PotterMore announces release date for third Harry Potter "book"

Just earlier this morning, the PotterMore Insider
announced on its blog that PotterMore will be
undergoing a new update next Thrusday,
and uploading all-new content for fans to enjoy,
including the first few "chapters" of its third
interactive Harry Potter book adaption:
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

This picture, (seen at top-left,) is a sneak peek at one of the upcoming chapters
from Prisoner of Azkaban, which is a reference to the chapter in which
Hagrid first starts teaching Care of Magical Creatures class,
and introduces his class to an array of unusual animals with even stranger abilities.

Here is the official announcement statement issued by PotterMore Insider:
"We can now officially confirm that you’ll be able to explore this Moment
in full for yourself from this Thursday, 20th December,
when the first chapters of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
will be released on Pottermore.com.
Look for the new update on Thursday, December 20th! Happy holidays!

The Tales of Beedle the Bard celebrates its 4th birthday!

Today, four years ago,
J.K. Rowling once again entered the spotlight,
returning to the Harry Potter world she created,
and released The Tales of Beedle the Bard,
a book that played a key role in the
seventh and final Harry Potter book,
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"
as well as its two film adaptions.

The book, despite its short length,
was well-recieved, and recieved praise for
delivering engaging and thought-out storylines, with many critics comparing it with
the original Grimm fables, as well as Aesop's fables,
two of the most recognized fable collections.

Just a few weeks ago, it was re-released on PotterMore,
J.K. Rowling's new digital platform for all official Harry Potter content,
for sale in both e-book and audiobook formats.

Complete with all 5 fables mentioned in both the book and the two films,
The Tales of Beedle the Bard is still a must-read for anyone who loves
classic fantasy fables with subtle, ingrained morality lessons.

To celebrate Beedle the Bard's 4th birthday,
here is its most iconic fable, "The Tale of the Three Brothers".
Read on, and experience the magic.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Lusu8YxV_SV7f_Y8n8SxJl1b-gNQWynVNEsqyAXkLoE/edit

J.K. Rowling announces the release of "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" ebook!

Earlier this morning, J.K. Rowling officially
announced the release of the newest HP e-book,
"The Tales of Beedle the Bard".

If online opinions are anything to go by,
supporters of the Harry Potter e-books have long
wondered why Beedle the Bard hadn't yet been
included in the HP e-book franchise.

Well, now it has been.

Complete with all five wizarding fables referenced in the final Harry Potter book/movies:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, (In the case of the movies, mainly DH Part 1,)
now you and everyone else can enjoy this book at home, or while you're out and about,
thanks to the Nook, Kindle, iphone, ipad, and other portable devices.

All proceeds go directly to Lumos, a charity organization set up by J.K. Rowling
dedicated to helping children trapped in institutions, and reforming or shutting down
those same institutions.

You can see her announcement video below for more details on the e-book and on Lumos.

Harry Potter: Page to Screen Collector's Edition announced!

It was just announced that the long-awaited
mysterious Harry Potter $600 book set,
aimed at a collector's market, now has a name,
Harry Potter: Page to Screen
-Collector's Edition.

Harry Potter: Page to Screen was a book
released last year, describing the process
of turning the Harry Potter books into films.

Here is the official description,
provided by amazon.com:


"Worthy of a vault at Gringotts, this amazing limited edition collection
includes eight exquisitely crafted volumes shelved with a scale prop replica
of The Monster Book of Monsters and a gilded, oversized portfolio with
five frame-able prints of concept art.

Featuring never-before-published art and text chronicling
the making of the Harry Potter films, the set is limited to just 3,000 copies worldwide.

Seven of the volumes were created expressly for this collection and delve into
different aspects of the filmmaking, showing how the team designed locations,
graphics, costumes, creatures, and special effects.

A book of the paintings of Hogwarts showcases the exquisite artistry of each.
A keepsake book filled with snapshots and personal photos looks at the
lasting relationships between cast and crew.

The eighth volume is a cloth-bound edition of the New York Times Best-seller,
Harry Potter: Page to Screen.

All of these precious objects are housed in a collectible box that looks like
it came from Diagon Alley.

Arriving at your doorstep with a numbered certificate of authenticity,
this limited edition is the ultimate collectible for any wizard or Muggle.

This collector’s edition includes:
• A deluxe cloth-covered case, styled to look like a shelf from a shop in Diagon Alley
• A cloth-bound edition of Harry Potter: Page to Screen

• Seven additional volumes detailing the Harry Potter creative team’s ten years of extensive efforts:

* The Creature Shop Compendium: Flora and Fauna from the Harry Potter Films
* Environments Envisioned: Building Fantastic Sets and Scouting Dramatic Locations
* A Guide to the Graphic Arts Department: Posters, Prints, and Publications
from the Harry Potter Films
* Movie Magic: Practical Props and Exciting Effects
* The Paintings of Hogwarts: Masterpieces from the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Sets
* Ten Years Later: Life on Set with the Harry Potter Cast and Crew
* Wizard Wear and Muggle Attire: Costuming the World of Harry Potter
• A replica of The Monster Book of Monsters film prop
• A gilded portfolio of five frame-able prints of original Harry Potter concept art

All sound like a fan's dream, but wait to you read the fine print.

