Harry Potter Page 6

Harry Potter fans everywhere are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the release of 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' with cool Facebook features, new releasese on Pottermore and a sweet message from Jk Rowling.

JK Rowling at the 2017 BAFTAs

Explore the full history of the Potter family on Pottermore today as JK Rowling unveils a piece of writing exploring her boy wonder's most eccentric ancestors 20 years following her success with her debut novel. 

Continue reading: Here's How Fans Are Enjoying The 20th Anniversary Of Harry Potter

Fans of both Harry Potter and Ian McKellen will be aggrieved to learn that the actor was actually considered for the role of Professor Dumbledore following the death of Richard Harris, but he turned it down because the latter didn't like him very much.

Ian McKellen waves at 'Beauty and the Beast' premiere

Despite the fact that we can't understand why anyone wouldn't adore Sir Ian McKellen, it seems that his late contemporary Richard Harris wasn't his biggest fan. In an interview on the BBC program 'HARDtalk', he spoke about the situation in front of an audience at the BBC Radio Theatre.

Continue reading: Why Did Ian McKellen Decline The Invitation To Play Dumbledore?

The 2017 nominations for the West End's most prestigious prize ceremony, the Laurence Olivier Awards, have been announced and Jk Rowling's 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' is soaring above them all with eleven mentions altogether including Best New Play - almost breaking a record.

JK Rowling's 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' nominated for eleven Laurence Olivier Awards

The play, which opened in London in July 2016, is currently up for Virgin Atlantic Best New Play against the likes of 'Elegy', 'The Flick' and 'One Night in Miami'. Plus, Jamie Parker who plays the older Harry Potter in the production is nominated for Best Actor in competition with Ian McKellen for 'No Man's Land', Tom Hollander for 'Travesties', Ed Harris for 'Buried Child'.

Continue reading: 'Harry Potter And The Cursed Child' Matches Laurence Olivier Record With Eleven Nominations

A song that was written by Bruce Springsteen for 2001 movie Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone leaked online, Friday, after being included as part of a bootleg compilation.

Springsteen first mentioned he had written a song that didn't end up being used in the movie in an interview with BBC Radio 2's Simon Mayo in October, and since then fans have been eagerly waiting to hear it. However, the mysterious track was later removed from Soundcloud, where it had first surfaced.

Bruce Springsteen’s unused Harry Potter ballad, ‘I'll Stand By You Always’, has surfaced online

Continue reading: Bruce Springsteen's Unreleased 'Harry Potter' Song Leaks Online

Jk Rowling has responded to an internet meme about her death, by politely asking fans to please untag her when sharing it.

The presumably well-meaning meme is been shared all over social media and describes how Harry Potter fans will react when she passes away. But for the author, it’s all just a little morbid.

JK Rowling doesn't really like talk about her death

Continue reading: JK Rowling Would Like Fans To Not Tag Her When Discussing Her Death

Jason Isaacs and his onscreen son Tom Felton held a heart warming Harry Potter reunion over the weekend, taking in Universal Orlando's Wizarding World theme park.

The two actors, who played villainous father-and-son Lucis and Draco Malfoy in the film series, also both attended the Universal Orlando’s Celebration of Harry Potter, where they took part in a cast panel alongside Warwick Davis and Matthew Lewis.

Continue reading: Malfoys Unite! Jason Isaacs And Tom Felton Have 'Harry Potter' Reunion

Rumours of a prospective movie series bringing the recent Harry Potter play ‘The Cursed Child’ to the big screen have been reignited, with an entertainment journalist claiming that Warner Bros. is in discussions with the franchise’s original stars to reprise their characters.

The two-part play, co-written by J.K. Rowling, opened at the Palace Theatre in London back in June 2016, and is set 19 years after the events of Rowling’s books. Shows have continued to sell out for months, and rumours of a Broadway production have recently floated.

Daniel Radcliffe has always been asked whether he'll reprise his Harry Potter role

Continue reading: Are There Plans For A Three-Part 'Harry Potter And The Cursed Child' Movie Series?

‘Harry Potter’ author Jk Rowling has defended the decision to cast Johnny Depp in the forthcoming Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them prequel.

53 year old Depp, who faced domestic abuse allegations in his acrimonious divorce from Amber Heard earlier this year, makes a cameo appearance as the wicked dark wizard Grindelwald in the film, which is released next week and has a more prominent role in the planned sequel.

JK Rowling has defended Depp's inclusion in 'Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them'

Continue reading: JK Rowling Defends Johnny Depp's Inclusion In 'Fantastic Beasts'

With just under a month to go until Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them hits cinemas, there’s been a huge casting announcement made about the scheduled sequel, with Johnny Depp set to take a role.

