J.K. Rowling updated the News Section of her official site earlier today saying that she could not approve of "companion books" or "encyclopedias" to her series.

The Harry Potter author and Warner Bros. filed suit in a Manhattan Court today against Harry Potter Lexicon owner Steve Vander Ark and several defendants for publishing "an unofficial encyclopedic companion to the 'Harry Potter' series," saying it "infringes copyright and attempts to cash in on the successful brand." The Harry Potter Lexicon is slated to be released by RDR Books on November 28.

Roger Rapoport, the publisher and owner of RDR Books said the companion novel "only promotes the sale of J.K. Rowling's work and we intend to publish on schedule as planned."

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

JKRowling.com has recently been updated with several new features, including a special time turner on the Room of Requirement page. This enables visitors to view previous times in which the door on the site has been open.

Also, the Wizard of the Month section has been restructured so previous months and their respective wizards can be viewed.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

UPDATE: Jo has also added a few new secrets on the site. You can try to figure them out on your own or if you are eager to cheat, highlight the text below:

<--- First item: Head over to the Rubbish Bin and hold the mouse over the Sneakoscope until it moves. A piece of paper with a "?" will show up. Then go to the Extras Section and take the pen to draw the mark on the piece of paper to reveal your prize.

Second item: Click on the eraser to get to the Room of Requirement. Near the lightswitch click on the upper right-hand corner and drag back the wallpaper, which reveals a new potion of egg and lacewing fly. Go back to the main desk and wait for Peeves to knock over the cup of pens. Once he does, an egg will appear. Click on it. Then head over to the Fansites section and wait for a lacewing fly to come in and land on the FSA cup. Click on it to reveal your prize. --->

Natalia Tena, the actress who portrays Nymphadora Tonks in the Potter movies, will return for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, reports the Belfast Telegraph. Natalia is currently in Belfast filming for her upcoming project, Lecture 21. The article also states that she will begin filming for Half-Blood Prince in mid-November.

During the first 48 hours of its release, the French translation of Deathly Hallows, Harry Potter et les reliques de la mort, sold 1.15 million copies. This breaks the previous record of 800,000 set by Half-Blood Prince.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

London Theatre Guide is currently listing a show called "Potted Potter - The Unofficial Harry Experience" which is due to open at the Trafalgar Studios 2 Theatre in the West End on December 17th. The show promises "endless costumes, songs, ridiculous props and a little magic, with a special appearance from a very frightening fire-breathing dragon, and even a game of Quidditch involving the audience". It will use elements from all seven of the books and condense them into a sixty minute performace.

The production, which is performed entirely by two people, appears to be aimed at children aged six and above, and will run until January 5th 2008. Thanks for the tip, Steven!

Casting for extras in the sixth Harry Potter film, Half-Blood Prince, took place in Gloucester recently where many young students lined up before the casting team.

Marketing manager Sharon Bird said: "The whole experience becomes a huge part of school life and children really enjoy being part of what is probably the biggest movie series in history."

Best of luck to those who tried out!

JK Rowling has updated her official website wishing Molly Weasley a happy birthday for October 30th. Happy birthday, Mrs. Weasley!

Ben returns to our Harry Potter podcast this week and there's so much discussion, it requires a lot more than just one pint of butterbeer. Laura, Micah, Eric and I join Ben in going over everything JK Rowling revealed at her book reading last week at Carnegie Hall, including:

- Dumbledore is gay - initial thoughts from the hosts!
- Eric gives us a full report on MuggleCast LIVE in Australia!
- We go over each of the questions answered at the October 19th reading in NYC.
- Andrew, Laura, and Micah talk about meeting Jo. (Yes, life is now complete.)
- Should Jo have revealed Dumbledore's sexuality?
- Why does it matter, and why is it front-page news?
- The hosts become quite opinionated when it comes to fans who act as though Dumbledore being gay tarnishes his character.

