Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
Encyclopedia
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a 2005 fantasy film
Fantasy film
Fantasy films are films with fantastic themes, usually involving magic, supernatural events, make-believe creatures, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered to be distinct from science fiction film and horror film, although the genres do overlap...

 directed by Mike Newell
Mike Newell (director)
Michael Cormac "Mike" Newell is an English director and producer of motion pictures for the screen and for television. After the release of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005, Newell became the third most commercially successful British director in recent years, behind Christopher Nolan...

 and based on the novel of the same name
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the fourth novel in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling, published on 8 July 2000.The novel won a Hugo Award in 2001, the only Harry Potter novel to do so...

 by J. K. Rowling
J. K. Rowling
Joanne "Jo" Rowling, OBE , better known as J. K. Rowling, is the British author of the Harry Potter fantasy series...

. It is the fourth instalment in the Harry Potter film series
Harry Potter (film series)
The Harry Potter film series is a British-American film series based on the Harry Potter novels by the British author J. K. Rowling...

, written by Steve Kloves
Steve Kloves
Stephen Keith "Steven" Kloves is an Academy Award-nominated American screenwriter mainly renowned for his adaptations of novels, especially for the Harry Potter film series and for Wonder Boys...

 and produced by David Heyman
David Heyman
David Jonathan Heyman is a British film producer and the founder of Heyday Films. He obtained the film rights to the Harry Potter series in 1999 and has produced all eight installments in the series of films.-Life and career:...

. The story follows Harry Potter
Harry Potter (character)
Harry James Potter is the title character and main protagonist of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. The majority of the books' plot covers seven years in the life of the orphan Potter who, on his eleventh birthday, learns he is a wizard...

's fourth year at Hogwarts
Hogwarts
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry or simply Hogwarts is the primary setting for the first six books of the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling, with each book lasting the equivalent of one school year. It is a fictional boarding school of magic for witches and wizards between the ages of...

 as he is chosen by the Goblet of Fire to compete in the Triwizard Tournament, a highly dangerous competition. The film stars Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Jacob Radcliffe is an English actor who rose to prominence playing the titular character in the Harry Potter film series....

 as Harry Potter, alongside Rupert Grint
Rupert Grint
Rupert Alexander Lloyd Grint is an English actor, who rose to prominence playing Ron Weasley, one of the three main characters in the Harry Potter film series. Grint was cast as Ron at the age of 11, having previously acted only in school plays and at his local theatre group...

 and Emma Watson
Emma Watson
Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson is an English actress and model.Watson rose to prominence playing Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series. Watson was cast as Hermione at the age of nine, having previously acted only in school plays. From 2001 to 2011, she starred in all eight Harry Potter...

 as Harry's best friends Ron Weasley
Ron Weasley
Ronald Bilius "Ron" Weasley is a fictional character and one of the three protagonists in the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling. His first appearance was in the first book of the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as the best friend of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger...

 and Hermione Granger
Hermione Granger
Hermione Jean Granger is a fictional character and one of the three protagonists in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. She initially appears in the first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, as a new student on her way to Hogwarts...

. It is the sequel to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a 2004 fantasy film directed by Alfonso Cuarón and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the third instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by Chris Columbus, David Heyman and Mark Radcliffe...

and is followed by Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a 2007 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the fifth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Michael Goldenberg and produced by David Heyman and David Barron...

.

Filming began in early 2004 and the scenes of Hogwarts
Hogwarts
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry or simply Hogwarts is the primary setting for the first six books of the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling, with each book lasting the equivalent of one school year. It is a fictional boarding school of magic for witches and wizards between the ages of...

 took place at the Leavesden Film Studios
Leavesden Film Studios
Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden , is a film and media complex owned by Warner Bros.. The studios and backlot sit on the site of the former Rolls-Royce factory at Leavesden Aerodrome, which was an important centre of aircraft production during World War II...

. Five days after its release, the film had grossed over US$102 million at the North American box office, which is the third highest first-weekend tally for a Harry Potter film behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Part 2
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is a 2011 epic fantasy film directed by David Yates and the second of two films based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the eighth and final instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David...

