Pop Buzz UK

Last July I told you about JK Rowling’s plans for a possible eighth book in the hugely popular Harry Potter series.

Now before anyone gets their hopes up, we’re not talking a new fictional work to carry on the series where The Deathly Hallows left off, but rather an encyclopaedia full of fascinating facts and undiscovered details about the Harry Potter universe and the characters which reside within it.

Unfortunately it seems that someone has beaten her to it, and in an attempt to gain fame and fortune, is trying to publish an unofficial reference book about everything Harry Potter.

Writer Steve Vander Ark and publisher RDR Books have plans to release an encyclopaedia of their own, which is obviously being fought with legal action by Rowling. She said:

“I am very frustrated that a former fan has tried to co-opt my work for financial gain. I believe that RDR’s book constitutes a Harry Potter rip-off of the type I have spent years trying to prevent,”

“Both I, as the creator of this world, and fans of Harry Potter would be exploited by its publication.

“I feel intensely protective, firstly of the literary world I spent so long creating, and secondly, of the fans who bought my books in such large numbers.”

And of course the money that you’d lose if this book came out without your permission. Rowling is perfectly right though, because this book, titled Harry Potter Lexicon, would be using her work, and the characters she spent so long giving life to, without any guarantees of accuracy.

The book was due for release last November but publication was delayed after Rowling sought an injunction. A legal case will now follow, and a decision made as to whether the book is lawful or not.

(more…)

As soon as the seventh and supposedly final Harry Potter book ‘The Deathly Hallows‘ was released, fans and book lovers alike started speculating about the possibility of an eighth book securing a release one day.

That possibility came a step nearer this week as Harry Potter author JK Rowling admitted that she had considered it, and certainly wouldn’t rule it out.

Talking to Time magazine, the author admitted there had been times when she’d thought about penning another installment in the long running, and hugely successful franchise, which is estimated to have earned her a billion dollar fortune.

“There have been times since finishing, weak moments, when I’ve said: ‘Yeah, all right’ to the eighth novel.”

“If, and it’s a big if, I ever write an eighth book about the (wizarding) world, I doubt that Harry would be the central character. I feel I’ve already told his story. But these are big ifs. Let’s give it 10 years.”

At the time of the release, I said on Pop Buzz UK that there would be no reason not to carry on the series, using the same world which we now all know and love, but focussing on another character, or even set of characters than Harry Potter, Ron and Hermione.

(more…)

Philip Pullman is the best selling author of His Dark Materials, the trilogy of which The Golden Compass is the first book.

That has obviously been turned in to a big budget movie, which opened in the last week over in America, as well as the UK.

Newsround, a British children’s television news programme spoke to him about it, and during the interview he revealed his love for the new version of Doctor Who, the main writer Russell T. Davies, and David Tennant.

Even more interestingly, he expressed an interest in maybe writing an episode of the cult show for the BBC:

“[Penning a story for the show] sounds like enormous fun.”

“Since Russell T. Davies came back and started having a hand in it, [it] has been wonderful. I’ve really enjoyed it. David Tennant is terrific. Billie Piper was wonderful as Rose.”

He’s right of course, the show is brilliant, especially the new incarnation, with some brilliant writing, amazing special effects, and acting talents which were never even got close to on the original show.

I would love to see Pullman write an episode, as he’s an awesome writer, and his style would fit perfectly with the show. I just hope Davies saw the interview, or is even maybe reading this, and gets in touch with him to discuss the possibility.

(more…)

WARNING: Contains Major Plot Spoilers…

My girlfriend and I went to see The Golden Compass last night and as fans of the book came away slightly disappointed, partly by the amount of changes made from the book, and partly by the fudged ending.

I previewed the film way back in June, when I was super excited about the prospect of seeing one of my favourite books ever be brought to life on the big screen. My review is slightly different…

The casting is pretty much spot on, with Nicole Kidman being perfect for Mrs Coulter, and Ian McKellen doing a fine job as Iorek Byrnison.

Some of the special effects are stunning, with the armoured bears particularly standing out. The whole Iorek part of the story, especially his fight to become king of Svalbard, was the highlight of the film for me, and stopped me walking out in disgust.