All that and much more comes in this very entertaining and important episode of MuggleCast. We want to warn listeners that this episode does contain mature discussion and nothing within the show should be taken personally if it were to offend you (which we're pretty sure it won't).

With that said, we recommend subscribing for free in iTunes if you're a new listener (current listeners: update your feed). Full shownotes and alternate download links can be found over at the MuggleCast website. Enjoy!

As reported earlier this week, Patrick Doyle's "Music from the Movies" was held tonight at the Royal Albert Hall to benefit Leukemia Research with several Harry Potter actors in attendance. Kenneth Branagh (who directed the event), Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Robbie Coltrane, Imelda Staunton and Mike Newell all turned up to show their support. Photos are now available via Getty Images.

As filming continues for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince more photos are emerging online, including these few of Hagrid's Hut being built at Leavesden Studios.

Thanks to Ryan for sending this in!

According to HarryLatino.com, the DVD for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix has been released in various Latin American countries including Chile. You can see video of the opening menu as well as individual screenshots.

Remember the DVD of the fifth film will be released in the UK on November 12 and in the US on December 11.

The French and German translations of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows were both released at 12:01 this morning. Hundreds of fans queued for hours to get their hands on the book, with large release parties being organized in several towns and cities.

Director Guillermo Del Toro recently had a chat with MTV about the Potter movies. In this new interview, he mentions that he had previously turned down Prisoner of Azkaban because the films were too "bright and happy and full of light." But, after seeing the previous two adaptations, he has begun to reconsider the offer. "They seem to be getting eerie and darker... If they come back to me, I’ll think about it." Del Toro is known for his work on Pan's Labyrinth and the Hellboy series.

We previously informed you about WB Shop's brand new Harry Potter hoodies, "I Solemnly Swear I Am Up To No Good." The hoodies retail at just $48.50 and will only be available for purchase through MuggleNet until October 29th! Click here to get yours in time for Halloween.

UPDATE: New photos have appeared on BuzzNet.com where you can see actors Michael Gambon (Dumbledore) and Dan Radcliffe (Harry Potter) on this set!

Our friends at Leaky have been receiving various reports from readers who have visited the on-location filming of Half-Blood Prince in Lacock:

Ettie writes that "the part I saw was the walk to, and entry into the house. They did about 6 takes. When I left they were shooting them leaving the house, and you could hear Slughorn's voice agreeing to take the job and demanding a pay rise. Inside the doorway I could see a white staircase and light blue walls. Michael Gambon was really nice and took a moment to walk over and speak to some of the children and parents watching the set. He asked if everyone was cold and said he was freezing. He was wearing the gray robes he has worn before in other Potter films. Daniel was wearing trainers, T shirt and jacket."

For more information from the set, click here. Filming continues through Saturday morning and we'll continue to bring you new information as we receive it. If you have any filming reports for us to post, please e-mail them to tips at staff dot mugglenet dot com!

Harry Potter actors will come together to attend Patrick Doyle's "Music from the Movies" at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday, October 28th. Featuring music from the Goblet of Fire composer, the event will be held in aid of Leukaemia Research. Doyle is himself a leukaemia survivor and will join the London Symphony Orchestra and London Symphony Chorus for this very special performance.

The event will be directed by actor Kenneth Branagh, who played Professor Lockhart, and supported by other Harry Potter actors including: Emma Thompson (Professor Trelawney), Alan Rickman (Professor Snape) and Robbie Coltrane (Professor Hagrid). Others in attendance will include Richard E. Grant, Sir Derek Jacobi and Dame Judi Dench. These stars will introduce some of the greatest film soundtracks of all time.

To take advantage of a special ticket offer for as low as £10, use the code "2639" when calling the Royal Albert hall box office at 020 7589 8212 or by visiting their website.

A video of Tom Felton at Saturday's UK Kids' Choice Awards has been posted online. It shows the Draco Malfoy actor responding to the news that Dumbledore is gay. Check it out here!