. Goblet of Fire enjoyed an immensely successful run at the box office, earning over $900 million worldwide, which made it the highest grossing film of 2005 and the eighth highest grossing film of all time at that time. It was the third highest grossing film in the U.S. for 2005, making $290 million. As of August 2011 it is the unadjusted 21st highest-grossing film of all time. The sixth highest grossing film in the Harry Potter series.

The film was nominated for an Academy Award
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...

 for Best Art Direction, and won the BAFTA Award for Best Production Design
BAFTA Award for Best Production Design
List of winners of the BAFTA Awards from 1964 to the present in the category "Best Production Design".-1960s:Best British Production Design - Black and White1964: Dr...

, making it the only Harry Potter film to win at the BAFTAs
British Academy Film Awards
The British Academy Film Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts . It is the British counterpart of the Oscars. As of 2008, it has taken place in the Royal Opera House, having taken over from the flagship Odeon cinema on Leicester Square...

. It was also the first film in the series to receive a PG-13 rating by the MPAA and a 12A by the BBFC for sequences of fantasy violence and frightening images. Goblet of Fire was the second Potter film to be released in IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...

. The film is one of the best reviewed instalments
Critical response to the Harry Potter films
The Harry Potter film series is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, produced by David Heyman and based on the Harry Potter novels by British author J. K. Rowling. The franchise consists of eight fantasy-adventure films...

 within the series, and is noted for the maturity and sophistication of its characters, darker and more complex plotline, writing, and performances of the lead actors.

Plot

Harry Potter
Harry Potter (character)
Harry James Potter is the title character and main protagonist of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. The majority of the books' plot covers seven years in the life of the orphan Potter who, on his eleventh birthday, learns he is a wizard...

 dreams of an elderly man, Frank Bryce, who overhears Lord Voldemort
Lord Voldemort
Lord Voldemort is the main antagonist of the Harry Potter series written by British author J. K. Rowling. Voldemort first appeared in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which was released in 1997...

 discussing plans with Peter Pettigrew and Barty Crouch Jr. Bryce is then killed by Voldemort. The Quidditch
Quidditch
Quidditch is a fictional sport developed by British author J. K. Rowling for the Harry Potter series of novels. It is described as an extremely rough, but very popular, semi-contact sport, played by wizards and witches around the world...

 World Cup allows Harry to take his mind off his nightmares until followers of Voldemort known as Death Eaters terrorise the spectators' campsites after the match.

At Hogwarts, headmaster Albus Dumbledore
Albus Dumbledore
Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is a major character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. For most of the series, he is the headmaster of the wizarding school Hogwarts...

 introduces Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, unaware that Crouch Jr has subdued Moody and is using Polyjuice Potion to impersonate him. Dumbledore announces that the school will host the Triwizard Tournament, in which one wizard from each of the three magical schools competes in three challenges. The champions are selected by the Goblet of Fire, a magical cup into which the candidates' names are placed. Cedric Diggory, a student from the House of Hufflepuff, is chosen to represent Hogwarts, Viktor Krum is chosen to represent Durmstrang Institute, and Fleur Delacour is selected to represent Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. The Goblet unexpectedly chooses a fourth champion: Harry. As Harry is underage and should have been ineligible to compete, Hogwarts teachers and students grow suspicious, and the feat drives Ron and Harry apart. The teachers want Dumbledore to pull Harry out of the tournament, but the four champions are bound by a magical contract and therefore Dumbledore has no choice and Harry must compete.

In their first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson, the students learn of the three Unforgivable Curses. The Imperius Curse causes absence of free will, the Cruciatus Curse causes unbearable pain, and the final curse, Avada Kedavra, causes death.

For the first task of the Triwizard Tournament, each of the champions must retrieve a golden egg guarded by a dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...

. Moody advises Harry to use his talent for flying to overcome the dragon. Harry enters the first task and summons his broomstick to retrieve the egg, which contains information about the second challenge. The students are soon informed of the Yule Ball, a Christmas Eve ball held during the Triwizard Tournament. Ron
Ron Weasley
Ronald Bilius "Ron" Weasley is a fictional character and one of the three protagonists in the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling. His first appearance was in the first book of the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as the best friend of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger...

 and Harry have trouble finding dates to the ball and when they find out that Hermione
Hermione Granger
Hermione Jean Granger is a fictional character and one of the three protagonists in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. She initially appears in the first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, as a new student on her way to Hogwarts...

 is attending with Viktor Krum, Ron becomes jealous.