According to a report by Deadline on Tuesday (November 1st), Depp will be joining the Warner Bros. production alongside established cast members Eddie Redmayne, Zoe Kravitz and Katherine Waterston when the sequel hits cinemas in 2018.

Johnny Depp is to take on a role in the 'Fantastic Beasts' sequel

Continue reading: Johnny Depp Set For Role In 'Fantastic Beasts' Sequel

At a special event previewing the imminent release of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Jk Rowling has revealed plans for at least four more films in the Harry Potter spin-off franchise.

Speaking at Cineworld’s Empire Imax in London’s Leicester Square on Thursday evening (October 13th), alongside the movie’s lead star Eddie Redmayne and director David Yates, the author admitted that she and Warner Bros. had always planned for at least one follow-up to Fantastic Beasts…

JK Rowling has revealed plans for as many as four more 'Fantastic Beasts' movies

Continue reading: JK Rowling Reveals Plans For FOUR More 'Fantastic Beasts...' Movies

Jk Rowling has been forced to clarify a joke she made on Twitter about Harambe the gorilla appearing as a Patronus on the Harry Potter fan site Pottermore.

Potter fans were sent into a frenzy of excitement when the website launched its ‘Patronus Quiz’ on Thursday (September 22nd) which allows users to discover their inner spirit animal. That anticipation heightened when Rowling re-tweeted an altered image from a comedy Twitter account of Harambe that made it look as if the animal would be one of the possible quiz results.

Continue reading: JK Rowling Says Harambe The Gorilla Is NOT A Patronus

The modest suburban house used as Harry Potter’s childhood home in the movie adaptations of JK Rowling’s books has been put up for sale for almost half a million pounds, and has attracted a huge amount of interest from fans around the world.

The three-bedroom property near Reading, depicted as 4 Privet Drive in Little Whinging in the movies but which is actually located at 12 Picket Post Close in Bracknell, Berkshire, went up for sale for £475,000 this week.

Continue reading: Harry Potter's Childhood Home, '4 Privet Drive', Goes On Sale

Daniel Radcliffe has not ruled out playing Harry Potter one more time, if stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is adapted for the big screen. However the actor did say he would feel strange about returning to the part and he wouldn’t mind if another actor was to take on the role.

Daniel Radcliffe hasn’t ruled out playing Harry Potter again

When asked by The Hollywood Reporter if he’d consider playing Potter again, Radcliffe said: “I’m never going to close the door; that would be a stupid thing to do. But I think I’ll be happy enough and secure enough to let someone else play it."

Continue reading: Daniel Radcliffe Hasn't Closed The Door On Playing Harry Potter Again

Could Daniel Radcliffe possibly be about to reprise his famous role as Harry Potter? Sources claim it’s possible, with Warner Bros. studios reportedly in talks to acquire movie rights for JK Rowling’s recent play ‘The Cursed Child’ – and there’s only one person they want to play the lead!

On Wednesday (August 31st), the New York Daily News reported that Warners is looking to nail down the rights to a ‘Cursed Child’ movie, which could be ready as soon as 2020. Radcliffe played the boy wizard in eight feature films from 2001 to 2011, with actor Jamie Parker taking on the role of the adult Harry in the current stage show.

Could Daniel Radcliffe return as Harry Potter in a 'Cursed Child' movie?

Continue reading: Could Daniel Radcliffe Return As Harry Potter In A 'Cursed Child' Movie?

Harry Potter star Rupert Grint is to feature in a TV re-make of Guy Ritchie’s hit British gangster film Snatch.

Scottish actor Dougray Scott and ‘Gossip Girl’s Ed Westwick are also set to play prominent roles in the forthcoming series, which is set to be available on Sony’s streaming network Crackle from early 2017.

27 year old Grint, who played Ron Weasley in all eight Harry Potter movies based on JK Rowling’s books, will play a “frustratingly chaotic” character named Charlie Cavendish, according to a press release. He's also set to take on an executive producer's role.

Continue reading: Rupert Grint To Star In TV Re-Make Of 'Snatch'

After the success of West End play Harry Potter And The Cursed Child and the forthcoming release of film Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, Potter fans already have plenty to keep them going. But it looks as if there’s even more excitement to come, as three new titles by author Jk Rowling have appeared for pre-order on sites including Amazon.

Are three new Harry Potter eBooks coming in September?

Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists, Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies, and Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide have all appeared for pre-order on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and Apple's US iBook store.

Continue reading: Are Three New 'Harry Potter' Books Coming Our Way Next Month?

Jk Rowling has leapt to the defence of Harry Potter fans who claim they’ve been banned from a wand shop in Huddersfield because they are not real wizards.

Early last week, a story broke in The Independent in which Richard Carter, the owner of Mystical Moments that supplies handmade wands among other things, was quoted as saying: “Harry Potter is for children”, and that “if I had someone come in wanting a wand just because they liked Harry Potter I would not sell them one, no matter how much they were offering.”