The daemons were also well realised, being exactly as I’d imagined them in the books. It must have taken some incredibly detailed work to get so many daemons on screen at one time.

Some of the alterations to the text I could understand, while some I could see no rhyme nor reason for. The ordering of the story is altered substantially, with Iorek becoming king BEFORE Lyra visits Bolvangor.

To people who haven’t read the book, this won’t matter a jot, and the film will probably leave them content. For fans of the book however, there are some glaring omissions, the biggest being the soppy ending.

(more…)

Lily Allen’s brother Alfie has been chosen as Daniel Radcliffe’s successor as the star of Equus.

The run at the West End which starred Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe ended after just 8 weeks due to poor reviews and ticket sales.

The production will now go out on a nationwide tour starting in Chichester on January 31st 2008 before a possible return to the West End.

The 21 year old Alfie Allen was most famous for the song called ‘Alfie’ by his sister Lily before his role in Atonement.

On the power of that performance, writer Peter Shaffer offered him the role afer a screen test.

(more…)

JK Rowling sure knows how to get Harry Potter back in the news doesn’t she?! Three months after the seventh and final book was released, she chose to reveal the truth about Professor Albus Dumbledore’s love life by declaring he was gay.

She was speaking at a special reading of Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows at Carnegie Hall in New York. One thousand grand prize winners (and one companion each) got to hear her speak and ask question at the Q and A session for Scholastic’s Open Book Tour Sweepstakes.

As well as the Dumbledore revelation which is sure to upset the already anti-Potter brigade religious right wing, she revealed such delights as what happened to Neville Longbottom, how did Ron know Parseltongue and much more.

The Leaky Cauldron were there and this is their transcript of the evening:

(more…)

Debating: The continuing saga of Madeleine McCann’s disappearance

Gossiping: Britney Spears’ continuing slide towards career oblivion

Reading: ‘Atonement’ by Ian McEwan ahead of seeing the film

Playing: Super Paper Mario on the Nintendo Wii

Viewing: The MOBO Awards in London on Wednesday

Watching: Still ‘Run, Fatboy, Run’ directed by David Schwimmer

Listening: The new James Blunt album ‘All The Lost Souls’

Buying: ‘Harry Potter & The Order Of The Phoenix’ DVD

Searching: ‘International Talk Like A Pirate Day’ Information

Learning: Zsa Zsa Gabor is related to Paris Hilton

Madeleine McCann, Britney Spears, Atonement, Ian McEwan, Super Paper Mario, Nintendo Wii, MOBO Awards, Amy Winehouse, Run Fatboy Run, David Schwimmer, James Blunt, All The Lost Souls, Harry Potter, Order Of The Phoenix, Talk Like A Pirate Day, Pirate, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Paris Hilton

Debating: The British army withdrawing from Iraq

Reading: ‘Mercy’ by Jodi Picoult

Playing: Bioshock on the PC & Xbox 360

Viewing: Brian Belo winning the Final Of Big Brother 8

Watching: The adult comedy ‘Knocked Up’

Listening: Still the abysmal Sean Kingston… Why?!?

Buying: FHM Magazine Just For Hayden Panettiere Pictures

Searching: News On Actor Owen Wilson after suicide bid

Anticipating: ‘Superbad’ opening in UK Cinemas

Learning: Prison officers are on average assaulted eight times a day

British Army, Iraq, Basra, Jodi Picoult, Bioshock, PC, Xbox 360, Brian Belo, Big Brother, Knocked Up, Sean Kingston, Hayden Panettiere, Owen Wilson, Superbad

Debating: Foot & Mouth Returning To The UK

Reading: Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows

Playing: Pokemon Diamond & Pearl On The Nintendo DS

Viewing: Star Stories Series 2 Tom Cruise Special

Watching: The Simpsons Movie - Good, but just a long episode

Listening: Manic Street Preachers ‘Autumnsong’

Buying: Pre-ordering ‘Spider-Man 3′ on DVD

Searching: News on XBox 360 Price Drop

Anticipating: Cowes Week on the Isle of Wight

Learning: Coffee could protect your skin.

