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Fantasy film series' entering their next batch...

Warner Bros announced on Thursday that filming will begin next week of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" with Daniel Radcliffe,Emma Watson and Rupert Grint reprising their roles as teenage wizards.

Britain's David Yates is making his debut as a Potter director and among the new faces in the cast will be "Vera Drake" star Imelda Staunton [*excellent...*] as the new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School.

...and...

A sequel to the wildly successful movie "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe" is set to begin production later this year, with Andrew Adamson returning as director.

The film's backers, Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media, are eyeing a Christmas 2007 release for "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian."

New Zealander Adamson also will serve as a producer and co-writer, collaborating with returning scribes Christopher Markus and Steve McFeeley. A screenplay is not yet written. The first film's principal cast will also be back.

...

Adamson also is on board DreamWorks' "Shrek 3," the computer-animated franchise on which he got his start as a feature film director. Adamson will executive produce "Shrek 3," and he has been involved with developing the story and will supervise voice talent recording sessions.