The Wiltshire Times has a nice report from the first day of on-location filming for Half-Blood Prince, which is set to be released on November 21st, 2008. The scene involving Harry and Dumbledore going to visit Slughorn is the scene the crews are working on, and Dan Radcliffe is scheduled to be on set. From the report:

They painted a number of houses and put up brown tape on some properties to imitate wooden beams. Residents in Church Street have been asked to black out their windows with blinds during the nighttime filming. A giant light was set up behind Cantax House to flood the street in artificial moonlight and crowds gathered to watch what was going on. A member of the film crew said: "The light will look like moonlight and it is made up of lots of smaller lights inside to give that strong effect.

The Wiltshire Times also has a photo gallery from the make-shift set, and you can check those out (with nice captions) right here. Thanks to Daniel and Jamie for the tip!

David Thewlis, the actor who plays Professor Lupin in the Harry Potter series recently did an interview while promoting his new book, "The Late Hector Kipling" in Toronto for the International Festival of Authors. One of the questions he answered was in response to the recent news concerning Dumbledore's character, saying he initially believed Lupin to be gay:

"The funny thing when Alfonso Cuaron directed 'The Prisoner of Azkaban,' the first film that I appear in, he had the idea that Lupin was gay and he described my character like a 'gay junkie.' And of course Lupin turns out not to be gay because he marries Tonks and has children."

Thanks to Tonya and Susie for sending this in!

UPDATE: The clip is now online on YouTube. Thanks to everyone who have been sending clips in!

We've heard from fans that a skit aired last night on Jimmy Kimmel Live parodying MuggleNet founder Emerson Spartz's interview last Saturday on At Large with Geraldo Rivera. We would love to see the clip, so if you recorded the show, send me an email at ben at staff dot mugglenet dot com and let me know - even if you don't know how to transfer it from your DVR/Tivo to your computer. Thank you!

The Harry Potter series picked up two prizes at the 2007 Scream Awards hosted by Spike TV. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix won in the catergory of "Best Sequel" while actor Ralph Fiennes was named "Most Vile Villian" for his role as Lord Voldemort.

The awards were handed out on October 19 at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Thanks to Samantha for the tip!

MuggleNet Encyclopedia staffer Andy has posted a great new opinion article where he responds to all of the people complaining about JK Rowling outing Dumbledore:

And yet, whilst a large amount of the debate on the issue has been constructive, there is still a very loud and significant voice within it shouting that JKR has let us down, Dumbledore has let us down, and questioning how we can never look at either Albus or the books in the same way again. Most ludicrously of all, the suggestion has been repeatedly made that this information puts an entirely different light on Dumbledore's relationship with Harry.

For the rest of the great article, just click here! We hope this opens some nay-sayers eyes a little bit more when it comes to this silly debate.

On its spectacularly stunning fifth birthday, MuggleNet's premiere fan-interactive segment The Crazy Caption Contest is given a new title... 'version 2.0'!

First begun in 2002 by webmaster Emerson Spartz himself, this segment has since grown into the mighty MuggleNet's largest and most fan-interactive segment throughout these many years of Potter. To celebrate, the contest has been given a double dose of fan interactivity, as all visitors now have the opportunity to vote on each week's winners. Not only this, but voting has been made available on every one of the contest's 250-week lifespan, creating hours of hilarious fun to be had in reading and 'judging' the winners of the past!

There has never been a better time than now to check out this cool segment on MuggleNet, and become hooked! We are VERY proud to bring such a cool renovation to the section that has been loved increasingly for the past five years, and which may very well continue for a few more.

At her final tour stop in Ontario, Canada today, JK Rowling received questions from the press concerning her revelation that Dumbledore was a homosexual:

"The plot is what it is," said Rowling. "(Dumbledore) did have, as I say, this rather tragic infatuation, but that was a key part of the ending of the story so there it is. Why would I put the key part of my ending of my story in Book 1?"

