Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a 2007 fantasy adventure film, based on the novel of the same name, by J. K. Rowling. Directed by David Yates, produced by David Heyman’s company Heyday Films, and written by Michael Goldenberg, it is the fifth film in the popular Harry Potter film series. The story follows Harry Potter in his fifth year at the magic school Hogwarts. The Ministry of Magic refuses to believe the return of Lord Voldemort and appoints bureaucrat Dolores Umbridge as a teacher at the school.
Live-action filming took place in England and Scotland for exterior locations and Leavesden Film Studios in Watford for interior locations from February to November 2006, with a one-month break in June. Post-production on the film continued for several months afterwards to add in visual effects. The film’s budget was reportedly between GB£75 and 100 million (US$150–200 million).[1][2] Warner Bros., the distributor of the film, released it in the UK on 12 July 2007, and in the US on 11 July, both in conventional and IMAX theatres.
It is the sixth-highest grossing film of all time, and a critical and commercial success, acclaimed as “the best one yet”[3] by Rowling, who has consistently offered praise for the film adaptations of her work.[4][5][6] In general, critics received the film well. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone called the film “the best of the series so far, [with] the laughs, the jitters and the juice to make even nonbelievers wild about Harry”.[7] The film opened to a worldwide 5-day opening of $333 million, third all-time, and grossed $939 million total, the second to Pirates of the Carribean: At Worlds End for the greatest total of 2007.[8][9]
Plot
Harry Potter and his cousin Dudley Dursley, who, along with his friends is bullying Harry about his dead parents, are in the playground when they both, along with Dudley’s friends, suddenly, they are attacked by two Dementors, but Harry manages to drive the Dementors off with a Patronus charm. Shortly thereafter, the Ministry of Magic detect the act of underage wizardry and attempt to have Harry expelled from Hogwarts immediately, but this is modified to a trial later in the summer. After experiencing horrible nightmares depicting the evil Lord Voldemort’s return, Harry is awoken by the arrival of an advance guard of wizards who escort him to the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, a secret organization founded by Dumbledore. It is only now that Harry discovers that under the Ministry’s influence the newspaper The Daily Prophet has launched a smear campaign against anyone who claims that Voldemort has returned, leaving Harry feeling isolated and betrayed by the wizarding community. Harry and the other members of the Order fly to 12 Grimmauld Place, the home of Sirius Black, where they meet with Sirius, Remus, Ron, Hermione and others. Later, Ron and Hermione express concern about Harry’s situation with the Ministry.
Harry and Arthur Weasley head to the court where Harry’s trial will take place, briefly spotting Lucius Malfoy speaking with the minister on their way. With the help of Dumbledore and Harry’s neighbor, Mrs. Figg, Harry’s name is cleared of all charges at the Ministry and is allowed to return to Hogwarts. However, during Harry, Ron and Hermione’s fifth year at Hogwarts School, the Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge appoints a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Dolores Umbridge, a Senior Ministry official who refuses to teach practical magic to her students, as the Ministry fears Dumbledore will organize his own personal wizard army. One day during class, Harry gets punished for claiming that Cedric Diggory was killed by Voldemort, which according to the Ministry’s official policy is a lie. In Umbridge’s office, Harry is forced to write “I must not tell lies” repeatedly as punishment. However, the sentence is magically imprinted on his hand instead, causing scarring. Meanwhile, as Umbridge’s control over the school increases, Ron and Hermione aid Harry in forming a secret defence group, calling themselves “Dumbledore’s Army” or DA for short. Harry, Ron and Hermione start teaching Hogwarts training students in defensive spells to become part of the Army. Draco Malfoy and other Slytherin students are then recruited by Umbridge to try to uncover the secretive group, creating the Inquisitorial Squad. Meanwhile, Harry officially begins a relationship with Cho, as they kiss one day after training. In an attempt to tighten her oppressive grip on Hogwarts, Umbridge dismisses Professor Sybill Trelawney and tries to have her banished from Hogwarts, which is only prevented after Dumbledore’s intervention.