The Collector's Edition is available at a sizable retail price of $1000!
If you order from amazon.com, you can save 40%, paying only $600.
Still, for the average fan, that may still leave too big a hole in your pocket.

The Collector's Edition is released in the U.S. on December 4th,
marking the 4th anniversary of The Tales of Beedle the Bard,
J.K. Rowling's spinoff HP book.

PotterMore launchs final COS chapters!

As of this afternoon, the third and final launch
of new virtual chapters from PotterMore's
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,
are available to the public.

Here is the official announcement,
issued by PotterMore to its fans earlier today:

"The last chapters of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets have arrived on Pottermore,
with Chapters Twelve to Eighteen now ready for you to explore on Pottermore.

Experience Professor Lockhart’s Valentine’s day festivities, survive the spiders in the
Forbidden Forest, and of course, confront what’s hidden within the Chamber of Secrets.

As well as these latest Moments, there is also new exclusive content from J.K. Rowling
on subjects including ghosts and the history of the Chamber of Secrets.

We hope you have a fantastic time exploring these concluding chapters on Pottermore. "

Eager to check out these new chapters for youself?
Head on over to PotterMore and experience the magic for youself!
http://www.pottermore.com/

Happy Halloween, and thank you all for your continued support!

PotterMore announces release date for final chapters of COS!

Announced exclusively through
a link in the latest facebook post
by PotterMore, which led to a short post
on the PotterMore Insider blog,
the release date for the final chapters of
the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
interactive experience has been revealed:
Tomorrow, Halloween, October 31st, 2012.

Here is the original announcement,
issued earlier this afternoon:

"We're pleased to officially announce that
from tomorrow, 31st October, 12 noon GMT,
the final chapters of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets will be available on PotterMore for you to explore.

Help us spread the word to your fellow Harry Potter and Pottermore fans about the great news!"

Happy Halloween! And remember: Follow the spiders!
Enjoy the new chapters on PotterMore!

PotterMore to launch final COS chapters for Halloween!

Just in time to celebrate Halloween,
PotterMore has announced their intention
to launch the final interactive chapters of
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
within the next day or two.

Here is the official announcement, issued through the PotterMore Insider:
"You may have seen the spiders here on the Insider and on our Facebook and Twitter
pages recently. Yes, we’re talking about our many-legged visitors and if you’ve
noticed them, then you may have remembered Hagrid’s advice ‘ter follow the spiders’...

Now, it’s your turn to find out some stuff as we can announce that the final and last
installment of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets will be released sometime
this coming week.

Chapters Twelve to Eighteen will shortly be available

for you to delve into and explore.

Brewing Polyjuice Potion, accessing the Slytherin common room

and uncovering the secret of Tom Riddle’s diary are amongst

the many exciting Moments awaiting you.

These concluding chapters will also contain brand new exclusive content from J.K. Rowling, including material on the Chamber of Secrets; its origin and history."

 

I expect we can look forward to unlocking more hidden material,

which usually is well worth the effort in seeking it out.

 

But for now, we will have to follow PotterMore and "follow the spiders".

 

PotterMore CEO discusses future of PotterMore

This past Monday, while speaking at the
Frankfurt Book Fair about the future of digital publishing,
and how PotterMore stands as the model for future
digital publishing methods, PotterMore CEO
Charlie Redmayne had quite a few things to say
when it came to the subject of PotterMore's future.

He discussed several things PotterMore has done
in the past that set themselves apart from traditional
digital marketing methods, what they are now doing,
and even hinted some things that PotterMore is planning
for its future, both immediate, and longer-term.


Here is a rough outline detailing slightly more specific details
on PotterMore's plans for future expansion:

• "Connected TV,"
• "Apps,"
• "Physical Products" that will be sold on the PotterMore Shop,
• "Enhanced e-books"
• The addition of a "Games" hub on PotterMore,
• "In-Flight Entertainment,"

And finally, the release of the final chapters of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,
which, according to Redmayne, will debut on PotterMore by the end of this month.

Quite a lot of details at one time! Let's hope they all come true sooner rather then later.

J.K. Rowling reveals new details about upcoming children's book!

In a new interview with The Telegraph,
J.K. Rowling has revealed more details
on her upcoming, unnamed, children's book.

"As the writer of Harry Potter,
I'm always nervous of committing myself
to another children's book, but yes,
the next thing I write will be for children," she said.

"I have a lot of things on my laptop currently,
including a couple of things for children - for a slightly younger age group than Harry Potter
was aimed at - which are nearly done and will, I think, be the next thing I publish.
I have run them by my children and they seem to like them which is always a good sign.

"I also have some ideas for another book for adults but it isn't too far on [in development],"
She added.
 

What are these possibly two books, and what are they about?
Even if  she has even planned them out it won't be likely that J.K. Rowling
will be revealing any major details concerning them anytime soon.

J.K. Rowling reveals plans for possible eighth Harry Potter book!

In a new interview earlier this week,
to promote her new book The Casual Vacancy,
J.K. Rowling openly announced her interest in
possibly writing an eighth Harry Potter book.