Rowling said Tuesday she found it "freeing" to out Dumbledore, adding that the passages about him will mean different things to different readers.

"I think a child will see a friendship and I think a sensitive adult may well understand that it was an infatuation," she said.

TheStar.com has a full report from her Ontario visit, including answers to a couple questions asked by audiences members. Thanks to those who e-mailed with the tip!

It has been announced today that Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix has received a number of nominations for this year's Children's Bafta Awards, including in the newly-added Children's Video Game category. The film itself is also up for a chance of winning the Kids' Vote and Feature Film awards, which Goblet of Fire won last year.

Voting will commence here on November 2nd, and the awards ceremony will air on the BBC in late November.

Gloucestershire Cathedral, the backdrop for Hogwarts scenes in the first two Harry Potter movies has just been confirmed as a filming location for the upcoming Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Additionally, students from local schools, King's, Crypt and Denmark Road will be invited to audition for roles as extras in the film. There is no news yet as to when these scenes will be filmed.

Thanks to Roxy for letting us know!

The UK Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards took place yesterday in London and, once again, the Harry Potter franchise came out triumphant. Emma Watson was "so thrilled" to take home the award for Best Actress, being voted ahead of fellow nominees Keira Knightley, Dakota Fanning and Cameron Diaz. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows also won the top spot in the Best Book category.

You can now view some high quality images of Emma attending the event here:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5

The awards will air on Nickelodeon UK on Saturday, October 27th at 11 a.m.

The MuggleNet founder will be a guest on At Large with Geraldo Rivera on FOX tonight, Saturday, Oct. 20, at 7:30ish (the producers said he would be on during the second half of the show). He will be discussing the ramifications of Jo's revelation as to Dumbledore's sexual orientation.

UPDATE: The video is now available.

2,000 lucky fans had the opportunity to interact with JK Rowling this evening at Carnegie Hall. The reading was rather eventful, as Jo revealed a lot of new information previously unknown about the series.

The most notable news of the night was the revelation of Dumbledore's sexuality. Jo says Dumbledore was gay and in love with Gellert Grindelwald. JK, in response to the audience's reaction, said "If I had known this would have made you so happy, I would have told you years ago."

Not quite as head-turning, but equally significant, Jo announced Neville Longbottom's marriage with Hannah Abbott. Hannah became the new landlady of the Leaky Cauldron.

Other heart-warming (ha!) news was revealed about Petunia Dursley. The night Harry left Privet Drive, Petunia wanted to tell Harry, "I know what you're up against and I hope it turns out okay."

Stay tuned, more to come soon!

EDIT: Click HERE to see MuggleNet's Emerson Spartz discuss the news on At Large with Geraldo Rivera... and subsequently get parodied on Jimmy Kimmel.

J.K. Rowling completed her first of two readings earlier today at Carnegie Hall in New York City. After reading from the seventh Potter book she answered 12 pre-selected questions from eager students, including if she could marry one person in the series, who it would be. According to Bloomberg News:

"I actually married Harry Potter. My husband's here, and if you have seen a photo of my husband, I think Harry Potter will look like that once he hits a certain age."

She also replied to questions concerning Ron and Draco. Additionally, to encourage young readers, Scholastic is donating 5,000 copies of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone to New York City schoolchildren.

Jo's reading and book signing in NYC's Carnegie Hall recently concluded and some pics of her are now online. JK previously said her favorite part about the entire Harry Potter situation is meeting fans, and from these pics you can tell it's true!

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Stay tuned for more on this story.

Warner Bros. shop has let us know that they now have available "I solemnly swear I am up to no good" hoodies. You can purchase the hoody right here.

Also, please note that if you spend at least $30 at the shop, you can avail of two-day free shipping, ensuring you receive your Halloween costume on time!

Chris Rankin, the actor who plays Percy Weasley in the Harry Potter films, recently gave an interview to New Zealand's TV3. Chris talked about, in particular, what it is like to be a part of the Potter franchise and also mentioned that it is "unlikely" that his character will be in the upcoming Half-Blood Prince movie, although he is still hopeful that he will return for the final installment of the series.

