So I hear from the Great Internets that Helena Bonham Carter has been cast in the next Harry Potter movie as Bellatrix Lestrange. This will probably not be of interest to those members of the site who haven't read the books (ahem!), but I am interested for two reasons: first, I am kind of happy to see that the HP franchise is continuing its habit of making the movies a British cottage industry by casting almost exclusively British actors (the only one I thought was American - Gary Oldman - it turns out is not). I like that sense of British pride and sticking-it-to-Hollywoodism. Of course, the first two movies were directed by an American, and the third (and best, in my opinion) by a Mexican, but it seems like they are sticking to British directors now, too. (Has anyone heard of anything the new director has done?) This is also reinforced by the casting of Imelda Staunton (Vera Drake, which I didn't see) as Dolores Umbridge, George Harris (Layer Cake) as Kingsley Shacklebolt, and newcomer Evanna Lynch (Irish) as Luna Lovegood.

Second, they have been cutting so much from the books to make the movies, that I am glad to hear they cast anyone at all as Bellatrix Lestrange. I was almost afraid she would be cut. Speaking of HP in general, I read some interesting theories on the internet today about what's going to happen in the 7th book. Despite what I originally thought, it does look like this one will be the last. I just don't know how she will fit everything in.