Harry Potter five begins filming

Filming for the fifth Harry Potter movie will begin next week.

Directed by award winning British filmmaker David Yates, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix will see Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson reprise their roles as close-knit teen wizards Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.



The movie, based on J.K. Rowling's novel series, sees Harry return for his fifth year of study at Hogwarts only to discover that much of the community is in denial about the teenager's recent encounter with the evil Lord Voldemort.

New characters in the latest installment include The Interpreter star George Harris as Kingsley Shacklebolt, About A Boy star Natalia Tena as Nymphadora Tonks and 14 year-old newcomer Evanna Lynch, who beat over 15,000 hopefuls at an open casting call to win the role of Luna Lovegood, a Ravenclaw student who becomes an important ally to Harry.

Filming will begin at Leavesden Studios near Watford on February 6.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is slated for release in 2007.