JK Rowling has intervened in the wand-shop dispute

Continue reading: JK Rowling Wades Into Row Over Magic Shop Owner Banning Harry Potter Fans From Buying Wands

A rare edition of Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone is expected to fetch more than £20,000 when it goes to auction in November at Bonhams. The book contains a small, barely noticeable typo and only 500 copies containing the error were published in 1997.

Does your copy of Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone contain a valuable typo?

Page 53 of the book lists the supplies Harry needs to begin his first term at Hogwarts. But what Rowling, her editors and the book’s proof reader didn't notice at the time was, the phrase '1 wand’ appears twice on the list.

Continue reading: 'Harry Potter' Book With Small Typo Goes Up For Auction At £20,000

NBCUniversal has acquired the rights to air the Harry Potter movies in the US, as well as the upcoming Fantastic Beasts series from owners Warner Bros. The television rights were previously held by Disney in a seven-year deal, but NBC will take them over from July 2018.

NBCUniversal will be airing the Fantastic Beasts movies from 2018

According to the Wall Street Journal, although exact terms of the deal haven't been disclosed, it's speculated that it could be valued as high as $250 million, making it one of the largest for a movie franchise and the biggest acquisition in NBC Universal's history.

Continue reading: NBC Buys Rights To Air 'Harry Potter' And 'Fantastic Beasts' Movies

A magic shop selling wands and accessories to real life witches and wizards has banned Harry Potter fans from buying their products because they are not suitable for muggles. Mystical Moments in Huddersfield has had witches and wizards from all over the country  looking for wands since opening in April, but its owner says he refuses to sell any to Potter fans.

A magic shop has banned Harry Potter fans from purchasing wands.

Speaking to The Sun, wand maker Richard Carter said: “Jk Rowling has obviously done her research but Harry Potter is for children. It has done nothing for business. You wouldn’t believe how many real witches and wizards there are knocking about. You would be amazed.

Continue reading: Magic Shop Bans Harry Potter's Muggle Fans From Buying Wands

Although Jk Rowling has already declared that it will be the final chapter in the ‘Harry Potter’ series, she might be tempted to think twice after reports of sales of the newly-released ‘The Cursed Child’ set to make it the biggest-selling book of the decade.

The special rehearsal edition of the book form of the script, featuring stage directions used by the cast, went on sale for £20 in hardback on Sunday (July 31st), and it’s been absolutely flying off the shelves around Britain, with more than 680,000 copies sold in the first few days, according to Nielsen BookScan.

JK Rowling's new 'Harry Potter' script, released in book form on July 31st, looks set to be the biggest-selling book of the decade

Continue reading: 'Harry Potter And The Cursed Child' Book Set To Break Sales Records

'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' is dominating theatre news this summer, and now those who didn't manage to get a ticket for parts 1 and 2 of the play have probably got their copy of the script book which they pre-ordered months ago. But Jk Rowling says that's it now. No more Potter parables.

JK Rowling says 'no more'

The author insisted at the play's premiere in London on Saturday (July 30th 2016) that she will not write anymore about Harry Potter and his family. 'He goes on a very big journey during these two plays and then, yeah, I think we're done', she told Reuters at the event. 'This is the next generation, you know. So, I'm thrilled to see it realized so beautifully but, no, Harry is done now.'

Continue reading: Why We Refuse To Believe JK Rowling When She Says There'll Be No More 'Harry Potter' Books

Jk Rowling has praised fans of Harry Potter for keeping the secrets of West End play The Cursed Child. The play held its gala opening in London on Saturday, ahead of the paperback version of the scripts hitting shelves tomorrow.

JK Rowling has thanked fans for not spoiling Harry Potter And The Cursed Child

Speaking to ITV News, Rowling said: “They've been amazing, they've been incredible, and you know what it is? It is the most extraordinary fandom so I'm kind of not surprised they didn't want to spoil it for each other but I'm so happy we got here without ruining it.”

Continue reading: JK Rowling Thanks 'Harry Potter' Fans For Keeping 'The Cursed Child's' Secrets

Critics have been dazzled by the magic of West End play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The play, written by Jack Thorne and based on a story by Thorne, director John Tiffany, and author Jk Rowling officially opens at the Palace Theatre on Saturday, after beginning its previews back in June.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is based on a story by JK Rowling.

The play is presented in two parts and runs at over five hours in total. It follows Potter, now in his mid-30s, and his son Albus, who is just beginning at wizarding school Hogwarts. The play is set 19 years after the seventh and final book in Rowling’s best-selling series.

Continue reading: Critics Feel The Magic With 'Harry Potter And The Cursed Child' In The West End

The comparison between Donald Trump and Lord Voldemort has been made many times in the run up to the US election, but a new study has shown that Harry Potter fans are indeed less likely to vote Trump.

