -- oh, man -- June 4th? That long? [Official HARRY POTTER website.]

November 14, 2003... Using the latest technology (OK, so it was just a PC and a VCR), the wizards and witches over at The Leaky Cauldron website were the first to post a screengrab of Emma Thompson's character from HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN, Sibill Trelawney (available right here.) The image in question comes from an exclusive set report by E! television to the set of PRISONER OF AZKABAN that was broadcast on the network yesterday. [Sources: The Leaky Cauldron, E! Television.]

November 17, 2003... Remember that cool animated wanted poster of Sirius Black seen in the trailer for HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN? Well, the official HARRY POTTER website has got a Flash

version of the poster running at their site, which is sure to give younger readers a nightmare or two when they see it. Follow the link to see what we mean. [Official HARRY POTTER website.]

March 25, 2004... The official website for the HARRY POTTER movies has relaunched and is now fully decked out for HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN. Among the many new items that you'll see is the film's new trailer, the Marauder's Map, and some snazzy new wallpapers, buddy icons, ecard and screensavers for your digital delight.

Click here to be spirited off to Hogwarts online. HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN opens in theaters on June 4. [Warner Bros.]

April 13, 2004... After the television network premiere of HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE on ABC on May 9, the network will broadcast a 10-minute sneak peek at the third movie, HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN (opening June 4 in theaters.) The special look at the film should bring out legions of Harry's fans who are eagerly awaiting the new film. ABC picked up the broadcast rights to show the first two HARRY POTTER films for a sweet $130 million dollars. [Variety.]

June 3, 2004...

With the domestic release of HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN almost upon us (those lucky citizens in the United Kingdom already have the film in their cinemas), we thought it best to get you in the mood by presenting 19 snapshots from AZKABAN and a couple that were taken behind-the-scenes. Click on any of the photos appearing on this page that you find interesting and you'll see them in their fullsize glory (and with a caption to boot!) [Warner Bros.]

After Its Release:

June 6, 2004... The third film in Warner Bros. HARRY POTTER series catapulted to the top of the box office this weekend. The studio has forecasted a $92.6 million dollar opening weekend for HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN, with a exceptionally strong $28.2 M opening day for Friday. If the estimate holds up when Monday's final figures are released, THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN will turn out to be the best opening weekend in the history of the franchise.

June 13, 2004... The kid with glasses kicked the ex-con with goggles this weekend at the box office. According to studio estimates Warner Bros. third HARRY POTTER film took in about $35 million dollars from Friday to Sunday. That's about a 62% drop in receipts from the picture's opening weekend, but still more than enough to eclipse THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK, Universal's space opera actioner which opened with an estimated $24.6 M. Unofficial sources peg the budget for RIDDICK at around $200 M, which would mean the film made only one-eighth of its budget so far. Still, if the picture can manage to not drop off as much as HARRY POTTER did, the possibility for a sequel to CHRONICLES may still come true.

August 8, 2004... Warner Home Video will release HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN on November 23, 2004. The street price of the two-disc set will be $29.95. Detail on what bonus features will be announced shortly.

Official Website:

harrypotter.warnerbros.com