J.K. Rowling continued her U.S. Open Book Tour today at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, reading an excerpt from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to just over 1,500 eager listeners. She then took 12 pre-selected questions from the audience before signing copies for all in attendance.

The Times-Picayune reported that Jo answered questions ranging from the "personal to the political," stating that she felt it necessary to demonstrate the realities of war. She also touched on the fates of certain characters and the popular good always overcoming evil debate:

"That depends on what you mean by 'overcomes.' But as long as people are prepared to keep fighting ... it's amazing how small acts of kindness can add up, just living in a moral way, treating other people kindly."

Additionally, in an effort to contribute to the rebuilding efforts post-Hurricane Katrina, Scholastic donated 10,000 copies of the first Potter novel to Orleans Parish public school students as well as a complete set of the series to each public school and public library in New Orleans.

The U.S. portion of the tour concludes tomorrow at Carnegie Hall in New York City with readings at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Here are the first photos of JK Rowling at today's US Open Book tour reading in New Orleans. Jo offered some advice to aspiring writers: "Read a lot. And write what you know."

We'll hopefully know more soon. Remember that Jo's next reading will take place in New York City.

The National Trust village is set for filming to begin there next Wednesday for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince According to the Wiltshire Times, the area will be used to shoot night scenes involving actors Dan Radcliffe and Ralph Fiennes, as well as some Death Eaters.

"There has been a lot of preparation going on and they have been doing things to the outsides of houses on Church Street.

Filming will occur between 5 p.m. and 5 a.m. with the cooperation of local residents. Thanks to Joe for sending this in!

In two new articles with MTV, JK Rowling discusses just how much she revealed to the trio prior to the release of Deathly Hallows. Jo states that, whilst none of the actors explicitly asked her for information, "[she] told all of them little bits,” adding that Emma "nearly fell off the chair laughing" when she heard of a storyline regarding Hermione.

Dan Radcliffe, however, experienced the downside to being 'in the know' as, in telling his school friends he knew the ending of Deathly Hallows, he was immediately "besieged and started to panic".

The second article focuses on the somewhat controversial issue of Christianity and its place in the Harry Potter series. "To me [the religious parallels have] always been obvious," Jo says, proceeding to discuss how it was inevitable that there would be religious references in the books as "they're very British" and so religious quotes and imagery would naturally be encountered by the characters due to the setting.

When it comes to commenting on her own beliefs, Jo says, "I go to church myself [but] don't take any responsibility for the lunatic fringes of my own religion."

Jo will continue her Open Book Tour on Thursday at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans in front 1,600 students at 10:00 a.m.

The Times-Picayune reported earlier today on the importance of Rowling's visit to the city, which is still recovering from Hurricane Katrina, quoting various student essays that were submitted in order to attend Thursday's event:

"J.K. Rowling is also an inspiration to everywhere, but especially New Orleans. She is proof that if you try hard enough, you can, like a phoenix, raise from the ashes to a marvelous life."

"When Hurricane Katrina was rolling in the Gulf of Mexico I immediately thought of taking my Harry Potter books with me. I knew wherever I was headed or how long I was going to be away from home, being back at Hogwarts with Harry, Hermione, and Ron would bring back comforting memories of my childhood.

As always check back throughout the week for the lastest on Jo's book tour.

As it is now October 17th in the UK, JK Rowling's official website has been updated to wish our favorite Charms teacher a Happy Birthday!

Additional reports from JK Rowling's LA stop on her Open Book Tour are emerging online. JK Rowling was greeted with a standing ovation from the 1600 school students who were lucky enough to attend the reading at the Kodak Theatre. "It wasn't like this when I was a teacher. If it had been, I might never have left."