Donald Trump could be vanquished by Harry Potter readers.

The study by Professor Diana Mutz of the University of Pennsylvania found that the more Harry Potter books an American reads, the more their opinion of Trump lowers. “Reading Harry Potter books encourages more negative attitudes toward Trump,” Mutz wrote.

Continue reading: Reading 'Harry Potter' Books Could Mean You're Less Likely To Support Donald Trump

What’s the only thing better than Hermione from Harry Potter? Two Hermiones, that’s what, and the two actresses who have portrayed the character met backstage at a show of new play ‘The Cursed Child’, with Emma Watson sharing a number of photographs alongside Noma Dumezweni.

The 26 year old actress, who played Hermione Granger in all eight of the Harry Potter movies between 2001 and 2011, went to see ‘Harry Potter and The Cursed Child’ on Thursday night (July 7th), and, of course, managed to get backstage to meet the cast and crew.

Emma Watson met with her fellow Hermione actress Noma Dumezweni backstage at 'The Cursed Child'

Continue reading: Emma Watson Sees 'Harry Potter And The Cursed Child', Meets Noma Dumezweni

Daniel Radcliffe answered a number of questions from young ‘Harry Potter’ fans, and has revealed which actor used to scare him most while he was filming.

The British actor, currently starring in Swiss Army Man, fielded questions submitted to People magazine by young readers aged 4-11 and answered them for the latest episode of ‘The Jess Cagle Interview’.

Fiennes’ portrayal of Lord Voldemort is one of the most memorable villains in recent movie history, and Radcliffe said that even Fiennes’ presence on set was “genuinely intimidating” – even more so than Alan Rickman (Professor Snape), whom he found friendly after a short time.

Continue reading: Daniel Radcliffe Found Ralph Fiennes "Genuinely Intimidating" On 'Harry Potter' Set

Daniel Radcliffe has confirmed he’s not yet seen play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, but he would like to in the future. The only problem is, the actor will have to wait until fan hysteria over the play dies down, so he can view it in a more relaxed setting.

Daniel Radcliffe hasn't seen Harry Potter and the Cursed Child yet.

Speaking on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert', Radcliffe said: “I feel like I want to see the show. I am genuinely intrigued and I've heard it's fantastic. But I just feel sitting in an audience of what will for the most of the near future be very enthusiastic Harry Potter fans might be like not a relaxing way to see a show.”

Continue reading: Daniel Radcliffe Wants To See 'Harry Potter' Play, But He'll Have To Wait

Daniel Radcliffe has revealed that he’s “not sure” whether he’ll ever see the new play ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ – because he doesn’t want to “distract or take away” from the production by being seen in the audience.

The 26 year old, who of course made his name by starring in the eight blockbuster Harry Potter movies, was asked the question that pretty much everybody’s going to badger him with for the rest of the year – will he be seeing J.K. Rowling’s new play? Probably not, he told E! News.

Daniel Radcliffe at the premiere of 'Now You See Me 2'

Continue reading: Daniel Radcliffe "Not Sure" If He'll Ever See 'Harry Potter' Play

Jk Rowling has sent out a plea to fans to keep the plot of play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child a secret. Previews of the production begin tonight at the Palace Theatre in London’s West End, before it officially opens on June 30th.

Potter fans have always had each other’s backs. Today I’m asking you to #KeepTheSecrets of #CursedChild https://t.co/0Vbl3zwN6b

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2016

Continue reading: JK Rowling Asks Fans To Keep 'Harry Potter And The Cursed Child's' Plot A Secret

J.K. Rowling was living out Stephen King’s dream when she wrote The Cuckoo's Calling as Robert Galbraith, enjoying the anonymity bestowed on her by that pseudonym. King, who wrote under the name Richard Bachman, praised the practice while bemoaning those clever Internet folks that spotted his ruse.

Rowling enjoyed writing as Galbraith

"I would have told her it's an impossible secret to keep for long," King told USA Today. He "got outed as Bachman by someone who recognized my style, and in these days of the Internet, that becomes more and more likely," but for him, "Jo is right about one big thing — what a pleasure, what a blessed relief, to write in anonymity, just for the joy of it. Now that I know, I can't wait to read the book." Rowling said she had "hoped to keep this secret a little longer".

Continue reading: Stephen King On J.K. Rowling's Pseudonym - 'What A Pleasure'

J.K. Rowling's latest work, The Cuckoo's Calling, was turned down by at least one publisher. Yesterday (Sunday 14th July), Kate Mills of Orion publishing house admitted she had rejected the novel. This was following Rowling's admittance that she had penned the crime novel written under the male pseudonym 'Robert Galbraith'.

J.K.Rowling at the premiere of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2.