On behalf of the fandom as a whole, I believe that
this is an excellent sign, because when
J.K. Rowling says she's interested in writing
something, she usually commits to doing so.

Here was the actual quote:
"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,"
she told the BBC. And she added: "Now if I had a fabulous idea that came out of that world -- because I loved writing it -- I'd do it."

This, combined with her saying to Oprah a few months back
that she would be open to the idea to re-visiting the HP world in some form,
are both excellent indicators that, at this rate, we'll likely hear something definitive soon.

Look for The Casual Vacancy in stores now!

PotterMore updates, new content launched!

 In a new update today, PotterMore plans to

launch new, additional virtual chapters from

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,

along with new exclusive HP content from
author J.K. Rowling.

Here is the announcement that was revealed
to those who signed up to be part of PotterMore's
e-mail notification list:

"Discover the next chapters...
We're pleased to announce that the second instalment of
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is now ready.

Fly back to Hogwarts; encounter the Whomping Willow; 
recapture escaped Cornish pixies; attend the Deathday Party and much more…

There's also more exclusive J.K. Rowling content waiting to be discovered."

At the moment, it does not appear that this new content has been yet fully uploaded,
or PotterMore may currently be experiencing tech-releated issues.

Either way, look for a full review of PotterMore's latest update coming soon.

Wonderbook: Book of Spells game coming November 13!

Originally kept somewhat under-the-radar,
the upcoming Harry Potter spin-off video game
Wonderbook: Book of Spells has been
quite active in terms of marketing tactics.

Just within this past week, the release date
was announced publicly: November 13th,
along with the official game cover.
(See left.)

Here is the official game description:




"Book of Spells is the first title for Wonderbook, a unique single-player
virtual reading/entertainment experience exclusive to PlayStation 3.

The latest addition to the PlayStation augmented reality series,
the Wonderbook system combines game software,
and the Wonderbook peripheral (sold together as a Book of Spells bundle,),
along with PlayStation Eye camera and PlayStation Move motion controller
(both sold separately), to bring words to life for readers as never imagined.

The story and interactive activities built into Book of Spells are steeped in the Harry Potter
universe, and are designed to capture the imaginations of new and longtime fans alike. "

Harry Potter for Kinect game demo released exclusively for Xbox 360!

Just yesterday, Microsoft launched the exclusive
demo for the upcoming game
"Harry Potter for Kinect",
which will utilize the Xbox 360's advanced
motion controls available to those who buy the
Kinect add-on hardware.

Here is the official game description,
provided by amazon.com:

"For the first time, create a witch or wizard
character in your likeness that will become
part of the gameplay through Kinect scanning technology.


Experience unforgettable moments from all eight films,
- from having your wand choose you at Ollivanders,
being Sorted as a first-year student at Hogwarts,
and battling You-Know-Who in a climactic wizard battle.

Cast spells at your opponents by performing the proper casting
maneuvers and calling out spell names utilizing Kinect controller-free
and voice recognition capabilities.

Hone your casting, brewing and duelling skills (among others)
in class to unlock even more lessons and challenges

Challenge a friend in competitive mini-games,
or join forces against a mutual opponent in co-op games."

This game will be the first official Harry Potter videogane to not
be based on an individual film, but combine moments from them all.
(LEGO Harry Potter games can be more considered spoofs then adaptions.)

Check out these gameplay pics below to get a glimpse of the game!

Harry Potter Limited Edition Film Book Set coming soon!

Amazon UK has just earlier today unveiled a
new, upcoming Harry Potter book set,
detailing the long journey from books into films.

Collected in five volumes, this new collector's item
features all-new never-been-seen-before material,
plus a replica of the Monster Book of Monsters film prop.

Careful though.
Before you rush through the digital checkout,
pay close attention to the price tag virtually attached.
The Harry Potter Limited Edition Film Book Set
will be offered at the quite hefty price of £552, or $880.00.

For those still interested in buying, here below is the product description:

Worthy of a vault at Gringotts, this amazing limited edition collection features
never-before-published art and text chronicling the making of the Harry Potter films.
The set is limited to just 3,000 copies worldwide.
Five volumes focus on the filmmaking, showing how the team designed
locations, graphics, costumes, creatures, and special effects.

Inside you’ll find a deluxe book of the paintings of Hogwarts along with
a keepsake book chronicling the lasting relationships between cast and crew.

The final volume is a cloth-bound edition of the New York Times Best-seller,
Harry Potter: Page to Screen.

Completing the library is a scale prop replica of The Monster Book of Monsters,
along with a gilded, oversized portfolio with five frame-able prints of concept art.

All of these precious objects are housed in a collectible box
that looks like it came from Diagon Alley.

Arriving at your doorstep with a numbered certificate of authenticity,
this limited edition is the ultimate collectible for any wizard of Muggle.

Product Features:

• A deluxe cloth-covered case, styled to look like a box from a shop in Diagon Alley

• A replica of The Monster Book of Monsters film prop

• A gilded portfolio of five frame-able prints of original Harry Potter concept art.