However, despite leaving teaching to write, JK Rowling praised teachers saying "Good English teachers are worth their weight in gold." The Los Angeles Times reports that though JK Rowling doesn't know what genre she'd like to pursue next, she does want to continue writing, which is ironic as JK Rowling claims no one in here family thought writing was a “sensible thing to do” growing up. Lucky for us, she didn't let that stop her!

Check out the article and we'll post more as it becomes available!

Thanks to Jessie Murray for the tip!

UPDATE: MTV has an interesting report with a few new bits of fan reaction and information concerning Snape:

Earlier, Rowling said she was particularly pleased with how Snape's story played out throughout the course of the series, contrasting his character arc with that of Dumbledore.

"Although [Dumbledore] seems to be so benign for six books, he's quite a Machiavellian figure, really. He's been pulling a lot of strings. Harry has been his puppet," she explained. "When Snape says to Dumbledore [toward the end of 'Hallows'], 'We've been protecting [Harry] so he could die at the right moment' — I don't think in book one you would have ever envisioned a moment where your sympathy would be with Snape rather than Dumbledore."

Jo Rowling opened her U.S. Book Tour earlier today at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, California reading an excerpt from the seventh Potter book (Chapter 3: The Dursleys Departing) to roughly 1,600 eager listeners. She then took 12 questions from the audience before signing copies for all in attendance.

Reuters reported that JKR is enjoying her time away from meeting deadlines and has yet to start on the much anticipated Potter Encyclopedia. She even confesses Harry will be a tough act to follow:

"I want to fall in love with someone the way I fell in love with Harry. I never think about a particular genre. It is all about the story and the characters, but it has to be something I adore."

We will post the questions and answers from today's reading as soon as they become available.

Jo Rowling this morning attended a press conference in LA to discuss her US open book tour. Some photos of the author, looking terrific, can be seen here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Jo will shortly be reading to 1600 fans at LA's Kodak Theatre. If you're one of those lucky fans attending, please let us know how it goes.

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling begins her open tour of the United States at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. The local media is already beginning to cover her visit to the United States. A small piece was done on the tour opening earlier this morning on FOX 11 in Los Angeles. Thanks to Maris and Michelle for the clip!

Be sure to check back for more updates throughout the next week as more news develops from all of Jo's readings!

UPDATE: You can also check out this clip from the local ABC affiliate.

JK Rowling's "Open Book Tour" finally kicks off this week, with the first stop in Los Angeles, California tomorrow night. Jo will then visit New Orleans on Thursday and New York's Carnegie Hall on Friday, October 19th. At each event she will be reading from Deathly Hallows, signing books, and answering questions. Reading for Louisiana is a major event for Jo, as reported by The Sunday Mail. Scholastic publishers have said, "She was very keen to come to New Orleans. She felt it was important to go there." They also mention that JKR will be appearing on Good Morning America and various evening news programs throughout her time in the states.

Common Sense Media has announced that JK Rowling and the Potter series are recipients of their "ONnie" award, which recognize winners "for bringing us great, family-friendly entertainment, and providing leadership on kids and media issues."

Congratulations to Jo! Thanks to Tracy for the tip.

As reported yesterday, a lawsuit was filed against an Indian community that had created a replica of Hogwarts castle to be used in an upcoming festival. Today, an Indian court rejected the claim made by author J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers for copyright breach.

"The group's lawyer said they argued that since the celebrations were held in the public interest and they were not for profit, the community did not need to pay compensation."

Neither court officials nor the lawyers for J.K. Rowling were immediately available for comment.

Filming for the sixth Harry Potter film continued this past weekend. Lochaber News is reporting that 100 students from Lochaber High School in Fort William filled in as "apprentice witches and warlocks" for scenes involving the Hogwarts Express.

The article goes on to say that filming has begun again in Glencoe, Glenfinnan and Glenspean to help ensure the continuity with the previous films. But for the first time, however, cameras have been shooting at Loch Arkaig (most likely for the cave scene).