Foot and mouth, f&m, UK, British, Britain, Harry Potter, Deathly Hallows, Pokemon, Pokemon Diamond, Pokemon Pearl, Nintendo DS, Tom Cruise, The Simpsons, Manic Street Preachers, Spider-Man 3, XBox 360, Cowes Week, Isle Of Wight, Coffee

I would guess that the vast amount of you Harry Potter fans out there have now finished reading the book, and are currently either reading it for the 2nd time through, or analyzing parts of it for a deeper meaning. It feels like an end of an era doesn’t it? I’m kind of sad about the 7 book series having come to an end with The Deathly Hallows, but all may not be lost.

As I predicted a while ago, JK Rowling will most likely revisit Harry Potter’s universe for more stories in the future, she’d be mad not to. And although it won’t be a fictional story, she’s already hinted that she may write a Harry Potter encyclopedia. This will be a good opportunity for her to let the faithful readers in on some of the undisclosed secrets of Hogwarts and what happened to certain characters in the aftermath of the battle with Voldemort in The Deathly Hallows.

(more…)

Well I’ve finished it have you? My copy of Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows came on Saturday morning, delivered by the postman courtesy of Amazon, yes I was one of the 1,500,000 people who pre-ordered. I read non-stop for about 8 hours on Saturday, and then finished it on Sunday after another 6 hour session.

This post will have some spoilers in and thoughts of certain aspects of the story, so only click to Read More and continue reading if you have already reached the end of the book.

The book started as I suspected it would, but that expectation was blown out of the water once the Death Eaters attacked and we had our first death so early on. I thought it was a great way to set the stage and make all of us realise this book was going to be different than the previous 6 in the series.

One thing that was exactly the same in this book as all JK Rowling’s other masterpieces is the way it encourages you to keep reading and very rarely gives you an opportunity to put it down. All the way through I found myself doing that “Oh, just one more chapter then” type of reasoning with myself, so much so, that I didn’t have time for dinner on Saturday.

(more…)

Debating: The Heavy Rain & Flooding hitting the UK

Reading: Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows

Playing: More Brain Training from Dr Kawashima

Viewing: Fonejacker on E4

Watching: Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix

Listening: The new Prince album given away free in a newspaper

Buying: The Enemy - We’ll Live & Die in these towns

Searching: For a new book series to replace Harry Potter

Anticipating: Lethal Bizzle’s new album out today

Learning: Seven-year-olds have proms.

Harry Potter, Rain, Flooding, The Deathly Hallows, More Brain Training, Dr Kawashima, Fonejacker, The Order of the Phoenix, Prince, The Enemy, Lethal Bizzle

Continuing the countdown to the release of the seventh and final Harry Potter book The Deathly Hallows, and tonight is the night. From Midnight you will be able to obtain your copies of the last book in the series, although I suspect like me, most of you will be more likely to be getting your copy in the morning. A lot of stores are opening tonight, or early tomorrow morning especially for the launch, but I’ll be waiting for my postman to deliver my Amazon pre-ordered copy to my door. I’ll be going to bed early tonight so I can get up early and start reading asap. Sad yes, but there’ll be millions of people like me so don’t judge!

Anyway, on to the point of this post, the fact that Harry Potter is in essence just a copy of Star Wars, at least in plot, if not character and setting. Don’t believe me? Then take a look at this…

(more…)

Harry Potter author JK Rowling recently appeared on the Jonathan Ross show on BBC and here in 2 parts is the interview. JK Rowling comes over as very humble and nice, and seems to be really personable, which means being worth a gazillion dollars hasn’t actually changed her much. There’s some good little tidbits of information in the interview, including some talk of the chapter which made her cry her eyes out, the new Harry Potter theme park, and the possibility of future Harry Potter novels! Enjoy…

(more…)

As so many millions of us are eagerly awaiting the release of the seventh and final book in the Harry Potter series The Deathly Hallows this Saturday, I thought I’d revisit some photos and little tidbits about the whole saga.

This first one is a classic case of Photoshop goodness, with a perfectly innocent shot of a young Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Grainger turned in to a sleazy gropefest, but it made me laugh so that’s alright then.

I didn’t say it was clever did I, but funny yes. I actually can’t believe how young the trio of actors look as they sit feeling each other up.

(more…)