• A cloth-bound edition of Harry Potter: Page to Screen

• 7 additional volumes detailing the Harry Potter creative team’s
ten years of extensive efforts:

* The Creature Shop Compendium:
Flora and Fauna from the Harry Potter Films

* Environments Envisioned: Building Fantastic Sets
and Scouting Dramatic Locations

* A Guide to the Graphic Arts Department: Posters, Prints,
and Publications from the Harry Potter Films

* Movie Magic: Practical Props and Exciting Effects

* The Paintings of Hogwarts:
Masterpieces from the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Sets

* Ten Years Later: Life on Set with the Harry Potter Cast and Crew

* Wizard Wear and Muggle Attire: Costuming the World of Harry Potter
If you are interested in reading more, you can click on the weblink below
to go visit its amazon.com product page.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1612185916/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=1612185916&linkCode=as2&tag=danradclico02-21

Harry Potter: Wizard's Collection released today!

As of today, the long awaited and mysterious

Harry Potter: Wizard's Collection has arrived.

Priced at an unsually high price of $349.99,

the Wizard's Collection is the diehard fan's

dream come true, complete with 31 disks,

combining all eight films, as well as all

previously released special features,

plus hours of all-new never-been-seen-before

special features, including an extended cut

of the conversation between Daniel Radcliffe

and J.K. Rowling, bloopers from the HP film set,

an additional 15 minutes of deleted scenes from the films, plus much, much more.

You can order the Wizard's Collection now through amazon.com

via this weblink: http://www.amazon.com/Wizards-Collection-Blu-ray-UltraViolet-Digital/dp/B007FSEAHY

Deathly Hallows: Parts 1 & 2 Ultimate Editions coming to stores this October!

Leaked online by internet retailer amazon.com,
the release dates for the final two Harry Potter
Ultimate Editions have now arrived: October 16th.

The Ultimate Editions are known by HP fans
for their full collection of new exclusive
special features, combined with special features
originally scattered onto various versions
of the films,  and some being only available
on DVDs sold at specific stores.

No covers have been yet revealed for the Deathly Hallows: Parts 1 & 2 Ultimate Editions.

These final Ultimate Editions will be released roughly a month and a half
after the release of the Harry Potter: Wizard's Collection Blu-Ray/DVD box set.

We expect that the covers for these two Ultimate Editions
will be revealed sometime during the next few weeks.

Harry Potter: The Exhibition coming to NYC this fall!

Just earlier today, it was revealed in a
press statement that the well-recieved
Harry Potter: The Exhibition will be stopping
at New York City sometime later this year.

Below is the full, official announcement:

""Since its hugely successful run in New York City in 2011, 
Harry Potter: The Exhibition has been significantly updated with new artifacts
from the series, including the final film, and will include a few holiday themed surprises.

Back by popular demand, this new stop in New York City will serve as
the exhibition’s return to North America after a year-long international tour.
Opening date and ticketing information will be released in the upcoming weeks."

In addition to the holiday surprises, visitors will get to see props from
Deathly Hallows: Part 2 not originally seen during the exhibition's first stop
at New York City.

"We are pleased to offer East coast fans a second opportunity to experience this exhibition,
all housed within the perfect venue during the ideal time of year, the holiday season,"
said Eddie Newquist, chief creative officer for GES.

 "There is no better way to celebrate the imagination and creativity of the
Harry Potter film series than  to actually walk among the iconic costumes and props
that helped bring the world of the films to life."

As of today, no official premiere date for their New York City premiere has been announced.
Considering the amount of information already released, a premiere date can be expected
to be revealed sometime in the very near future.

New Pottermore info fansite underway!

We are happy to announce that over
the last several months, we have gathered
many small pieces of new HP information
revealed by PotterMore, as well as things
previously stated by J.K. Rowling,
that were not included in the HP books or movies.

They will then be copied and relocated
to a seperate blog, the sole purpose of which is
being an easy-to-navigate public database
for all Harry Potter fans worldwide.

A lot of the information we intend to release is
little-known, and mostly scattered across the internet,
                                                                     as well as character-based posts, extra notes, etc.

Currently under the name "The Potterful Pensieve",
this new HP database was originally planned to premiere online
late last month, but due to development delays, it has been delayed
until its planned premiere later this fall.

We have already sorted through most of the problems,
and collected roughly enough information for the first dozen posts.

Look for more info on "The Potterful Pensieve"
here on Order of the Phoenix News Network!

J.K. Rowling to hold discussion/book signing for "The Casual Vacancy"!

Just a few hours ago, it was announced that
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling will appear at a
book signing/book discussion of her upcoming
novel, "The Casual Vacancy," in

Here is the official announcement,
released only hours ago:

"J.K. Rowling plans to make her one and only
in-person appearance in the U.S. to promote
her first novel for adults.
The “Harry Potter” author will discuss
“The Casual Vacancy”  at New York’s Jazz
at Lincoln Center on Oct. 16.

The venue can seat about 1,100 people.
Little, Brown & Company announced Wednesday that Rowling
will be interviewed on stage by fellow author Ann Patchett
and will take “select” audience questions.

Rowling also will sign copies of her new book for each audience member.
Booksellers will have access to a live web cast.
Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis, starting Sept. 10.
Prices range from $44 for phone purchases, $43 for online
and $37 at the Jazz at Lincoln Center box office."