"An airborne film unit, and cameramen aboard a fish farm boat have been shooting computer-enhanced sequences, above and on the loch."

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

CBC News, based in Canada, is reporting that an Indian community is being sued over their replica of the Hogwarts castle. Made out of canvas and papier mâché, the castle was going to be used in an upcoming festival. However, a representative for the community groups claims they had no idea they needed to seek permission. From CBC:

The group had also hired artists to create a replica of the Hogwarts Express, the train that Harry Potter and his young wizard friends take to the school, as well as life-sized models of the main figures in the best-selling series of books.

The group has spent about $30,000 for its replica, called a pandal.

"It's just a theme.… We have also modelled the Titanic and no-one sued us," said another organizer, Robin Mukherjee.

A lawyer will try to fight the lawsuit on Friday. For the full story, click here.

A Prague court today suspended and fined Czech publisher Vlastimil Svoboda for printing and selling pirated copies of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Back in 2001, printing house Ottovo Nakladatelstvi published 10,000 copies of the fourth Potter novel knowing another local printer had the rights. The fine was equal to roughly $10,200.

Warner Brothers is pioneering a new digital download concept with the upcoming Order of the Phoenix DVD release, Video Business reports. WB will be including two digital copies of the fifth Potter film on its DVD, which you'll be able to download onto your PC or portable media player:

Jim Wuthrich, Warner senior VP of digital distribution, unveiled the development at Tuesday’s DVD Forum conference here, as he discussed the studio’s plans to meet what it sees as a growing consumer demand for digital content.

“You can buy the DVD and have the option of the digital copy,” said Wuthrich. “This future-proofs the format for consumers.”

While there is no word yet on exactly which media players you'll be able to put OOTP on, we can assume WB is targeting the very large iPod and iPhone markets. Both devices are capable of playing movies on-the-go. The DVD will be released in the UK on November 12th and the US on December 11th. Thanks to Lauren for the tip!

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix has been nominated for the Hollywood Movie of the Year Award and fans can help ensure the fifth Potter film beats out its nine competitors and walks away with the prize by voting here. The Hollywood Movie Awards Gala Ceremony will be held on October 22 in Los Angeles, California.

In an article published yesterday by GMTV, we have learned that our favorite author will be recognized alongside several others for her inspirational work at the British Pride Awards:

Twelve years ago, a woman sitting in Edinburgh coffee shop could be seen scribbling in a notebook, creating the life of a schoolboy wizard. Since the success of Harry Potter, Jo has inspired a new generation of avid readers, and she has encouraged a whole host of wannabe writers to put pen to paper. But despite a full-time writing schedule, Jo is also President of the charity One Parent Families, the patron of The Multiple Sclerosis Society and co-founder of the Children's High Level Group, helping young people in care.

The awards will be aired on ITV1 tomorrow (Wednesday) night at 9 PM GMT. If anyone is able to capture video or screenshots of Jo's appearance, please send it in!

Do not fret... it's not the Harry Potter film you're thinking! The Scotsman is reporting that Jo has not seen the 1986 film Troll, which features two characters named Harry Potter. Even more coincidental, the plot involves a magical ring which can turn a troll back to his human form.

The revelation was made newsworthy because a remake is currently in the works, scheduled for a release in 2009. No word yet on whether or not Dan Radcliffe will be cast as Harry Potter.

In this week's episode of our Harry Potter podcast, we make Harry a pig and Dumbledore's motives slaughter. Was the famed headmaster setting the boy wizard up for an inevitable death? Or was The Great Bearded One absolutely sure that The Chosen One would survive He-Who-Should-Not-Be-Named's plans? Okay, enough nicknames and we'll get straight to the point. On this week's show:

- Where is Jo going with Wizard of the Month?
- Ttitan Tiffin as young Tom Riddle?
- The news that launched a thousand shrieks.
- Was Pettigrew braver at age eleven?
- We discuss the morality of Dumbledore.
- Did he help Harry by distancing him?
- Was what Dumbledore did morally permissible?
- Would Harry have chosen his path if not for Dumbledore?