Rowling's first work Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone was initially turned down by publishing powerhouse Bloomsbury. The company eventually did pick up the novel and the subsequent series. The Harry Potter books have been translated in 64 languages and remain the bestselling series in history. 

Continue reading: JK Rowling's 'The Cuckoo's Calling' And Other Famous Authors Who Suffered Publisher's Rejection

J.K. Rowling, author of the hugely popular Harry Potter series, admitted she had published a detective novel under the pseudonym 'Robert Galbraith'.  Her announcement was made on Sunday 14th July after a newspaper followed up on a hunch that the 'two' authors shared very similar writing styles. The novel, entitled The Cuckoo's Calling, was published in April of this year. Despite receiving critical acclaim the novel sold less than 500 copies.

J.K.Rowling at the London premiere of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in 2011.

One publishing house, Orion, has admitted their mistake in turning down the novel. The publishing director, Kate Mills, said Rowling's latest work was "perfectly decent, but quiet". She continued to say that it was "well written" but concerned that "it didn't stand out".  Mills claimed this is a serious problem when attempting to launch "new authors" in crime fiction when it is already "a very crowded market". 

Continue reading: J.K. Rowling Published 'The Cuckoo's Calling' Under A "Liberating" Pseudonym

There's little wonder that the millionaire Harry Potter author and focus of persistent media attention Jk Rowling would seek to publish new material under a pseudonym. Under the crushing weight of her previous works, which also include post-Potter adult fiction The Casual Vacancy, any subsequent Rowling writing will naturally be subject to fierce scrutiny and unnecessary comparison to her wizard teen fiction that charmed the world and spawned an eight-part movie franchise. The Cuckoo's Calling storyline focusses on Cormoron Strike, a war veteran-turned private investigator whose skills are called upon when a model plunges to her death from a balcony.

JK Rowling Fooled Readers Under The Pseudonym 'Robert Galbraith.'

Sneaky Rowling certainly fooled them all - from readers to reviewers and even crime writers, no one was any the wiser that Robert Galbraith may not have been who he claimed to be until The Sunday Times had a poke around, wondering how a writer's first work - and one "with a background in the army and the civilian security industry" at that - could be so self-assured and critically successful. Aside from similarities in style, it was uncovered that Rowling and 'Galbraith' shared a literary agent and editor and The Cuckoo's Calling was published by Sphere - the same publishers as The Casual Vacancy, according to The Sunday Times as reported by BBC News.

Continue reading: JK Rowling Poses As Military Man & Fools The World With Crime Novel

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe claims he is aware of his slight stature and said, as reported in The Sun, that he was "never going to be cast to play a Bruce Willis character in Die Hard".

Since completing the Harry Potter films Radcliffe has gone on to appear, most notably, in The Woman in Black and Sky's A Young Doctor's Notebook. He frequently does theatre work; his latest role in Michael Grandage's The Cripple of Inishmann has received favourable reviews. 

At only 5'5 the actor says he is "not nearly strapping enough to play Bond" but would be a "much better villain". Should Radcliffe be considered for a Bond villain he would be following in the footsteps of such actors as Antony Dawson (Dr.No); Peter Lorre (as Le Chiffre in the original Casino Royale) and Gert Frobe (Goldfinger). 

Continue reading: Harry Potter VS. James Bond? Daniel Radcliffe Wants To Be Bond Villain

Emma Watson finally took her permanent place at Madame Tussauds this week, in waxwork form of course. A replica unveiled at the museum shows the 22-year-old Harry Potter actress sitting cross-legged on a chaise lounge, allowing fans to sit next to her and have their photos taken, reports the Express.

There was some speculation as to which outfit Watson would be wearing in her waxwork, and the designers opted for the subtle midnight blue Elie Saab dress that Watson wore to a red carpet event in Hong Kong back in 2011. Her brunette hair is pulled back into a beehive and the actress sports a cocktail ring on her left hand.

"Emma is the perfect addition and we're very lucky to add her to our A-list line-up," said Nicole Fenner of Madame Tussauds, "She's a true English rose, known and loved by millions of film and fashion fans around the world."

Continue reading: Emma Watson Wears Eli Saab In Madame Tussauds Waxwork (Pictures)

Potterheads the world over, rejoice! A secret, ninth film about the boy wizard is in the works. Well, sort of. The project is actually a mini-movie, to be shown only at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park in Florida, as well as the two Harry Potter attractions currently under construction in California (due to open in 2014) and Japan (in 2016). This will probably mean that only American and Japanese fans (and those willing to travel, of course) will be able to enjoy this last piece of the Boy Who Lived’s story.

Filming is already underway in Hertfordshire and, of course, the schedule will be much tighter than it has been for any other film in the franchise. Helena Bohnam Carter is one of the actors who will be reprising their roles in this final installment. This is something to look forward to for a lot of people, not least of all the rights holders of the story. The entire franchise, spanning ten books, eight films, a theme park and countless items of Harry Potter memorabilia is estimated to be worth over $24 billion.