In exchange for previous aid, Cedric Diggory provides Harry with a clue that prompts him to open the egg underwater. With help from Moaning Myrtle, he learns that the second task entails the retrieval of "something precious" to each of the competitors from the nearby Black Lake. While preparing for the task, Neville Longbottom provides Harry with Gillyweed, enabling him to breathe underwater. Harry is the first to arrive at the location, and finds Ron, Hermione, Cho Chang and Fleur's sister, Gabrielle Delacour, in suspended animation. Finishing last after attempting to free Ron
Ron
Ron is a panchayat town in Gadag district, North Karnataka in the Indian state of Karnataka.Of historical importance, called Dronapur in ancient times...

 and Gabrielle Delacour, Harry is awarded second place for "outstanding moral fiber".

Following an exchange with Moody, Ministry official Barty Crouch, Sr. is found dead by Harry shortly after the second task. While waiting in Dumbledore's office, Harry's curiosity leads him to look into Dumbledore's pensieve, causing him to revisit one of Dumbledore's memories. He witnesses a trial before the Wizengamot in which captured Death Eater Igor Karkaroff, the current headmaster of Durmstrang, denounces a number of Death Eaters, including both Severus Snape
Severus Snape
Severus Snape is a fictional character in the Harry Potter book series written by J.K. Rowling. In the first novel of the series, he is hostile toward Harry and is built up to be the primary antagonist until the final chapters. As the series progresses, Snape's character becomes more layered and...

 and Barty Crouch Jr. While Dumbledore vouches for Snape's integrity, Crouch Sr. is horrified at this revelation and disowns his son, sending him to Azkaban. Upon returning to the present time, Dumbledore tells Harry that he is searching his memories for a clue as to why extraordinary events have taken place at Hogwarts since the start of the tournament.

In the Triwizard Tournament's third and final task, the competitors are placed inside a hedge maze
Hedge Maze
A hedge maze is an outdoor garden maze or labyrinth in which the "walls" or dividers between passages are made of vertical hedges.-History:...

; their challenge is to reach the Triwizard Cup. Viktor Krum, acting under the Imperius curse, incapacitates Fleur Delacour and attempts to do the same to Cedric Diggory. Harry stops Cedric from attacking Krum, and the two run for the cup. When Cedric is trapped by vines, Harry frees him and the two claim a draw and grab hold of the cup together.

The cup, which is a Portkey, transports the two champions to a graveyard where Peter Pettigrew and Voldemort are waiting for Harry. Pettigrew murders Cedric and traps Harry. Pettigrew performs a ritual that rejuvenates Voldemort, who then summons the Death Eaters (which includes Draco's father, Lucius Malfoy) and bids them to witness a duel between their Dark Lord and his nemesis. As Harry, who is tortured by Voldemort, fights him, a connection called Priori Incantatem occurs between their wands. Harry's wand forces Voldemort's to disgorge the spirits of the people Voldemort has most recently murdered, including Harry's parents, Frank Bryce and Cedric. Harry is briefly protected by the spirits and escapes with Cedric's body using the cup.

Upon his return, Harry tells Dumbledore and Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge that Voldemort has returned and is responsible for Cedric's death. Moody leads Harry back to the castle, where his questions make Harry suspicious. Upon the arrival of Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall, the false Moody's Polyjuice Potion wears off and he is revealed as Barty Crouch Junior, the person who placed Harry's name into the Goblet. The real Moody is found imprisoned in a magical trunk. As the representatives from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons depart, Dumbledore exhorts them to stand together against Voldemort.

Cast

  • Daniel Radcliffe
    Daniel Radcliffe
    Daniel Jacob Radcliffe is an English actor who rose to prominence playing the titular character in the Harry Potter film series....

     as Harry Potter
    Harry Potter (character)
    Harry James Potter is the title character and main protagonist of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. The majority of the books' plot covers seven years in the life of the orphan Potter who, on his eleventh birthday, learns he is a wizard...