Join Laura, Eric, Jerry and I for all that, some classic MuggleCast segments, and much more! To download, we recommend subscribing for free within iTunes. Using Apple's free music software will allow you to automatically get each show as soon as it is released. You can also find full show notes and alternate download links over at the MuggleCast website. Enjoy!

The Herald is reporting that Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling recently welcomed a new member to her family when she adopted Sapphire, a retired racing dog from the Greyhound Rescue Fife. Rowling made a favorable donation of £1,000 and wasn't recognized at first by the shelter's owner, Mrs. Fernie.

"When I looked at the cheque I couldn't believe it. The first thing I noticed was the amount she had made it out for. Then I spotted her name and realised who it was. I just said, 'Oh, I didn't recognise you,' and she just smiled politely. She was a lovely woman - the whole family were very nice."

Thanks to HPANA!

The Daily Mail is reporting that the 11-year old nephew of Voldemort actor Ralph Fiennes is set to be cast as young Tom Riddle in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Director David Yates says he has found someone to play the part, but couldn’t comment on who it is:

"I've found a really interesting kid to play Riddle. I can't tell you who it is yet -- it's early days."

Please remember that all this should be taken as a rumor for now. Thanks to everyone who e-mailed in!

In a new interview with Variety, Harry Potter producer David Heyman discusses what lies ahead for him after the last two films as well as what it has been like to work with actors both young and old. Heyman takes little credit for the development of the young stars citing their relationships with actors such as Gary Oldman and Maggie Smith:

"It's because of their commitment and curiosity to develop their craft. We've given them the platform, but they're here because they're good."

For more, including why Heyman thinks every role is important click here. Thanks to everyone who submitted the tip!

As it is now October 4th in the UK, JK Rowling's official website has been updated to wish our favorite Transfiguration teacher a Happy Birthday!

Another set of JK Rowling's autographed Harry Potter books has been put up for auction by the National Braille Press today for the Hands On! Books for Blind Children charity. This organization "strive[s] to eliminate the literacy gap that separates blind children from the mainstream." The auction will continue until October 25, 2007 at 9:00 PM EDT and on the next day it will be featured live at the gala hosted by The Tonight Show's Jay Leno beginning at 7 PM and ending at 9 PM.

The Order of the Phoenix movie is now the world's sixth highest earning film, accumulating a staggering a $933.9 million worldwide (Sorcerer's Stone is at #4 with $976.5 million gross). On top of that, the fifth film has surprassed Goblet of Fire's US sales of $290,013,036, earning itself $290,189,393.

A month ago we brought you news that various Harry Potter websites - including MuggleNet - were nominated for awards in the Second Annual Movies.com Readers' Poll. The results have been announced, and the HP-related websites cleaned up. These include Hottest Up and Coming Male and Official Actor Site for Dan Radcliffe, Hottest Up and Coming Female and Official Actress Website for Emma Watson, Official Movie Site for harrypotter.com, and best Unofficial Movie Site for MuggleNet.

Thanks to everyone who voted!

It's all about the return on this week's edition of our Harry Potter podcast as Eric, Kevin and voicemails are back to join Laura and myself for a very "questionable" episode of MuggleCast.

- Micah sees Order of the Phoenix...finally!
- Dan and David Yates talk Half-Blood Prince.
- Laura has the golden ticket...which sparks a big book tour discussion.
- Eric talks about MuggleCast Down Under.
- One listener clears up that she is not in fact Mrs. Sims.
- Bill Nighy as Rufus Scrimgeour?
- Could Harry have survived another Killing Curse in the final battle?
- We take some more Muggle Mail in response to our book parallel convo last week.

To download, we recommend subscribing for free within iTunes. Using Apple's free music software will allow you to automatically get each show as soon as it is released. You can also find full show notes and alternate download links over at the MuggleCast website. Enjoy!