For the fans of the series all of this means something else. The release of the eight film was described by many as the end of an era. Tears were shed and the hype for the “big finale” kept building up for months. However, it looks like as long as there are people to watch and, of course, profits to be made, Hogwarts really will be there to welcome you home.

It seems as though J.K Rowling can't write anything that doesn't end up being lifted off the page, and on to our TV screens. Hell, we reckon if she found a publisher for her shopping list, someone would try and turn it into a literary infused cooking show. 

Her first book for adults, and no, we don't count the 'grown up' version of her Harry Potter books, is to be adapted by the BBC into a series. Despite the mixed critical reviews, A Casual Vacancy was deemed ripe for a medium jump. Rowling said she was "thrilled" that the novel has been commissioned. "I always felt that, if it were to be adapted, this novel was best suited to television and I think the BBC is the perfect home." BBC One controller Danny Cohen said he was also excited to bring Rowling's latest work to audiences."[Her] story-telling is of course peerless in its popularity, and I am looking forward to collaborating with her."

The number and length of the prospective episodes are yet to be decided, but once they are, it will be produced through an independent production company operated by Neil Blair, on behalf of The Blair Partnership, and Rick Senat. The book moved 125,000 copies in its first week on the market, becoming the fastest-selling hardback in the UK for three years and the second biggest seller since records began in 1998.

As was widely predicted, Jk Rowling’s new book for adults has topped the fiction charts. The Casual Vacancy sold 124, 603 copies in just three days after its release. This was ten times more than the book in second place on the chart: Bernard Cornwell’s ‘1356,’ which sold 12, 231 copies. These results make Rowling’s novel the 15th best-selling book of 2012 so far; not bad going for a novel that has been on sale for just a week.

Book sales in the UK are monitored by Nielsen BookScan. A spokesman from the company, David Walter, told The Telegraph “By way of comparison, the latest phenomenon in the book trade, Fifty Shades of Grey, sold 664,000 in its highest week of sales so far.” Rowling may not be breaking any records with The Casual Vacancy but it’s a promising start for the novelist, who is more used to penning the Harry Potter wizardry books for children. The Harry Potter books, of course, were record-breakers; it’s unlikely that Rowling will come anywhere close to their success with this diversion from her usual genre.

The final book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, sold over 2.6 million copies in its first week; eclipsing the success of The Casual Vacancy quite convincingly. Since Nielsen began collating their records, JK Rowling is “by far the highest selling author,” having racked up sales in excess of £238 million.

Emma Watson has admitted the relief she now feels having finished filming the long running Harry Potter film franchise, admitting to The Telegraph newspaper that she enjoyed being on the set of her new film, The Perks of Being A Wallflower due to the fact that she could “experience everything I missed growing up.”

She told the paper that, having spent much of the last decade film her role as Heroine Granger, working on the new film gave her the chance to let her hair down a little and enjoy herself. She went on to admit that she isn’t quite sure “how we got away with [doing] as much as we did” in-between filming scenes for the new film, as she was involved with any number of disruptive activities whilst off set.

With all the cast for Wallflower sharing one floor of a hotel, she admitted that she and co-star Ezra Miller opened the doors in between their rooms in a bid to turn the ground floor of the hotel into something not to dissimilar to a hippy commune.

Continue reading: Emma Watson And Ezra Miller’s Hippy Commune Hotel?

Jk Rowling’s new book may be targeted at an adult audience, though the novelist caused a stir in the wizardry world on Wednesday (September 26, 2012) by refusing to rule out a fifth Harry Potter novel. The author and one of the world’s richest women told the BBC she would be willing to revisit her hugely successful series if she came up with an interesting plot.

On the eve of her new book ‘The Casual Vacancy’, Rowling quite rightly said she had reached a point in her career whereby she no longer had to write “just to make money,” adding, “Harry Potter truly liberated me in the sense that there's only one reason to write, for me - if I genuinely have something I want to say, and I want to publish it… Now if I had a fabulous idea that came out of that world - because I loved writing it - I'd do it.” Rowling has no doubt been urged to write further Potter books by her publishers, though has often spoken of her desire to produce work for other genres and audiences. ‘The Casual Vacancy’ has been shrouded in secrecy ahead of its release though reportedly contains more adult themes such a class warfare, addiction and sexuality.

Time will tell whether holding the book back from the press was a shrewd move, though it’s safe to say Rowling will be top of the charts come next week. The new book is unlikely to reach the heady sales heights of E.J James’ ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ series, though an eighth Harry Potter novel? Now that just might.

