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Monday 07, 2001
HP 2 AND 3 in 2002?
Reliable sources at Britain's Pinewood Studios tell us that Harry Potter 2 has been booked for a whole year's shoot on Pinewoods famous "007-Stage". Shooting in Pinewood should start in October 2001! The "007-Stage", named because many films in the James Bond series were shot there, is Europe's largest stage. Recently, "Tomb Raider" feat. Angelina Jolie has been produced there, and currently they are shooting "Below", and underwater ghost story set aboard a submarine, on the 007-Stage. To get an idea of the enormous size of the "007" - for "Below", they've built a full length sub - and that only takes up about a fifth of the size. Thanks to Tom for the info!

Now to the most interesting thing about all this: the timeframe and the dimensions suggest not just to us, that not just the second but also the third movie in the Harry Potter series will be done back to back. Two movies in a row, similar maybe to the "Lord of the Rings Trilogy"!

This speculation is supported by two more facts: First, the young actors will be growing quickly, it's a race against time! And secondly, more and more casting snippets about the third movie "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" are dropping in already. See our Actors Gallery for details. We do now believe that the second and the third movie will be done by the end of 2002!
www.the-leaky-cauldron.org

Monday 25, 2001
In Nintendo Power there was a short article about the upcoming Harry Potter video games.

In the GBA Harry Potter, you'll enroll in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for Harry's first year. Each term will bring about new challenges, from searching for Hagrid's runaway pets to exploring the maze of Gringotts. Hermione Granger, Ronw Weasley and Neville Longbottom will join you in classes where you'll have to complete 29 skills, such as mixing potions for Professor Snape. In the GBC game, Harry must complete tasks, solve puzzles, learn spells, mix potions and earn Experience Points. Using and trading Wizard Cards is a central theme in the adventure/RPG game. In fact, you'll have to trade with friends if you want to collect all the cards.

Saturday 23, 2001
Ok, here is a Harry Potter update...
-The trailer will be released on AOL on the 27 of June while it will be released on the 28th on the official site.
-On the official site, there will soon be biographies of the cast, new post cards, and the seeker and keeper quidditch games.
-RUMORS: On a question and answer show in Britian, Jeff Hordley was pushed to say that he would be playing Sirius Black.

Thurday 21, 2001
The Daily Record revealed today that product placement is apparently part of the Coca-Cola merchandising deal with Warner Bros.
The soft drinks giant has signed a three-year contract worth millions of pounds to ensure the young wizard will be drinking Coke on his first venture on to the cinema screen.
The deal had been thought to be in jeopardy because of image-conscious Coke's concerns over recent bad publicity in the States for JK Rowling's books. An Indiana professor had accused them of sexism and in the Bible Belt there was anger at the books' perceived backing of witchcraft and occult practices.

But Atlanta-based Coca-Cola has jumped on the Potter bandwagon and secured product placement not only in the first Potter film but also a planned second one. A Warner Brothers insider said: "The deal is rumoured to be in excess of pounds 10million. For that, Coke will be the number one drink in the film - but it is unlikely they will be drinking it at his school ,Hogwarts."

Thurday 21, 2001
Filming details for the second movie, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets", are beginning to drop in. The Scotsman Online reports today, that the West Highland Line, one of the Scottish Highlands' most popular tourist attractions, is being sought by filmmakers as the location for the Hogwarts Express:

Warner Brothers want to use the scenic rail route as one of the main settings for The Chamber of Secrets, the new film in the Harry Potter series. Location managers from the movie company are currently in discussion with ScotRail and independent railway operators to secure time slots in September to shoot the Hogwart’s Express sequences, and the blood red steam loco and similarly coloured carriages would make an amazing sight on the line, famed for its viaducts, tunnels and breathtaking views.
Already 400 youngsters from the Fort William area are being lined up as extras to be on board Hogwart’s Express when it takes to the spectacular line which winds its way among the mountains and over the moors.

Much preparatory camera work has already been done along the 45 miles between Fort William and Mallaig, majoring on still photography of various Victorian-style castles and small, dark lochs.