    , the film's main protagonist.
  • Rupert Grint
    Rupert Grint
    Rupert Alexander Lloyd Grint is an English actor, who rose to prominence playing Ron Weasley, one of the three main characters in the Harry Potter film series. Grint was cast as Ron at the age of 11, having previously acted only in school plays and at his local theatre group...

     as Ron Weasley
    Ron Weasley
    Ronald Bilius "Ron" Weasley is a fictional character and one of the three protagonists in the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling. His first appearance was in the first book of the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as the best friend of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger...

    , one of Harry's best friends.
  • Emma Watson
    Emma Watson
    Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson is an English actress and model.Watson rose to prominence playing Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series. Watson was cast as Hermione at the age of nine, having previously acted only in school plays. From 2001 to 2011, she starred in all eight Harry Potter...

     as Hermione Granger
    Hermione Granger
    Hermione Jean Granger is a fictional character and one of the three protagonists in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. She initially appears in the first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, as a new student on her way to Hogwarts...

    , Harry's other best friend.

  • Robbie Coltrane
    Robbie Coltrane
    Robbie Coltrane, OBE is a Scottish actor, comedian and author. He is known both for his role as Dr...

     as Rubeus Hagrid
    Rubeus Hagrid
    Rubeus Hagrid is a fictional character in the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling. Hagrid is introduced in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as a half-giant who is the gamekeeper and Keeper of Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts, the primary setting for the first six novels...

    , the Hogwarts gamekeeper
    Gamekeeper
    A gamekeeper is a person who manages an area of countryside to make sure there is enough game for shooting, or fish for angling, and who actively manages areas of woodland, moorland, waterway or farmland for the benefit of game birds, deer, fish and wildlife in general.Typically, a gamekeeper is...

    , and good friend of Harry Potter.
  • Ralph Fiennes
    Ralph Fiennes
    Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes is an English actor and film director. He has appeared in such films as The English Patient, In Bruges, The Constant Gardener, Strange Days, The Duchess and Schindler's List....

     as Lord Voldemort
    Lord Voldemort
    Lord Voldemort is the main antagonist of the Harry Potter series written by British author J. K. Rowling. Voldemort first appeared in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which was released in 1997...

    , the film's main antagonist.
  • Michael Gambon
    Michael Gambon
    Sir Michael John Gambon, CBE is an Irish actor who has worked in theatre, television and film. A highly respected theatre actor, Gambon is recognised for his roles as Philip Marlowe in the BBC television serial The Singing Detective, as Jules Maigret in the 1990s ITV serial Maigret, and as...

     as Albus Dumbledore
    Albus Dumbledore
    Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is a major character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. For most of the series, he is the headmaster of the wizarding school Hogwarts...

    , the Hogwarts
    Hogwarts
    Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry or simply Hogwarts is the primary setting for the first six books of the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling, with each book lasting the equivalent of one school year. It is a fictional boarding school of magic for witches and wizards between the ages of...

     Headmaster.
  • Brendan Gleeson
    Brendan Gleeson
    Brendan Gleeson is an Irish actor. His best-known films include Braveheart, Gangs of New York, In Bruges, 28 Days Later, the Harry Potter films, The Guard and the role of Michael Collins in The Treaty...

     as Alastor Moody, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.
  • Jason Isaacs
    Jason Isaacs
    Jason Isaacs is an English actor born in Liverpool, who is best known for his performance as the villain Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, the brutal Colonel William Tavington in The Patriot and as lifelong criminal Michael Caffee in the internationally broadcast American television series...

     as Lucius Malfoy, Draco Malfoy
    Draco Malfoy
    Draco Malfoy is a fictional character and a major antagonist in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. He is a Slytherin student in Harry Potter's year. He is frequently accompanied by his two accomplices, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, who act as henchmen...

    's father and one of Voldemort's minions.
  • Gary Oldman
    Gary Oldman
    Gary Leonard Oldman is an English actor, voice actor, filmmaker and musician.A member of the 1980s Brit Pack, Oldman came to prominence via starring roles in British films Meantime , Sid and Nancy and Prick Up Your Ears , with his performance in the latter bringing him his first BAFTA Award...

     as Sirius Black
    Sirius Black
    Sirius Black is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. Sirius was first mentioned briefly in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone as a wizard who lent Rubeus Hagrid a flying motorbike shortly after Lord Voldemort killed James and Lily Potter...

