Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is casting and Goblet of Fire isn’t even released yet. Well… that does show they’re staying one step ahead of the game and have their crap together… which is a good sign.
The usual cast of characters will be back (yes that’s a spoiler… Harry Potter doesn’t die in Goblet of Fire). Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint are all set to return for the next installment, as is Jason Issacs as Lucius Malfoy and Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort.
The good folks over at Cinema Blend are reporting that a key casting decision has been made for the next one. Here’s what they had to say:
British actress Imelda Staunton announced on TV show This Morning that she has been cast as the malicious Ministry of Magic employee and new Defence Against Dark Arts teacher Dolores Umbridge in the fifth installment of the Harry Potter movies, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
Having not read the Order of the Phoenix I have no opinion if this is a good or a bad casting call… but Staunton is a talented lady… and you never go wrong when you cast talent.
She’s been in quite a few films, but I have yet to see any of them (at least from what I can tell on imdb.com).
Considering the book series is the best-selling that has ever been published (something like 250-300 million total), I think everyone expects only the absolute best from these movies. The fourth book was the best IMO, and so the Goblet of Fire should be a great film too (not for children though with the ending in it I think).
Also, as far as Harry is concerned, I think it would be plain to anyone that he can’t possibly die until at least book seven (or it wouldn’t make much sense to continue naming the books after him, imagine if Harry died in book four and the fifth was called ‘Ron Weasley and the Order of the Phoenix’, that would be something).
I think it’s a fantastic choice, especially since the last film I saw her in was “Vera Drake”. The contrast in roles is practically delish. Can’t wait!