A spokesperson for Fort William Tourist Information Centre said yesterday: "Movie companies are obviously very welcome and we will do everything we can to encourage Warner Brothers to film on the West Highland Line. The steam train excursion from Fort William to Mallaig is among the most popular of our local attractions - just think what the Harry Potter connection could do to enhance it even more."

Wednesday 20, 2001
IGN has a confirmed report that the 2nd Harry Potter movie trailer will show at the movie AI. The movie is rated pg13. IGN goes on to say that there will be a special release of the movie trailer on AOL on Wednesday, June 27th. We don't know but hopefully it will also be released at the official site.

Tuesday June 19, 2001
Corona's Coming Attraction tells The Leaky Cauldron that the second trailer for Harry Potter will absolutely positively play in front of A.I., the new Steven Spielberg movie, to be released on June 29th in the U.S. Here is some information that was posted:

"It runs about 2 minutes+ and is reminiscent of the 1st trailer. We do see a lot more of characters (Alan Rickman and John Hurt for example) and a lot more FX shots. A staircase that floats through the air, a three-headed dog like Cerebus, and a big stone giant-looking thing all stand out. But, like the first trailer it doesn't tell much of the plot. I haven't read the books, so I can't get too specific about what's in the trailer. Although I could have sworn that Harry's lightning bolt scar was smack in the middle of his forehead, in the trailer its completely covered by his hair (he lifts his bangs to show it to his friend) and is off to the right above his right eye. Real nasty looking too."

Tuesday June19, 2001
Article from Promo Magazine

Coca-Cola Co. is ready to ride with Harry.

As exclusive promo partner for Warner Bros.' Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Atlanta-based Coke kicks off an aggressive four-part campaign in September, with some elements set to run for three years.

As promised (April PROMO), the global effort focuses on literacy and taps Coke's kid brands including Minute Maid and Hi-C. In the U.S., Coca-Cola Supports Reading will donate libraries to 20,000 K-3 classrooms nationally. A Hi-C/Minute Maid back-to-school offer runs the through the month: Kids mail in an on-pack form to “enter” Hogwart's, Harry's boarding school, and get chits to buy books of their choice at retail.

“We promised Warner Bros. and [Potter author] J.K. Rowling that this would be about reading first,” says Katie Wright-Neil, Coke's manager-consumer promotions. “New-book distribution is the biggest need.” A literacy nonprofit will help Coke find the neediest schools for donations of classics, multi-lingual, Braille, and new-title libraries. For three years, all Coke products will carry an icon that says something like, “You're supporting book donations to schools.”

Then, an October-November sweeps called Search for the Sorcerer's Stone will put instant-win messages on 450 million bottles and multi-packs of Coke, Hi-C boxes, and Minute Maid boxes and coolers. Gamepieces will bear icons from the film; 100 grand-prize winners find the Mirror of Erised and win a family trip to an English castle decorated like Hogwart's. Winners play Hogwart's students for five days, taking potion classes and playing Quidditch. Radio station tie-ins add another 160 winning families. The sweeps will run in different versions in 20 countries, with all winners convening at the castle in August 2002. Other prizes include Movie Cash gift certificates and licensed merchandise; odds of winning are one in 10.

Promo agency is Integer Group, Golden, CO. CMI, East Rutherford, NJ, executes the grand-prize trips. Ads via Leo Burnett USA, Chicago, run heaviest in October and November before the film's Nov. 17 premiere.

In December, a Sundblom Santa Library Sweeps lets consumers nominate schools to get a library and a Harry Potter Day with a special screening and party.

Coke is sensitive about its presence in schools, says Wright-Neil: “These won't be contour-bottle bookshelves.” Bookplates that say “Donated by the Coca-Cola Co.” will be the only corporate mark, she says.

Overlays to retailers' own school tie-ins are being planned, as are promos for the April-May 2002 video release and the fall 2002 theatrical release of the second Potter film.