Harry’s nightmares continue, including a dangerous attack upon Arthur Weasley in the Department of Mysteries involving Nagini, Lord Voldermort’s snake, which happens to turn true. Harry’s anger starts to get out of control, as his mental connection to Voldemort grows stronger. Fearing Voldemort will exploit his connection with Harry, Dumbledore immediately instructs Professor Snape to give Harry a crash course on Occlumency lessons in an attempt to block Harry’s mind from the Dark Lord’s influence.
Meanwhile, Bellatrix Lestrange escapes from Azkaban along with other Death Eaters after one of the prison walls is damaged by lightning flashes. At Hogwarts, Umbridge, Filch and her loyal Inquisitorial Squad, uncover Dumbledore’s Army after interrogating one of the students, Cho Chang for whom Harry had developed intense feelings. Dumbledore is questioned and makes an impressive escape as Fudge orders his arrest. With Dumbledore gone, Umbridge becomes the new Headmistress, and her sinister dominance over the school continues. Later, Hagrid introduces Harry, Ron and Hermione to his half-brother giant, Grawp. Later, Harry reverses Snape’s spell by glimpsing into Snape’s mind. It is then that Harry learns that Harry’s father used to bully Snape when they were students at Hogwarts, which is the real cause behind Snape’s resentment towards Harry. Meanwhile the Weasley twins, Fred and George formulate a plan of their own.
During an O.W.L. exam, the Weasley twins execute their plan, launching a firework display in the great hall causing chaos for Umbridge, Fudge and the students of Slytherin house. As the students cheer joyously outside, Harry suffers a vision of Sirius trapped within the bowels of the Ministry as he, Ron and Hermione are rushing to search for Sirius. Umbridge, soon after, catches the trio attempting to use the Floo Network, and begins interrogating Harry. She calls for Professor Snape to bring Veritaserum for use during her interrogation, as she has for all of her previous interrogations. Hermione then tricks Umbridge into entering the Forbidden Forest along with Harry and her in search of a faux weapon, really leading her to the hiding place of Grawp who has since freed himself from the tree he was latched to, when a herd of centaurs, who have their own issues with the Ministry, emerge and carry the Headmistress into the darkness. Hermione and Harry head back to Hogwarts to find Ron and other DA members, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, and Ginny Weasley, the group decided to fly to London by way of the winged-horses named Thestrals to the Department of Mysteries of London City in an attempt to save Sirius.
The six enter the Department of Mysteries, where they uncover a prophecy involving Harry and Voldemort, but are soon ambushed by Death Eaters, including Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange, Sirius’s deranged cousin. After a brief battle and a failed escape attempt, the Death Eaters, manage to take Ron, Hermione, Luna, Neville, and Ginny as hostages threatening to kill them if Harry does not hand over the prophecy. Sirius appears, with the other members of the Order of the Phoenix, and attacks the Death Eaters causing Lucius to drop the prophecy, which then shatters. A battle erupts as the Death Eaters try to stop the students from escaping, resulting in Sirius’s death at Bellatrix’s hand. Back in the Atrium, Harry corners Bellatrix, where she struggles with his desire to enact the Cruciatus curse. Voldemort himself appears, ready to kill Harry when Dumbledore emerges to face his battle against Voldemort.
A brief but furious duel between Voldemort and Dumbledore takes place, in which Bellatrix escapes through the Floo Network. When Voldemort disappears, and the battle seems over, Harry suddenly finds himself possessed by Voldemort– recalling images of his past, of his family and his friends–but throws off Voldemort’s influence, stating that he is stronger than Voldermort through his friends and his ability to love. Ministry officials, including Fudge, hasitely arrive via the Floo Network moments before Voldemort disappears.