Excited to read J.K. Rowling's first non-Harry Potter book?
The Casual Vacancy hits store shelves September 27th.

EXCLUSIVE: PotterMore Shop releases two new HP e-books!

Just less then an hour ago, PotterMore Shop, the exclusive home
to the Harry Potter e-books and digital audiobooks,
announced that two new Harry Potter e-books have arrived:
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and secondly,
Quidditch Through the Ages.

Here is the official announcement below:
"We hope you're enjoying Pottermore and are beginning to explore the first chapters of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,
which were recently made available.


We're pleased to tell you that there have also been two recent
eBook additions to the Pottermore Shop:

Quidditch through the Ages by Kennilworthy Whisp
- perfect for anyone who ever asked themselves where
the Golden Snitch came from, or how
the Bludgers came into existence.

Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them
by Newt Scamander -
a duplicate of Harry Potter's own copy of this guide to magical creatures,
complete with his and his friends' informative notes in the margins.

Both titles are by J.K. Rowling and Pottermore's proceeds
from the sales of these two eBooks will be donated to Comic Relief UK.

Visit the Pottermore Shop to take a closer look at either of these two Hogwarts library books.
The Pottermore Team."

Now HP fans can collect two new additional books, with only one more to come!

Wizarding World of Harry Potter begins expansion construction!

At last, staying true to the rumors spreading

across the Internet over the last several months,

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter park in

Universal Orlando looks to be in the process of 

taking over the land previously occupied by

The Lost Continent, and may finish construction

just in time for a possible Summer 2014 opening!

The pictures shown seem to match the rumors leaking out about a possible

Hogwarts Express train ride, which would transport families from the original

Wizarding World to the second, newer part of the park,

so as to help add a solution to its popularity.

Check out the other pics below.

Thanks to mugglenet.com for the tip!

Warner Bros. announces new exclusive info on Harry Potter: Wizard's Collection!

Just yesterday, Warner Bros. announced new information regarding the upcoming
Harry Potter: Wizard's Collection, the upcoming HP collector's edition box set,
including all eight HP films, and over 37 hours of special features,
4 hours of all-new material in total!

Some of the new, exclusive special features include:

-"The Harry Potters You Never Met" - Meet the stunt doubles for Daniel Radcliffe,
Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as they demonstrate how they balanced major stunt work
with seamlessly mimicking the actors they represented and share their favorite moments.

- "Designing the World of Harry Potter" - Explore how production designer Stuart Craig
and his creative team brought J.K. Rowling's imagination to life on the screen.

- "When Harry Left Hogwarts" (Extended Version)
- Hear candid and emotional stories about the final days on set
in this extended behind-the-scenes look.

- "50 Greatest Harry Potter Moments" (Definitive Version)
- Take a look back with cast members who share their on and off-screen memories.

- "Secrets Revealed! Quidditch"
– At last, the secrets behind the special effects required
for the breathtaking Quidditch scenes are revealed!

- "Secrets Revealed! Hagrid" - See the camera tricks, towering stand-in,
and voluminous body suits behind the beloved Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts.

-"Creating the World of Harry Potter, Part. 7: Story"
-"Creating the World of Harry Potter, Part. 8: Growing Up"
- "A Conversation with J.K. Rowling and Daniel Radcliffe." (Extended Version)

Harry Potter: Wizard's Collection is released into stores on September 10th.

Pottermore Review: Chamber of Secrets: Chapters 1-3

Just a few weeks ago, PotterMore.com launched
their second virtual interactive Harry Potter book,
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,
partially. Only the first few chapters from the book
are currently available on PotterMore.

The Pottermore Insider explains this, saying the
length of the later HP books make it difficult to
launch the whole book on PotterMore at once.

The method they intend to try is to launch future PotterMore "books" in chunks,
perhaps 8-10 chapters a time, and limits the chances of PotterMore overloading
 from incoming web traffic, or other technical problems.

Now for the review:

PotterMore: Chamber of Secrets: Chapters 1-4

PotterMore's second "book" is filled with all new breathtaking digital artwork,
solid if not really interesting sound effects, and a fun but not addicting minigame.

There are much less pieces of original information from J.K. Rowling, which is a loss,
and not as much collectable items to hunt down and find in the backgrounds.

Also, it seems these early chapters need a little more fine-tuning.
The mini-game didn't even work at first, and many players, myself included,
reported not being able to zoom into the background, to look for hidden secrets.

I am slightly disappointed with these new chapters, and hope that
PotterMore will take notice of these issues and address them.

Overall Grade: C-

Deathly Hallows celebrates 5th birthday!

  This past Saturday, the seventh and final Harry Potter book,
  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,
  celebrated its 5th year running.

  The book was released on July 21st, 2007 worldwide,
  and became a instant success.

  It has been widely considered by fans to be
  one of the best books in the series, and continues
  to be in demand in bookstores, libraries, and online.

 

It is great to see that the book still will continue
to reach many generations to come, and to be well remembered all around.

PotterMore launches Chamber of Secrets worldwide!

As promised, the PotterMore team has, at last,
launched the first few chapters of their next
interactive PotterMore book: Chamber of Secrets.

New hidden content and mini-games
have been announced to be included.