Will Jk Rowling write more Harry Potter books? In an interview with the BBC’s Will Gompertz, broadcast this morning (September 26, 2012), the author explained that it was “murder” leaving behind the characters that she had created in the Harry Potter stories. One the one hand, she insists “where Harry’s story is concerned, I’m done. I just think it would be for the sake of milking it and that’s just not in me.” Then, however, she dropped a bomb by revealing that she has “left the door ajar” into the world of Harry Potter and Hogwarts: “If I had a fabulous idea that came out of that world, because I loved writing it, I would do it. But I've got to have a great idea.”

So, it seems that the final nail is yet to be hammered into the Hogwarts coffin. Rowling could still, hypothetically create more fiction based on that world. In the meantime, her younger fans will simply have to wait until they are old enough to enjoy JK Rowling’s new book, which is most definitely not for children.

When she was asked if she was worried about children accessing the book, which contains some pretty “vivid language,” she replied “I hope that we've made it really clear that this isn't a book for children. I've been very open about what the themes are, we've talked about what the story's about. I would have thought that parents can make a very clear choice... I would have to ask why have kids got such untrammelled access to the internet that they are downloading.”

J.K Rowling has plunged millions of Harry Potter fanatics into frenzy mode this morning, when she hinted that a director's cut of the wizardry story could happen.

Speaking to BBC News, Rowling bemoaned the speed of which she authored some of the infamous novels, insisting: "There were a couple of the Potters and I definitely knew that they needed another year." The creator of the 'potterverse' was keen not to make the same mistake with her new book, The Casual Vacancy, which is published tomorrow (September 27th). But had the rush to complete certain chapters of her magical tale inspired Rowling to rework some of Harry's adventures? Well she certainly didn't say no: "I read them, and I think 'Oh God, maybe I'll go back and do a director's cut', I don't know." And cue the madness. A rare interview, J.K isn't one to blurt out under-prepared answers to please her interviewer, so Potter fans should take note, as they undoubtedly already have.

Her aforementioned new release is showing signs that it'll be a hit come Christmas. With chart topping performances at literary outlets like Waterstones and Amazon, it's likely her grown-up book will be on the wish list of many around this time in December. "It is a parochial - literally - novel that's looking at slicing through a society with everything that that implies. That's what I wanted to do," she said of the book.

Jk Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy looks set to continue her literary success with one million pre-orders already having been made.

Following the massive success she had with her Harry Potter franchise which continues to reach out to fans with the new interactive website Pottermore.com even after the release of the last book and film, this modest author’s new ventures definitely look just as promising. It is expected to become the UK’s best seller of 2012 with The Bookseller charts editor Philip Stone telling AFP ‘It’s one of the biggest releases of the 21st century’ and predicting an immediate place at number one. It certainly has the credentials to become the next big hit in literature with it being the most pre-ordered book at Waterstones this year and with Rowling’s last book, ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’, selling 2.5 million copies in the UK just in the first 24 hours.

However, she has some serious competition. She is yet to break the record for the most hardback sales of an adult book in the first week (given that ‘Harry Potter’ was a children’s franchise) which currently stands at a massive 550,000 for Dan Brown’s ‘The Da Vinci Code’ sequel ‘The Lost Symbol’. She is also to match the global phenomenon that is ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ by EL James which has so far sold 5.3 million. One Waterstones spokesperson has expressed doubt that Rowling will even match her own success records with ‘A Casual Vacancy’ and admitted, ‘It is not in the league of ‘Harry Potter’.’

Continue reading: Will JK Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy Storm 2012’s Bestseller Charts?

J.K. Rowling's new book The Casual Vacancy draws near, and the Harry Potter author will be hoping to build on her magical success with a more adult brand of literature.

Speaking to USA today, in her first and only interview prior to her much anticipated new release; Rowling said, "I don't think everyone will like the book. But I'm proud of this book. I like this book. It is what it's meant to be. As an author, you really can't say more than that. I don't mean this arrogantly, but if people don't like it, well, that's how it should be, isn't it? That's art. It's all subjective. And I can live with that." Rowling - nearly singlehandedly - created one of the biggest franchises on the globe, with the Harry Potter name being known worldwide. Seven books, eight films and myriad of merchandising made Rowling one of the richest women in the world, which gives her an air of confidence. "Of course this might change tomorrow, but I thought I would feel more nervous because it's been five years -- and this is a very different kind of book -- but actually I feel quite excited," she explained.

Early indications suggest that The Casual Vacancy will be a smash hit, as it's topped pre-order charts for literary mercantile giants Amazon and Waterstones, making it a shoe-in for stocking fillers around the world. The book will be published worldwide in the English language in hardback, ebook, unabridged audio download and on CD on Thursday 27th September 2012.

