h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Gary Oldman?? hmmm

I like Ralph Fiennes for the part of Black personally.

I love the books - I don't care whether they're derivative - most stuff is, and JKR's taken the good stuff. the overriding idea of friendship, loyalty and doing the right thing even if it seems hopeless is a fairly important one, and I don't think she slaps it on too heavily. They're plain good fun for me, I love the characters most of all.

I'm SOOO glad we've got back to the serious subject matter.
Ralph Fiennes is definately a contender. I have a horror of finding that some Hollywood golden boy has got it just cos they're flavour of the month. Like some di Caprio lookalike or something. Does JKR have any say in the casting?

The word hype has been much used here. I've just checked a dictionary definition of that word. My dictionary says "(decieve by) misleading publicity".

It's been pointed out that Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone came out pretty well unannounced as a children's book by an unknown writer. The books came to our attention because children were enjoying them so much and were so keen to get their hands on them.

The films have been popular not because of publicity, but because so many people have been looking forward to seeing them.

It seems to me that Harry Potter is successful on it's own merits.

Chris Columbus put the rule down that it would be British actors really (hooray - no Robin Williams in any role)

whether the new director will keep/be kept to that I don't know.

Christopher Columbus will be involved in the next film as producer, won't he? Wouldn't that give him some control over the casting?

I don't think they'll try to shoehorn a Hollywood star into the cast at this stage. It would clash too much. Also, why pay multi million Hollywood salaries in a film that doesn't need the publicity or pulling power of a big name.

Who'll be the late great Richard Harris' replacement? Should they replace him? I've been told that Dumbledore can't be written out because of the importance he plays in future installments...

I didn't know he was dead. I came across something in Private Eye, but a search of the BBC website revealed nothing, so I assumed it was some obscure joke.

He was so perfect for the part as well (though his lines were sorely butchered).

He was excellent. But Dumbledore is crucial. This was picked up in another thread when Harris died and Christopher Lee's name was mentioned. Don't know if this was a serious possibility or just rumour mongering, though.

Is Richard Briers still alive? He has acted in a lot of these "wise old man with a twinkle in his eye" roles recently and would be excellent as Dumbledore for the third and subsequent films.

Ooh cringe!!
Can't help thinking of all those dreadful sitcoms he's been in. No, sorry, Gnomon, RB has insufficient gravitas.

Richard Briers was excellent in Much Ado About Nothing.

I'm holding out for Sir Ian McKellan. Or should that be "SIR IAN MCKELLAN!" - not really a candidate for a quiet Dumbledore

I saw the film at the weekend - great fun But Moaning Myrtle's voice really got on my tits.

Liam.

*Moaning Myrtle's voice really got on my tits*
Wasn't that the point?!

>Wasn't that the point?!<

No - it was a 30 year old actress pretending to be a 13 year old, my falsetto would have been better.

Liam.

Sirius Black?...Robert Carlyle...anyone who can pull of the baddy in cracker *and* hamish mcbeth can do the goody/baddy switch.

Tickets booked for thrusday night to see chamber of secrets...I just wish dobby didn't make me cringe so much (in the books and from what I've seen in trailers)

Ooh, Robert Carlyle!!

Don't think I could stand the strain of having him and Rickman both in the same film...

Mark Strong might be another candidate.

Jason Carter is a British actor who played Marcus Cole in the TV series Babylon 5. My sister and I think he'd make a great Sirius Black, prompted by a rumour he was being considered for the role.

Replacing Richard Harris will be far more difficult than casting Sirius Black, I think.

Thanks, MaW.
Babylon 5 is one of those things that I never got into and wish I had. Obviously I need to do some research.
Think you're right about Dumbledore!

Clive Dunn as Dumbledore, anyone?

Don't panic, Harry!

B

*shudders*

a good idea I heard was Peter O'Toole
but I would really really love it if they could get Paul Schofield.