Things get dark for Harry Potter and the other students of Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the fifth film in the series. After the events of the last film – which saw Lord Voldemort returned – the magical world is in an uproar. Fearing that Dumbledore is building an army of students, the Ministry of Magic force a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher on the school – Dolores Umbridge. As anyone who is familiar with the Harry Potter series knows, the DADA teacher is always at the center of intrigue, and this year she’s teaching the students nothing but theory. Fearing that Voldemort will attack while the students aren’t prepared, Harry and friends begin a secret group, the Defence Association, which soon morphs into Dumbledore’s Army.
The first picture of Dumbledore’s Army is here, as are the first images of Imelda Staunton as Umbridge, who seriously may go down in Harry Potter history as the nastiest foe our young hero ever faces. And having watched Vera Drake again recently, I’m filled with the fear that she’s going to give Cho Chang an abortion.
I can feel myself beginning to geek out, which is frustrating because we’re still nine or ten months from the release of this one, which is based on the most difficult and adult book in the series so far.