     who appears for a brief expository
    Exposition (literary technique)
    At the beginning of a narrative, the exposition is the author's providing of some background information to the audience about the plot, characters' histories, setting, and theme. Exposition is considered one of four rhetorical modes of discourse, along with argumentation, description, and narration...

     scene in a fireplace in the Gryffindor common room. His role is reduced significantly from the book.
  • Miranda Richardson
    Miranda Richardson
    Miranda Jane Richardson is an English stage, film and television actor. She has been nominated for two Academy Awards, and has won two Golden Globes and a BAFTA during her career....

     as Rita Skeeter, a journalist for The Daily Prophet.
  • Alan Rickman
    Alan Rickman
    Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman is an English actor and theatre director. He is a renowned stage actor in modern and classical productions and a former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company...

     as Severus Snape
    Severus Snape
    Severus Snape is a fictional character in the Harry Potter book series written by J.K. Rowling. In the first novel of the series, he is hostile toward Harry and is built up to be the primary antagonist until the final chapters. As the series progresses, Snape's character becomes more layered and...

    , the Potions master and Head of Slytherin.
  • Maggie Smith
    Maggie Smith
    Dame Margaret Natalie Smith, DBE , better known as Maggie Smith, is an English film, stage, and television actress who made her stage debut in 1952 and is still performing after 59 years...

     as Minerva McGonagall, the Transfiguration teacher and Head of Gryffindor.
  • Timothy Spall
    Timothy Spall
    Timothy Leonard Spall, OBE is an English character actor and occasional presenter.-Early life:Spall, the third of four sons, was born in Battersea, London. His mother, Sylvia R. , was a hairdresser, and his father, Joseph L. Spall, was a postal worker...

     as Peter Pettigrew, a servant of Voldemort who betrayed Harry Potter's parents.
  • Frances de la Tour
    Frances de la Tour
    Frances de la Tour is an English actress perhaps best known for her role as Miss Ruth Jones in the British sitcom Rising Damp, and as Madame Olympe Maxime in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.-Early life and family:De la...

     as Olympe Maxime, the Headmistress of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and Hagrid's romantic interest.

Differences from the book

With the Goblet of Fire novel almost twice the length of Prisoner of Azkaban, the writers and producers reduced certain scenes and concepts to make the transition from page to screen. Director Mike Newell described the problem as one of "compressing a huge book into the compass of a movie". This was achieved by "putting aside" all the components of the novel which did not directly relate to Harry and his journey. Even producer David Heyman admitted missing many of the scenes which were removed.

Goblet of Fire is the first film adaptation to not begin at Privet Drive; after the opening sequence, Harry awakens at the Burrow on the morning of the Quidditch World Cup. This makes Goblet of Fire the first film in the series in which the Dursleys do not appear.

The game play at the Quidditch
Quidditch
Quidditch is a fictional sport developed by British author J. K. Rowling for the Harry Potter series of novels. It is described as an extremely rough, but very popular, semi-contact sport, played by wizards and witches around the world...

 World Cup was removed for timing reasons, leaving an abrupt temporal jump which some reviewers considered awkward or "rushed". In the book, Harry and many of the Weasleys supported Ireland, while in the film Harry and Ron supported Bulgaria. However, they also love Viktor Krum, from Bulgaria.

Other scenes are shortened and amalgamated to include only the most essential plot details; the three Death Eater
Death Eater
In the fictional world of the Harry Potter series, the Death Eaters constitute a group of wizards and witches, led by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, the chief antagonist of the series, who seek to purify the Wizarding community by eliminating the Muggle-borns...

 trials Harry witnesses in the Pensieve are merged into one sequence, the characters of Ludo Bagman, Winky, and Bertha Jorkins are absent, as well as Dobby and Moaning Myrtle who were supposed to help Harry in the second task, there is no train scene at the end where Rita Skeeter is revealed to be an animagus, Harry is never seen either receiving the gold or giving away the gold and all of Sirius Black
Sirius Black
Sirius Black is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. Sirius was first mentioned briefly in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone as a wizard who lent Rubeus Hagrid a flying motorbike shortly after Lord Voldemort killed James and Lily Potter...

's lines are condensed into a single fireside conversation.

Box office

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire opened in the United Kingdom and United States on 18 November 2005, in Australia on 1 December, and a month later in 3,858 cinemas, including several IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...

