Lucky CoS Commercial Tester Tells All
Dark Horizons Reports:

Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets: Seems that Warners is starting to test commercials for "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets." Here's Chris with a point-by-point description of what he saw:

"Just today my friend and I were a part of a test market for the "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" TV Spots. We both saw separate TV Spots. And I just thought I would e-mail a description of the TV Spot I saw to you.

It starts out with a camera view going down what looks like a tower. You then see the Chamber of Secrets open. The spot then cuts to a clip of Dobby using his magic to drop the cake on Uncle Vernon's Sister (I forgot her name, I have only read the Second Book Twice). You then a good view of Dobby and a good look at Moaning Myrtle. You then see various clips of Professor Lockhart and of the Car in the Forbidden Forest. The Movie logo the pops up and says "Coming November 15".

Premiere Magazine Talks About CoS Production                  Here's what a reader from TLC sent in from Premiere Magazine's latest issue:

After directing the $318 million-grossing Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Columbus received thousands of letters thanking him for staying true to J.K. Rowling's magical best-seller. Critics, however, complained that the film held few surprises. "We got a lot of heat for being so faithful," Columbus says. "But you can't do it any better than it's written on the page." Potter-heads should be equally pleased by his sequel. Like the novel, Columbus says, the film is "darker and edgier" than Sorcerer's Stone. This year at school, Harry discovers that an unknown descendant of the Slytherin dynasty has petrified many of the students, literally. "There's a lot more adventure. You have bigger set pieces, like the spider's lair and the Chamber of Secrets," says Columbus, who compensated for less postproduction time by shooting most of the special-effects scenes up front. Branagh provides comic relief as egocentric Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher Gilderoy Lockhart. (Hugh Grant was originally considered for the role, but it was decided that even with his hair dyed blond his A-list persona would be too distracting.) Working with extravagant sets and special effects was a new experience for Branagh, but nothing compared to acting with teenagers. "The kids completely suspend disbelief," he says. "When Alan Rickman and I are dueling with wands, that's exactly what we're doing. They get rather surprised when someone says, 'Cut'." Radcliffe "has become a professional actor," Columbus says. "He gets his performance on take two or three, where it used to take five or six." The Secret of His Successor: Columbus will not direct the next installment, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. "I haven't had dinner with my kids in two years," he says. But as executive producer, he will have a big say in who takes his place. One candidate is Branagh, who admits that he would find the opportunity "irresistible."