The 2004 film Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was directed by Alfonso Cuarón and stars the actors from the preceding films in the series, except for the role of Albus Dumbledore, which was cast with Michael Gambon after Richard Harris's death. There are also many new characters introduced.

The soundtrack, composed and conducted by John Williams, was released on CD on May 25, 2004, and has received the Soundtrack Award.

A notable cameo appearance was made in the movie by musician Ian Brown as a wizard in The Leaky Cauldron reading A Brief History of Time.

The film broke several opening records around the world upon its release, including the top grossing film in UK film history, and made approximately $US 35.1m in its first 3 days, totalling $US 158.1m in ten days. As of September 28, the film had grossed $US 785m worldwide.

Tagline: Something wicked this way comes.

Synopsis

For a complete synopsis see Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and below for cast and book/film discrepancies

A mysterious convict, Sirius Black, escapes from Azkaban and sets his sights on Hogwarts, where dementors are stationed to protect Harry and his peers.

Cast

• Harry Potter : Daniel Radcliffe
• Ron Weasley : Rupert Grint
• Hermione Granger : Emma Watson
• Sirius Black : Gary Oldman
• Professor Lupin : David Thewlis
• Professor Snape : Alan Rickman
• Professor Dumbledore : Michael Gambon
• Rubeus Hagrid : Robbie Coltrane
• Draco Malfoy : Tom Felton
• Professor Trelawney : Emma Thompson
• Aunt Marge : Pam Ferris
• Uncle Vernon : Richard Griffiths
• Aunt Petunia : Fiona Shaw
• Dudley Dursley: Harry Melling
• Peter Pettigrew : Timothy Spall
• Cornelius Fudge : Robert Hardy

Locations

Some of the sets for the film were built in Glen Coe, Scotland, near to the Clachaig Inn. The indoor sets, including sets built for the previous two films, are mainly in Leavesden Film Studios.

Differences between the Book and Film

• The backstory involving Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs is not explained
• Harry receives his Firebolt at the end of the year rather than at Christmas
• A choir of Hogwarts students is added
• The dementors float rather than glide
• A shrunken head, voiced by Lenny Henry, is added to the Knight Bus as, according to Cuarón, a "wizarding equivalent to radio"
• Harry is caught with the Marauder's Map by Snape while wondering around at night trying to find Peter Pettigrew rather than after visiting Hogsmeade a second time
• "Moony" is spelled "Mooney" as an in-joke referring to Karl Mooney , one of the visual effects supervisors. In the DVD subtitles, it is spelled "Moony" as it was in the book.

External links

• Official site
• UK official site
• Official trailer