In the aftermath of the battle, the Ministry is forced to end their smear campaign and Umbridge is removed from Hogwarts, awaiting a formal investigation. Dumbledore explains that he had attempted to distance himself from Harry all year, hoping it would lessen the risk of Voldemort discovering and using the connection between the two. While the students head home from Hogwarts at the end of the academic year, Harry tells his friends that they have one thing Voldemort does not: love, a power worth fighting for.
Production
David Yates was chosen to direct the film after Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire director Mike Newell, as well as Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Matthew Vaughn and Mira Nair, turned down offers.[10][11] Yates believed he was approached because the studio saw him fit to handle an “edgy and emotional” film with a “political backstory”, which one of his previous projects, the television drama Sex Traffic, demonstrated.[11] Steve Kloves, the screenwriter of the first four Potter films, had other commitments, and Michael Goldenberg wrote the script for the film.[12]
Rehearsals for Order of the Phoenix began on 27 January 2006, filming began on 6 February, and finished in the end of November 2006.[13][14][3] Filming was put on a two-month hiatus starting in May 2006 so that Radcliffe could sit his A/S Levels and Watson could sit her GCSE exams.[15] The film’s budget was reportedly between GB£75 and 100 million (US$150&endash;200 million).[1][2] The largest budget of the other films in the series has been the £75 million it cost to make Goblet of Fire.[16]
Mark Day was the film editor, Sławomir Idziak was the cinematographer, and Jany Temime was the costume designer.[17] Choreographer Paul Harris, who has previously worked with David Yates several times, created a physical language for wand combat to choreograph the wand fighting scenes.[18]
Cast
- Further information: List of Harry Potter films cast members
- Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, the protagonist. He has to battle with much of the Wizarding world’s denial over Harry’s encounter with the evil Lord Voldemort at the end of the previous year. He teaches his friends to defend themselves in duels.
- Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley, one of Harry’s best friends. He helps Harry found Dumbledore’s Army and accompanies Harry to the Department of Mysteries in the climax of the film.
- Emma Watson as Hermione Granger, one of Harry’s best friends. She helps Harry found Dumbledore’s Army and accompanies Harry to the Department of Mysteries in the climax of the film.
- Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort, the antagonist, who lures Harry to the Ministry of Magic and nearly kills him.
- Michael Gambon as Albus Dumbledore, the Hogwarts headmaster. He upsets Harry by remaining distant from him throughout the year, but explains at the end of the film why he isolated himself. He also explains the meaning of the prophecy to Harry after dueling with Lord Voldemort in the climax of the film.
- Gary Oldman as Sirius Black, Harry’s godfather who, during the battle at the Department of Mysteries, is killed by his cousin Bellatrix Lestrange, causing Harry great emotional damage.
- Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, a plant from the Ministry of Magic who prevents Harry and his friends from learning practical magic, and refuses to allow Harry to claim that Lord Voldemort has returned.
- Alan Rickman as Severus Snape, the Potions master. He helps teach Harry to block his mind’s connection to Lord Voldemort’s. He holds a grudge against Harry because he and Harry’s father hated each other while they were at school together.
- Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange, one of Lord Voldemort’s right-hand Death Eaters who leads the battle at the Department of Mysteries.