Fans now once again have a excellent reason to
return to PotterMore, and unlock more secrets
from within.

Look for a detailed review of the newly revealed content
from Chamber of Secrets sometime within the next week!

To go to PotterMore, you can simply use the direct link found below.
http://www.pottermore.com/

Fan Video of the Week: How Harry Potter Should Have Ended...

Contining our new "Fan Video of the Week" series, here is a perfect example
of what we feel is the ideal Harry Potter fan-produced video.

This, I feel, is clearly one of the best Harry Potter spoof I have ever seen.

"How Harry Potter Should Have Ended" reveals a new,
ridiculous interpretation of the final book/film in the Harry Potter series.

Its visual animation is impression, its voice actors perfectly silly but true to their roles,
and the wonderful scripting make this video one not just worth watching,
but quite possibly worth re-watching, for either the die-hard or casual Harry Potter fan.

Chamber of Secrets launched on Pottermore today, exclusively for Slytherin house members!

At last! As a reward for all active Slytherin house members, PotterMore staff have launched the next
HP "book" on PotterMore, Chamber of Secrets.

Just like the first "book" on PotterMore,
"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone",
or just simply "Sorcerer's Stone", 
"Chamber of Secrets" will also become a
virtual world,  designed by HP author J.K. Rowling!

As a reward for winning the annual PotterMore "House Cup", PotterMore users who
have been sorted into Slytherin house before the end of the "House Cup" compitition
are now recieving early access to the first chapters of "Chamber of Secrets",
24 hours before the other houses!

All PotterMore users will be granted access to "Chamber of Secrets" sometime tomorrow.

Pottermore Insider hints at possible July release date for COS!

According to a recent post made by the
Pottermore Insider, the second Harry Potter book,
"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets",
which is in the process of being re-created digitally
for Pottermore, may be launched in some form
sometime in the very near future.

In fact, it may, at the rate of these increasingly positive announcements,
become available to Pottermore users by the end of the month.

Here is the original announcement:

"Over the past few weeks on the Site Updates section of the Pottermore Insider,
we’ve been letting you know about our progress developing  
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on Pottermore.

We’re excited to announce that the first chapters of  Chamber of Secrets
are coming very soon to Pottermore.

We will reveal more about this next week here on the Pottermore Insider,
as well as the Pottermore Gateway and the new Pottermore house noticeboards."

                                        Looks like, within the next few days, the Pottermore Insider may finally
                                        reveal the release date for the next virtual "book" in the HP series.

"Harry Potter: Wizard's Collection" widget added!

In preparation for the release of the new
"Harry Potter: Wizard's Collection"
Collector's Edition, which is to be released
later this year, you will find a countdown gadget
on our page, just below our "News Archives",
which will count down until the
"Wizard's Collection" hits stores this Fall.

Hopefully the collection itself will prove to be
worth the effort Warner Bros. makes to promote it.

"Harry Potter: Wizard's Collection"
enters stores on September 7th.

Fan Video of the Week: The Mysterious Ticking Noise

Continuing what we started about two weeks ago,
we have found another example of the ideal
fan video, and have it for you all to enjoy
right off of this webpage,
thanks to YouTube.

This video has long since proved itself an incredibly successful hit on YouTube,
attracting the attention of both die-hard Harry Potter fans, casual fans, and the general public!

I have talked with non-Harry Potter fans in the general public who saw
"The Mysterious Ticking Noise", and enjoyed it tremendously.

So, as of today, we officially recognize "The Mysterious Ticking Noise"
as our second, must-see fan video of the week.

Hopefully, you will find this video as entertaining and funny as we do.

Pottermore Insider updates with new info concerning COS development!

The Pottermore Insider blog was recently updated
with a post featuring a promotional video for the
upcoming interactive Harry Potter video game
developed by both Sony and Pottermore,
"Wonderbook: Book of Spells".

It is expected to come out by the end of the year,
most likely sometime during the holiday season.

The Pottermore Insider also made an update concerning the status
of the yet-to-be-launched Chamber of Secrets virtual Pottermore book.

So far only the first of the Harry Potter books has been converted
to the Pottermore virtual experience, with the others promised to be underway.

Here was the update:

Monday 25 June
Chamber of Secrets update:
This week, we’re finalizing artwork for Chapter Seven,  
Mudbloods and Murmurs, and Chapter Fifteen, Aragog.

Cetainly not enough to collect conclusive proof of the Pottermore team's
progress on developing book 2, but well worth mentioning.

Below is the official announcement trailer for "Book of Spells":

Pottermore Insider posts new COS development update

In a new update, the Pottermore Insider blog
revealed that the Pottermore development team
have made some progress in their latest task
of introducing the second Harry Potter book,
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,
to PotterMore.


Here is the original text:
"Monday, June 18th
Chamber of Secrets update:
"This week, we're finalising artwork for 
Chapter Fourteen,  Cornelius Fudge."

If they are finishing the chapters in sequence,
then this is an improvement from the last post:

"Monday, June 11th
Chamber of Secrets update:
"Last week, we were editing sounds in the studio for the Chamber of Secrets,
and we're now working on finishing artwork for Chapter Eleven, The Duelling Club."