Friday, June 15, 2001
The Leaky Cauldron reports that Belgian (De Morgen) and Dutch papers report today that Mars Foods, the mars bars company, made a deal with Warner Bros to bring out a range of Harry sweets. Flavors should include Brussels sprouts, grass and toast.

Thursday, June 14, 2001
I found an article from the Kansas City Star which I found depressing.

"(We thought it) would be a good fit with an entertaining program. That was the bottom line," librarian Paula Ware said.

Wednesday, June 13, 2001
Here is a clip from an article from yahoo news.

Warner Bros. was completing merchandising plans for its upcoming fall movie ``Harry Potter (news - web sites) and The Sorcerer's Stone,'' based on J.K. Rowling (news - web sites)'s best-selling first volume of the Harry Potter series.

``Retailers are looking for success, and we think that this movie will be huge,'' said Dan Romanelli, president of Warner Brothers worldwide consumer products division. A limited amount of merchandise did not do as well as expected, according to sources. That's not stopping Warner Bros., which believes movie-related products, which will be in stores six weeks before the film's release, will fly off the shelves.

Wednesday, June 13, 2001
There's an interesting image at Scholastic's Harry Potter site saying something about a Quidditch Through the Ages invitational starting on June 15th. Stay tuned for more info.

Tuesday, June 12, 2001
Scholastic sent out a press release today announcing the celebration of Harry's birthday on July 31 with a special sneak preview of movie photos. Warner Bros. Pictures will celebrate Harry Potter's birthday with a release of the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Movie Poster Book on July 31 . Fans will get a look at Harry and his friends, as well as the rooms inside Hogwarts in these move photos.

Tuesday, June 12, 2001
This is an interesting article from Detroit.
There was life before Harry Potter. It was just very different, says Matt Maiorana.
The 13-year-old Oak Park resident says he used to watch television and stuff like that in his spare time. Then came the famed series of children's books featuring Harry Potter -- Matt received his first Potter adventure as a 1999 Christmas present. And he just kept reading.
So have a lot of other young people. Which means readers of all ages should get ready for those Harry Potter wannabes. They'll be all over the shelves of the children's section in your local book store this summer. written by: Detroit News
See the entire article

Tuesday, June 12, 2001
Empire Online has also heard that the next Potter trailer will be coming out on 22 June 2001 in American cinemas. Let's hope that the official site will feature the trailer at the same time online for all the film's UK fans.

Tuesday, June 12, 2001
The T-Shirt company "Big Dogs" has two shirts which pokes fun at the American covers for the Sorcerors Stone and Goblet of Fire. The Sorcerors Stone shirt title says "Hairy Pawter and the Sorcerors Bone" and has a dog resembling Harry riding a broomstick reaching for a bone. The Goblet of Fire shirt title reads "Hairy Pawter and the Goblet of Fur", and has the cover virtually the same as the American version, but the faces of the three champions are in dog form.

Monday, June 11, 2001
The Gameboy Advance sytem is being released today all over the USA. A Harry Potter game wll be released this November for the system. Another Harry Potter game will be released for Gameboy Color, but the graphics do not compare to the advance version. The price is $90 and at alot of locations with the purchase of the system, you get a prize. Like at Target you will recieve a free pair of headphones.

Monday, June 11, 2001
Dark Horizons has put a much clearer copy of the 2nd teaser poster on their site. Click here to see.

Sunday, June 10, 2001
Harry Potter may be the next cartoon character by Marvel Comics. Joanne recently met Marvel's new editor-in-chief Joe Quesada at her Edinburgh home, where they discussed creating a new comic book series based on the schoolboy wizard as well as the possibility of making a children's cartoon series.

Friday, June 08, 2001
Here are some of the current and upcoming products for Harry Potter. Click on them to see how you can get them or more information!

Posted by Brian (pic provided by HP Galleries)

Thursday, June 07, 2001
The second teaser poster it here. The quality is pretty bad but it still gives you the idea of what it is.It shows the hogwarts castle and what looks like the students at the bottom in the boats making their way to Hogwarts. See it here.

Posted by Brian (pic provided by HP Galleries)