Casting
Casting began as early as May 2005, when Radcliffe announced he would reprise his role as Harry.[44] Across the media frenzy that took place during the release of Goblet of Fire (2005), most of the main returning actors announced their return to the series, including Grint, Watson, Lewis, Wright, Leung, and Fiennes.[45][46][47][48][49][50]
A number of characters new to the series appear in the film. Staunton announced she would be playing the major new role of Dolores Umbridge in October 2005,[51] and the announcements of the casting of the rest of the new characters to the series was spanned across 2006. Lynch won the role of Luna Lovegood over 15,000 other girls who attended the open casting call,[52] waiting in a line of hopefuls that stretched a mile long.[53]
Beginning in February 2005, persistent rumours linked Elizabeth Hurley to the role of Bellatrix Lestrange, although Warner Bros. asserted there was “no truth whatsoever” to reports that she had been cast.[54][55] Then, as early as August 2005, rumours began linking Helen McCrory to the role.[56] On 2 February 2006 it was announced that McCrory had indeed been cast as Bellatrix.[57] However, in April 2006 she revealed that she was three months pregnant and withdrew from the film because she would not have been able to perform the intense battle sequences in the Ministry of Magic in September and October of 2006. The announcement that Helena Bonham Carter had been recast in the role was made on 25 May 2006.[58]
The inclusion or cutting of some characters sparked speculation from fans as to the importance of the characters in the final book of the series, which was released just ten days after the film. In April 2006, representatives of Jim McManus said he would be playing Aberforth Dumbledore, Albus’ brother and the barman of the Hog’s Head, in which Harry and his friends found the D.A. A week later WB announced that the role was “very minor”, allaying some of the speculation to the significance of the role, which, before the final book, was not even a speaking part.[59] MTV reported in October 2006 that Dobby, a house-elf who appeared in the second film, Chamber of Secrets (2002), and in the fifth book, would be cut, opening up “plot questions” as to how the role of the elf would be filled.[60] MTV also reported about a month before the release of the final book that Kreacher, the Black family’s house-elf, was cut from the film in one draft of the script. However, after Rowling prodded the filmmakers to include him, saying, “You know, I wouldn’t [cut him] if I were you. Or you can, but if you get to make a seventh film, you’ll be tied in knots”, he was added back into the script.[61]
Other minor roles were cut with subsequent drafts of the script. At the U.S. premiere of Goblet of Fire, series producer David Heyman said that former Hogwarts professor Gilderoy Lockhart, played by Kenneth Branagh in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), was in the first draft of the script for Phoenix.[62] However, neither Branagh nor the character of Lockhart appears in the final version. Tiana Benjamin was scheduled to return for the film in the role of Angelina Johnson, the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, but she had to withdraw due to a commitment to playing Chelsea Fox in EastEnders. The character, as well as the entire Quidditch subplot, was ultimately cut from the film. She did, however, record sound clips for the Order of the Phoenix video game.[63]
The family of footballer Theo Walcott made a cameo role in the film. Theo himself was due to appear as well, though his commitments to Arsenal forced him to pull out.[64]
Awards
Before it was released, Order of the Phoenix was nominated in a new category at the 2007 MTV Movie Awards, “Best Summer Movie You Haven’t Seen Yet”. However, that award was won by Transformers.[129] On August 26, 2007, the film won the award for “Choice Summer Movie – Drama/Action Adventure” at the Teen Choice Awards.[130]
The film was also nominated for several awards at the 2007 Scream Awards presented by Spike TV, in the categories of “The Ultimate Scream”, “Best Fantasy Movie”, and “Best Sequel”. Daniel Radcliffe was nominated in the “Fantasy Hero” categories, respectively.[131] The film won for Best Sequel and Ralph Fiennes won for “Most Vile Villain”.[132] The film picked up three awards at the inaugural ITV National Movie Awards, taking “Best Family Film”, “Best Actor” for Radcliffe and “Best Actress” for Emma Watson.[133] The film was one of ten nominees for a 2007 Hollywood Movie of the Year.[134] It was also nominated for “Best Live Action Family Film” at the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards[135] and won the 2007 People’s Choice Award for “Favorite Movie Drama”.[136] Having been nominated for six awards at the 2008 Sony Ericsson Empire Awards, organised by Empire, including Best Film, Yates won Best Director.[137]
Nicholas Hooper received a nomination for a World Soundtrack Discovery Award for his score to the film.[138] Imelda Staunton was nominated in the “British Actress in a Supporting Role” category at the London Film Critics Circle Awards.[139] At the 2008 BAFTA Awards, the film was nominated but did not win for “Best Production Design” and “Best Special Visual Effects”.[140] Order of the Phoenix was also nominated for the awards from the Art Directors Guild and Costume Designers Guild,[141][142] and was awarded for “Outstanding Special Effects in a Motion Picture” by the Visual Effects Society out of six nominations.[143]