.

After an opening day of $40m at the North American box office
Box office
A box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through an unblocked hole through a wall or window, or at a wicket....

 and staying at #1 for three weeks, Goblet of Fire enjoyed a successful 20 week run in cinemas, closing on 6 April 2006. The film set numerous records including the highest non-May opening weekend in the US and earned £14.9m in its opening weekend in the UK, a record which has since been beaten by the 2008 James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...

 film, Quantum of Solace, which took in £15.4. Goblet of Fire drew $102.7 million its opening weekend at the North American box office, setting a new opening high for the franchise and selling about as many tickets as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone did in its opening weekend. The film was later overtaken in 2010 by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, which opened to $125 million; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is a 2011 epic fantasy film directed by David Yates and the second of two films based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the eighth and final instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David...

followed with $169.1 million opening weekend. Goblet of Fire's debut marked the fourth $100 million weekend in history and as of July 2011 stands as the 17th largest opening weekend ever. In Mainland China, the film generated 93 million yuan
Renminbi
The Renminbi is the official currency of the People's Republic of China . Renminbi is legal tender in mainland China, but not in Hong Kong or Macau. It is issued by the People's Bank of China, the monetary authority of the PRC...

.

Goblet of Fire earned almost US$897 million worldwide, making it the highest grossing international and worldwide release of 2005.

The film was also released in IMAX theatres and grossed a total of US $20,033,758 worldwide for a cumulative per screen average of $188,998 thus setting a new record and a new milestone for a digitally remastered 2-D IMAX release.

In January 2006, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire surpassed the box office takings of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, to become the eighth highest-grossing film worldwide at the time, and the second highest-grossing film in the Harry Potter series, behind Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, released in the United States and India as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, is a 2001 fantasy film directed by Chris Columbus and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. The film is the first instalment in the Harry Potter film series,...

. As of July 2011 it is the sixth highest-grossing Harry Potter film behind The Philosopher's Stone, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a 2007 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the fifth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Michael Goldenberg and produced by David Heyman and David Barron...

and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a 2009 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the sixth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman and David Barron...

, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is a 2011 epic fantasy film directed by David Yates and the second of two films based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the eighth and final instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David...

.

The film ranks third in the North American box office (domestic) behind Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is a 2005 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the sixth and final film released in the Star Wars saga and the third in terms of the series' internal chronology....

and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a 2005 epic fantasy adventure film directed by Andrew Adamson and based on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the first published and second chronological novel in C. S. Lewis's children's epic fantasy series, The Chronicles of...

for 2005
2005 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005...

, although both films rank lower than Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in worldwide terms.

Critical reception

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was released to critical acclaim. As of July 2011, the film holds an 87% "Certified Fresh" overall approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...

. Likewise at Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...

, the film received a score of 81, which indicates "universal acclaim". The New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....

praised the film for both its humour and its dark tone. The young actors were praised for demonstrating a "greater range of subtle emotions", particularly Daniel Radcliffe whom Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...

described as delivering a "dimensional and nuanced performance". New cast members were also praised: Brendan Gleeson
Brendan Gleeson
Brendan Gleeson is an Irish actor. His best-known films include Braveheart, Gangs of New York, In Bruges, 28 Days Later, the Harry Potter films, The Guard and the role of Michael Collins in The Treaty...

's portrayal of Mad-Eye Moody was described as "colourful"; Miranda Richardson
Miranda Richardson
Miranda Jane Richardson is an English stage, film and television actor. She has been nominated for two Academy Awards, and has won two Golden Globes and a BAFTA during her career....

's scenes as Rita Skeeter were described as "wonderful"; and Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes is an English actor and film director. He has appeared in such films as The English Patient, In Bruges, The Constant Gardener, Strange Days, The Duchess and Schindler's List....

's portrayal of Lord Voldemort was described as "sublime villainy".

The maturity of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, among others, impressed most critics. While the major characters were portrayed as children in the previous films, "they have subtly transitioned into teenagers (in Goblet of Fire)" according to one USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...

reviewer. Harry has also physically matured since Prisoner of Azkaban. In the scene in the prefects' bathroom, Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Jacob Radcliffe is an English actor who rose to prominence playing the titular character in the Harry Potter film series....