These frequent little updates show that, at least,
Pottermore is now doing a better job of keeping the public more informed.

Pottermore Insider reveals new progress on COS development!

The PotterMore Insider has just last night
revealed a new update, stating that:

"Chamber of Secrets update:
Last week, we were editing sounds in the studio
for the Chamber of Secrets and we're now working
on finishing artwork for Chapter Eleven,  
The Dueling Club."

While this may not seem like the most important of announcements,
it does continue to verify the PotterMore team's progress on adapting
the second "book" for PotterMore: "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets."

If reports like this continue to surface, combined with the recent announcement
of COS possibly coming to PotterMore.com sometime later this Summer, 
COS will most likely be released online by early Fall at the latest.

Fan Video of the Week: How Harry Potter Should Have Ended

As of this week, we here at the Order of the Phoenix News Network
will be posting a "Fan Video of the Week" award to what we feel
is among the best, (and usually funniest,) Harry Potter fan-made videos.

The videos must normally fall under most, if not all, of the following requirements:

*Good visual/audio quality.
*High entertainment level: Must be good enough to watch more then once.
*No over-commercialization: Limited, if any ads, before, during, or after video.

We proudly present our first choice, "How Harry Potter Should Have Ended".

Look for our next choice sometime next week!

PotterMore CTO reveals "Chamber of Secrets" to debut online this Summer!

Just about two hours ago, it was unofficially revealed
 by PotterMore's Chief Technical Officer that
"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets",
the second book in the Harry Potter series,
will debut on PotterMore sometime this Summer.

Looking back,  this announcement is not that much
of a surprise, and has been a while in coming.

The Pottermore staff have been releasing new pieces
of info concerning COS's development for a little while,
and given the fact that they don't really want people to
lose interest, It was really a question of if COS would be released either in the Summer, or the Fall.

For now, this cannot be considered official, and valid.
Even if this information isn't exact, it can't be too off the mark, either.

You can read more in the original announcement via the link below:
http://pottermoreowl.wordpress.com/2012/06/08/new-comments-by-pottermore-cto-reveal-chamber-of-secrets-timeframe-summer/

Harry Potter: Book of Spells coming to PS3!

It was just announced at the E3 Expo, a major gaming conference, that another new
Harry Potter themed video game, to be released exclusively for the PlayStation 3.

Titled "Harry Potter: Book of Spells", this newest addition to the Harry Potter
game franchise is a motion-controlled game where players will learn to master
iconic Harry Potter spells, and, as they progress through the game,
they unlock new written material from HP author J.K. Rowling.

The game was created in partnership between Sony and Pottermore developers.

As of this post, no exact release date is known.

Below are two videos: The first being the gameplay trailer for the game,
and the second video is the game's announcement at E3,
which includes a demonstration of the game.

We'll follow up on this story when more details are made public.

Pottermore announces it is finishing audio work on Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets!

Earlier today, the PotterMore Insider reported that
the PotterMore developers are now recording the
audio effects for the second PotterMore "book",
"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets",
an interactive experience based off of the HP book
of the same name.

Here is the official announcement:

"Chamber of Secrets update:
This week, we're in the sound studio recording audio for the   
Chamber of Secrets Moments. We're also working on Chapter Three, The Burrow, 
and Chapter Seventeen, The Heir of Slytherin." 

It was announced recently that the PotterMore team was underway with production on the second "book", but this is the first official piece of news concerning the actual product.

As of now, no release date or other indication of when Chamber of Secrets will become available to PotterMore users, or if PotterMore will launch a beta version first,
as they did with PotterMore itself before its worldwide launch. 

Harry Potter for Kinect coming this Fall!

It was announced to the press yesterday
that Warner Bros. has not turned away
from the Harry Potter franchise yet.

A new video game, Harry Potter for Kinnect,
will debut on the Xbox 360 this Fall.

Instead of basing it on a individual movie
within the existing 8-movie series, 
                                                                             Harry Potter for Kinnect appears to jump
                                                                             between iconic scenes in the movies,
                                                                             such as the sorting hat scene, the troll battle,
                                                               the wand-choosing process at Ollivander's wandshop,
                                          fighting the death eaters in the Ministry of Magic, and many more.

Unique to this game, as opposed to prior Harry Potter video games,
is the ability to create your own character, modeled after a self-picture
the player takes at the beginning of the game.

The game is set for a Fall 2012 release,
although it is currently unclear on what day the game will be released on.

Below is the announcement trailer for the game.

J.K. Rowling announces she now has "no firm plans" to publish HP encyclopedia!

After much speculation, and years of talk and rumors
of its contents, J.K. Rowling's latest endevour,
the "Official Harry Potter encyclopedia"
has just been announced to be currently on hold.

In a post earlier this week on her newly updated
and redesigned website, J.K. Rowling officially announced:

"I have been enjoying sharing information 
about Harry’s world on Pottermore for free, 
and don’t have any firm plans to publish it in book form."

This openly contradicts what she previously said barely a month ago:

(April 2012 post)
"For a long time I have been promising an encyclopedia of Harry's world, 
and I have started work on this now – some of it forms the new content in Pottermore.
 It is likely to be a time-consuming job, but when finished I shall donate all royalties 
to charity."

