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Synopsis[]

When Aunt Marge visits the Dursleys for dinner, she discusses about the life of Harry's dead father. Driven mad, Harry casts magical powers that causes Marge to inflate and make her float away out the door. He then leaves the Dursleys' house, knowing that even if he would be expelled, anywhere would be better than his uncle's house. The Knight Bus takes him to the Leaky Cauldron. When Harry arrives, the Minister for Magic tells him that Harry will not be expelled. However, Harry learns that Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban Prison, and is likely to come after him. On the way to Hogwarts, the train stops, and a group of dark creatures, known as Dementors, appear from nowhere, when all of a sudden, Professor R.J. Lupin, Harry's new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, intervenes and casts the Patronus Charm at the Dementor. In Divination class, Professor Trelawney looks into Harry Potter's cup, and sees the Grim, an omen of death. On the first day of Care of Magical Creatures class, Hagrid, the teacher of this class, introduces Buckbeak the hippogriff, who attacks people when offended, like he does to Draco Malfoy, and as a result, injures his arm. Professor Lupin teaches the class the spell "Riddikulus", which is used for defense against a Boggart. When Snape replaces him as teacher one day, he teaches the class all about the difference between an Animagus and a Werewolf. During a Quidditch match against Team Hufflepuff, Harry is attacked by Dementors as he flies too high up, and falls off his broomstick, which crashes into the Whomping Willow (not seen in the film version). Later around Christmas, Fred and George give Harry the Marauder's Map so that he can enter Hogsmeade. Harry learns that Sirius Black is his godfather. When Harry, Ron and Hermione visit Hagrid, they find out that Buckbeak has been sentenced to death for attacking Draco. After entering the Shrieking Shack, Peter Pettigrew has become Scabbers, and Lupin is really a werewolf. Hermione also possesses a time-turner to travel back in time. By the end of the school year, Lupin has decided to resign from teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Harry receives a new broom called the Firebolt from an anonymous benefactor.

Cast[]

  • Daniel Radcliffe - Harry Potter
  • Rupert Grint - Ron Weasley
  • Emma Watson - Hermione Granger
  • Richard Griffiths - Vernon Dursley
  • Fiona Shaw - Petunia Dursley
  • Harry Melling - Dudley Dursley
  • Pam Ferris - Marjorie "Marge" Dursley
  • Lee Ingleby - Stan Shunpike
  • Lenny Henry - Shrunken Head
  • Robert Hardy - Cornelius Fudge
  • Richard Harris - Albus Dumbledore
  • Maggie Smith - Minerva McGonagall
  • Robbie Coltrane - Rubeus Hagrid
  • Alan Rickman - Severus Snape
  • David Thewlis - Remus Lupin
  • Gary Oldman - Sirius Black
  • Tom Felton - Draco Malfoy
  • Matthew Lewis - Neville Longbottom
  • Devon Murray - Seamus Finnigan
  • James Phelps - Fred Weasley
  • Oliver Phelps - George Weasley
  • Chris Rankin - Percy Weasley
  • Bonnie Wright - Ginny Weasley
  • Mark Williams - Arthur Weasley
  • Julie Walters - Molly Weasley
  • David Bradley - Argus Filch
  • Jamie Waylett - Crabbe
  • Joshua Herdman - Goyle
  • Genevieve Gaunt - Pansy Parkinson

Production timeline[]

  • July 22, 2002: Alfonso Cuaron is hired as director for the third Harry Potter film.
  • September 12, 2002: Filming was scheduled to begin in February 2003.[1]
  • February 24, 2003: Filming began at Leavesden Film Studios.
  • May 26, 2003: The film's release date was slated for June 4, 2004.
  • October 2003: Filming ended on this date.

Release timeline[]

Format Country of origin Date
Teaser trailer USA November 14, 2003
Theatrical trailer USA March 26, 2004
Original theatrical UK May 31, 2004
Original theatrical USA June 4, 2004
DVD/VHS UK November 19, 2004
DVD/VHS USA November 23, 2004
DVD/VHS South Korea December 15, 2004
DVD re-release/Blu-ray Disc USA December 11, 2007
DVD/Blu-ray Disc (Ultimate Edition) USA October 19, 2010

Home video timeline[]

Main article: Home video timeline for the Harry Potter series

Websites[]

The Official Harry Potter Website


Gallery[]

Rankings[]

Rank of worldwide release 63
Rank of release in North America 63
Rank of release on VHS 63
Rank of release on DVD worldwide 61
Rank of release on DVD in North America 59
Rank of release on Blu-ray and/or Digital HD worldwide 11
Rank of release on Blu-ray and/or Digital HD in North America 11
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