's character is shown with significant axillary hair and muscle growth. Desson Thomson of the Washington Post called the film "Probably the most engaging film of the Potter series thus far". Joe Morgenstern of the Wall Street Journal stated "The studio, like plucky Harry, passes with flying colors. The new one, directed by Mike Newell from another astute script by Mr. Kloves, is even richer and fuller, as well as dramatically darker. It's downright scary how good this movie is".

Negative criticism included the film's pace which The Arizona Republic
The Arizona Republic
The Arizona Republic is a daily newspaper published in Phoenix. Circulated throughout Arizona, it is the state's largest newspaper. Since 2000, it has been owned by the Gannett newspaper chain. It was ranked tenth in US daily newspapers by circulation in 2007.-Early years:The newspaper was founded...

described as being "far too episodic", while CNN.com described the film as "clunky and disjointed". Another criticism was that the many supporting characters did not get enough screen time. Some fans criticised the film for changing and leaving out too much of the source material, particularly those parts that developed character and set-up events that occur later in the series.

Home media

The film was released on DVD in North America on 7 March 2006. It was available in one- and two-disc editions, as well as part of an 8-disc box set that includes all four films to date. The bonus disc features three interactive games, as well as seven behind the scenes featurettes. The film was also released in UMD
Universal Media Disc
The Universal Media Disc is an optical disc medium developed by Sony for use on their PlayStation Portable handheld gaming and multimedia platform...

 format for PSP
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...

.

On its first day of release in North America, over 5 million copies were sold, recording a franchise high for first-day sales. Within its first week it sold over a total of 9 million units of combined sales of both the widescreen and full-screen versions of the DVD.

The UK edition was released on DVD on 20 March 2006 and became the fastest selling UK DVD ever, selling six copies per second on its first day of release. According to the Official Charts Company, the DVD sold 1.4 million copies in its first week alone. It is also available in a two-disc edition with special features similar to the North American two-disc edition.

The DVD currently holds the Guinness World Record for being the fastest selling DVD of all time. The achievement is added to the 2007 edition of The Guinness World Records book which includes a picture of the award being presented at Leavesden Film Studios
Leavesden Film Studios
Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden , is a film and media complex owned by Warner Bros.. The studios and backlot sit on the site of the former Rolls-Royce factory at Leavesden Aerodrome, which was an important centre of aircraft production during World War II...

 in April.

In the United States, the first five Harry Potter films were released on HD DVD and Blu-ray disc on 11 December 2007. They are available individually or in a gift set containing all five films and a set of collectible cards and bookmarks.

Wyrd Sisters lawsuit

In the run up to the film, Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...

 approached a Canadian folk group called the Wyrd Sisters
Wyrd Sisters (band)
The Wyrd Sisters are a Canadian folk music group.The band was formed in 1990 in Winnipeg, Manitoba by founding members Kim Baryluk, Nancy Reinhold and Kim Segal. The band chose the name "the Wyrd Sisters" to represent and reclaim the ancient pre-Christian triple goddess, also known as Weird, Wurd,...

 to obtain permission to use the name THE WEIRD SISTERS for its Harry Potter Band. When a deal could not be made, the Canadian band filed a US$40-million lawsuit against Warner Bros., the North American distributor of the film, as well as the members of the in-movie band (members of the bands Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...

 and Pulp
Pulp (band)
Pulp are an English alternative rock band formed in Sheffield in 1978. Their lineup consists of Jarvis Cocker , Russell Senior , Candida Doyle , Mark Webber , Steve Mackey and Nick Banks ....

, among others) for the misuse of their group's name. (In a deleted scene, they are simply introduced as a band that needs no introduction) The Canadian band also brought an injunction to stop the release of the film in its country as it contained a performance by the identically named fictional rock band. An Ontario judge dismissed this motion, and to avoid further controversy Warner Bros. rendered the band unnamed in the film and many derived products. However, the Winnipeg-based group continued to pursue the lawsuit; lead singer Kim Baryluk stated in her claim that "consumers will assume that the smaller and less famous Canadian band is trying to take advantage of the Harry Potter fame by copying the Harry Potter band's name when in fact the reverse is true." The injunction was dismissed, and the band was ordered to pay costs. As of March 2010, the lawsuit has been settled, the details sealed.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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