Sounds like the Harry Potter fandom should not be expecting the release
of the Harry Potter encyclopedia anytime in the near future, if at all.
Either way, it is doubtful that this will be the last we hear about this "encyclopedia."

PotterMore releases new update!

In a recent update earlier this week,
PotterMore, J.K. Rowling's official virtual
world, created for the Harry Potter fandom,
which includes all-new, never-before-seen
Harry Potter info, mini-games, and the
PotterMore Shop, where visitors can purchase
the Harry Potter e-books exclusively from PotterMore,
launched several new features, chiefly among them
the ability to scan the insides of Hogwarts schoolbooks.

Below are a few excerpts taken from them:


"When Transfiguring, it is important to make firm and decisive wand movements. 
Do not wiggle or twirl your wand unnecessarily, or the Transfiguration 
will certainly be unsuccessful."
-A Beginner’s Guide to Transfiguration

"Dittany is a powerful healing herb and restorative
and may be eaten raw to cure shallow wounds."
-“One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi”

"The Tickling Spell: Point your wand directly at your enemy and shout ‘Titillando!"
-“Curses and Counter-Curses”

 "Charms differ from Transfiguring Spells in the following manner: 
a charm adds certain properties to an object or creature, 
whereas a transfiguring spell will change it into something utterly different."
-“The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)”

"Werewolf bites should be thoroughly and magically cleaned, 
as the werewolf’s fangs are venomous. 
However, there is no cure once you have become a werewolf, 
so try and avoid being bitten at all costs."
- “The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection”

At long last, the long-lost books of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
are, page-by-page, becoming available for both wizards and muggles to read and enjoy.

Read on!

We proudly present our newest project, and gift to HP fans,"The Potterful Pensieve"!

Over the last several weeks,
we, Order of the Phoenix Network staff,
have been working on a new project,
a new, and more long-term gift to the fandom.


Titled "The Potterful Pensieve", it will be a wide-spread database,
featuring information about the characters, locations, and creatures,
that would normally be very hard to locate online, especially all in one place.
 
More details about this new site will be officially revealed later this week.

We are also working on establishing more connectivity between our 3 blogs:
The Order of the Phoenix News Network, PhoenixCast, and The Potterful Pensieve.

Look for more information about these changes and additions over the course of this week!

Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park coming to Japan!

After a little speculation,
representatives from Warner Bros,
Universal Studios Japan,
and Universal Parks & Resorts
announced that plans are underway
to construct a replica of the highly successful
20-acre Wizarding World of Harry Potter
theme park, which is located in the Universal Orlando theme park, in Orlando, Florida.

Although an exact opening date is still unknown, It is slated for a Late 2014 premiere.

This would suggest that it would not open in time for summer,
when people would be most likely to go out and visit the Wizarding World.

It appears Warner Bros. and Universal do not believe that Harry Potter
might soon loose its magic, but they, by not only keeping open one HP theme park,
but adding another, may believe that there will still be interest in Harry Potter
for many years to come.

So for any of you living in, or near, Japan: Prepare to experience the magic.

Something big is coming soon to the Order of the Phoenix Network!

Something big is coming!

To celebrate the 3rd birthday of
The Order of the Phoenix News Network,
we will be continuing the tradition of adding
something new and exciting to the blog every year.

Last year it was the new, sleek black design,
as well as all-new in-blog features for you, the viewer, to enjoy.

Today, we can now officially confirm that we are working on a new addition,
which would, we think, attract the interesting of all Harry Potter fans.

Over the course of the coming weeks,
you can expect to hear a lot of news concerning this new project.

We plan on it being a more long-term tribute to the Harry Potter fandom.

Listen to our next episode of PhoenixCast, PhoenixCast #30, for more details!
(We promise, there will be a few details worth listening to.)

Order of the Phoenix News Network celebrates 3rd birthday!

It has been now exactly 3 years since the day that this blog,
The Order of the Phoenix News Network, first opened its virtual doors.

"The more things change, the more they stay the same."
All eight Harry Potter films are now out. All the books written.
Pottermore was announced, and is now open to the public.

But you, the fans, have never changed.
The Harry Potter fandom has far from died.

News from within the Harry Potter community continues to surface.
And we, The Order of the Phoenix News Network, will continue, as always, to report it.

We have great things set in motion for The Order of the Phoenix News Network,
as you will soon discover in upcoming announcements later this week,
but we just wanted to say Thank You, All of you, for your continued support,
without which, this blog would never have lasted nearly as long as it has.

Pottermore announces "book two" to be "underway"!

New information was leaked online
only a few hours ago concerning the future
of Pottermore, especially when more "books"
will be added to the experience,
starting with the second Harry Potter book,
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.



Question.  When will Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
be added to Pottermore?

Answer: We're currently working on book two, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 
and it’s looking great. We’ll give you more information over the coming weeks, 
so keep an eye on the Insider and @Pottermore for the latest details. 

One thing to note is that the Pottermore staff said that
more information about Chamber of Secrets coming to Pottermore
will begin to be revealed "over the coming weeks."

This would indicate that Chamber of Secrets may not take too long
to make its premiere appearance on Pottermore after all.