Harry Potter actress Bonnie Wright, known best for her role as Ginny Weasley in the HP adventures, has followed up her life-changing role in the wizarding series by heading to Senegal to hopefully change a few lives herself as part of an Oxfam-led charity trip, the Oxford Mail reports.

Bonnie and members of the charity based in Oxford have set off on a goodwill trip to a part of Senegal that is currently experiencing extensive food shortages. Bonnie is visiting a part of Northern Africa where more than 18 million people spread across nine countries across the region are threatened with severe food shortages, among the victims include close to a million children who are suffering from acute malnutrition already. The next harvest in the region isn't expected until later this month or the beginning of October, meaning that Miss Wright is visiting the area during the harshest period of the shortage.

The generous 21-year-old wont finish her goodwill campaign there though, as she will continue her work for the charity back home when she will feature as one of the stars appearing at an evening of storytelling and performance at Oxford Playhouse in celebration of Oxfam's 70th birthday. Also lending a hand on the night will be celebrity chef Raymond Blanc, Private Eye editor and Have I Got News For You regular Ian Hislop and Sex in the City actress Kristin Davis.

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe admitted in a recent interview that he co-star and Emma Watson used to get into huge arguments on the set during filming, sometimes causing the pair to refuse to talk to each other for days on end. Radcliffe spoke about how their differing points of view usually began to debate simple topics which eventually spiralled into something altogether more dramatic.

Related: Daniel Radcliffe To Star In 'Now You See Me 2'

During an interview with Britain's Radio Times, Radcliffe explained, "Oh, God. We used to argue about everything. Religion. Politics. I remember one of the big arguments we had on the fourth film - we didn't speak to each other for a couple of days - was about... She was arguing about the Latin language, that nobody knows what it sounds like, what a Latin accent should be. And I was like, 'Yeah, but it's still spoken a lot in the Catholic church.' 

Continue reading: Daniel Radcliffe Clashed With Emma Watson On Potter Set

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe quipped that he could put a revolutionary new twist on the character of James Bond.

The 18-year-old actor was celebrating with fellow cast members after Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was voted best film and Radcliffe named best male at the first ever National Movie Awards.

After beating sex symbol Daniel Craig to the best male award, Radcliffe was asked whether he'd like to one day take over as 007.

"It would be weird to suddenly be involved in another big franchise, but hey, it takes a big man to turn down Bond."

When quizzed as to who his ideal leading lady would be, he quipped that his top choice would be co-star Rupert Grint, who plays Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter movies.

"I'm going to say Rupert," Radcliffe joked. "I'll be the first gay James Bond!"

But the young star – who is expected to reprise his critically-acclaimed performance in Equus on the Broadway stage – accepted that he might not have the goods to play the spy with a licence to kill.

"I don't think the world's ready for a short-a**e Bond," he moaned.

Questioned if he'd fancy playing the role in a decade, Radcliffe, only 5ft 5ins, admitted: "I'll still be a short a**e!"

Radcliffe is currently starring in Australian coming-of-age drama December Boys and is set to soon begin filming on Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the sixth feature in the Jk Rowling franchise.

Continue reading: Radcliffe: I'll Be First Gay Bond!

Jk Rowling has been steadily earning a fortune through her Harry Potter series. Well, let's not mince words - JK Rowling has made more money in the last 20 years than most people will make in their lifetime. Or in two lifetimes. Or five. What's more, is that this phenomenal achievement shows no signs of stopping, as the author has just added a further 36 million USD (20 million GBP) to her fortune - only 24 hours after the sixth book of the boy wizard series went on sale.

JK Rowling has recently released the sixth book in her 'Harry Potter' series

'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' hit the shelves at one minute past midnight on Saturday 16th July, 2005, greeted by long queues of ecstatic fans, going on to sell over two million copies by closing time on 17th July. Rowling's previous entrée into the series, 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix', saw its release in 2003, causing the rags-to-riches British author the chance to sell 1.7 million copies in the UK and 7 million in the US.

Continue reading: Jk Rowling’s Net Worth Set To Explode With New Harry Potter Book

Legendary thespian and film star, Sir Ian McKellen, came under fire from the late Richard Harris several years ago when he landed the role of the wise but mischievous Gandalf in 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy. McKellen claims that Harris was furious for not being cast in Peter Jackson's fantasy epic, and this was exacerbated by McKellen being chosen over him.

Related: Sir Ian McKellen Inspires Bristol Students With Famous Gandalf Line

Harris reportedly exploded at the rumour that McKellen would then take the role of Dumbledore as well in 2002 when Harris' health steadily began to fail. The actor explained: "Before Richard Harris died, there was an enquiry: would I be interested in playing in Harry Potter? And I said, 'Yes, certainly'. But I've not heard anything since."

Continue reading: Gandalf Vs Dumbledore - Sir Ian Mckellen Discusses Disagreement With Richard Harris