Harry Potter is giving up his secrets
The stars of the second tale of the pupils at Hogwarts Academy - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (due for our screens early next month) - have been coming clean about the magical blockbuster.
And from Kenneth Branagh, who joins the story as the vain and foppish Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Hogwarts' Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, come most of the secrets.
Says the Belfast-born actor of his character: "In the books he was described by JK Rowling as having flowing golden locks and dandyish qualities. He's a highly-successful wizard and writer and his textbooks are now standard works at Hogwarts' ... but he's a narcissus, a gadfly who's full of himself and faintly idiotic.
"But he can also be rather touching at times ... he's certainly a strong comic energy and a strange peacock of a man."
To get the character looking just right, Branagh, having a stunning period to his career at the moment with a constant flow of stage, television and big-screen hits, tried several guises before arriving at the frills and fancies we will see.
He's all flopping hair, fancy clobber and flowing capes.
But Branagh also says that this HP will be different: "It will be darker and it will add a different texture to the story, making it tougher, grittier and leaner."
Chris Columbus, returning as director (though he won't be doing any of the future films), reckons he has been "through a learning experience" with the first film and the Chamber of Secrets "will have a lot more visual freedom." Though, as with the agreement originally made with Rowling, the film will stick faithfully to the book.
Young Chris Radcliffe returns as Harry and the cast also includes Rupert Grint as Harry's best pal, Ron Weasley; Tom Felton as arch enemy, Draco Malfoy; Emma Watson as fellow-student Hermoine; and Alan Rickman.
Already fans of the best-selling books and Box Office screen hit have been snapping up tickets for the November 15 opening and it's already another runaway success.
