Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Chris Columbus
Produced by	David Heyman
Screenplay by	Steve Kloves
Starring	Daniel Radcliffe Rupert Grint Emma Watson Kenneth Branagh John Cleese Robbie Coltrane Warwick Davis Richard Griffiths Richard Harris Jason Isaacs Alan Rickman Fiona Shaw Maggie Smith Julie Walters
Music by	John Williams
Cinematography	Roger Pratt
Editing by	Peter Honess
Distributed by	Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date(s)	3 November 2002 (2002-11-03) (Odeon Leicester Square) 15 November 2002 (2002-11-15) (United Kingdom and United States)
Running time	161 minutes
Country	United Kingdom United States
Language	English
Budget	$100 million
Money made	$880.3 million

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a 2002 fantasy film that takes you back to the magical world of Hogwarts. It was directed by Chris Columbus and released by Warner Bros. Pictures. This movie is based on the exciting 1998 book by J. K. Rowling with the same name.

It's the second film in the popular Harry Potter film series, following Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001). The main stars are Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley, and Emma Watson as Hermione Granger.

The story follows Harry Potter in his second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A mysterious secret chamber is opened, and a monster starts turning students to stone! Harry and his friends must figure out who is behind these attacks and stop them before it's too late.

Many actors from the first film returned for this sequel. New faces included Kenneth Branagh, Jason Isaacs, and Gemma Jones. Sadly, this was the last film for Richard Harris, who played Professor Albus Dumbledore, as he passed away that year. Filming began in November 2001, just three days after the first movie came out. It was shot at Leavesden Film Studios and other historic places in the United Kingdom.

Chamber of Secrets was released in cinemas in the UK and USA on November 15, 2002. It was a huge success, earning $879 million around the world. It became the second-highest-grossing film of 2002. The movie also received nominations for several awards, including Best Production Design and Best Special Visual Effects. The next film in the series was Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in 2004.

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The Exciting Story of the Chamber of Secrets

A Warning from Dobby

The movie begins with Harry Potter spending a terrible summer with the Dursleys. He meets Dobby, a house-elf who warns him that it's too dangerous to go back to Hogwarts. Dobby even causes trouble at an important dinner for the Dursleys. They lock Harry up to stop him from returning to school.

Luckily, Harry's best friend Ron Weasley and his brothers Fred and George come to his rescue. They fly to his house in their father's special flying Ford Anglia.

Back to Hogwarts (Almost!)

Harry and the Weasley family meet Rubeus Hagrid and Hermione Granger at a book signing. They see the famous author Gilderoy Lockhart, who announces he is Hogwarts' new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. While there, Draco Malfoy confronts Harry. Harry notices Malfoy's father, Lucius, secretly puts a book into Ginny Weasley's belongings.

When Harry and Ron try to enter Platform Nine and Three-Quarters at London King's Cross railway station, they find it blocked! They have to take the flying car to Hogwarts. After crashing into the Whomping Willow and breaking Ron's wand, they get detention.

The Chamber is Opened

During detention, Harry starts hearing strange voices. Later, he finds the caretaker Argus Filch's cat, Mrs. Norris, turned to stone. A scary message is written in blood on the wall: "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened, enemies of the heir... beware".

Professor McGonagall explains a legend. One of Hogwarts' founders, Salazar Slytherin, supposedly built a secret Chamber. It contains a monster that only his true heir can control. This monster is meant to get rid of Muggle-born students (students born to non-magical parents).

Searching for the Heir

Harry, Ron, and Hermione suspect Malfoy is the Heir. They decide to question him using a forbidden polyjuice potion. This potion lets them change into other people. They brew it in a disused bathroom haunted by a ghost named Moaning Myrtle.

During a Quidditch game, a rogue Bludger breaks Harry's arm. While he's in the infirmary, Dobby appears again. Dobby admits he closed the portal to Platform 9 3/4 and made the Bludger chase Harry. He wanted Harry to leave school for his own safety.

When Harry talks to a snake in front of others, many students believe he is Slytherin's Heir. Harry and Ron find out Malfoy is not the Heir. However, Malfoy's father had mentioned that a Muggle-born girl died when the Chamber was last opened.

Tom Riddle's Diary

Harry finds an enchanted diary that belonged to a former student named Tom Riddle. Fifty years ago, Riddle accused Hagrid of opening the Chamber. When the diary is stolen and Hermione is turned to stone, Harry and Ron question Hagrid.

Professor Dumbledore, Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, and Lucius Malfoy arrive to take Hagrid to Azkaban. But Hagrid secretly tells the boys to "follow the spiders". In the Forbidden Forest, Harry and Ron meet Hagrid's giant pet spider, Aragog. Aragog tells them Hagrid is innocent and gives them a clue about the Chamber's monster.

The Monster Revealed

A book page found in Hermione's hand identifies the monster as a Basilisk. This is a giant serpent that kills anyone who looks directly into its eyes. The petrified victims only saw it indirectly, which is why they weren't killed.

The school staff learn that Ginny has been taken into the Chamber. They ask Lockhart to save her. Harry and Ron find Lockhart trying to run away, proving he is a fraud. Knowing Myrtle was the girl the Basilisk killed before, they find the Chamber's entrance in her bathroom.

Facing the Basilisk

Inside the Chamber, Lockhart tries to use Ron's broken wand, but it backfires. It wipes Lockhart's memory and causes a cave-in. Harry has to go into the Chamber alone. He finds Ginny unconscious, guarded by Riddle.

Riddle reveals that he used the diary to control Ginny and make her reopen the Chamber. He also tells Harry that he is Slytherin's heir and the younger self of Voldemort. When Harry shows his loyalty to Dumbledore, Fawkes the phoenix arrives with the Sorting Hat. Riddle then summons the Basilisk.

Fawkes bravely blinds the Basilisk. The Sorting Hat then produces the Sword of Gryffindor. Harry uses the sword to fight the Basilisk, killing it. However, he gets poisoned by one of its fangs.

Victory and Freedom

Even with his injury, Harry stabs the diary with the Basilisk fang. This defeats Riddle and brings Ginny back to consciousness. Fawkes' tears heal Harry's wound. Harry returns to Hogwarts with his friends and a very confused Lockhart.

Dumbledore praises Harry, and Hagrid is released from Azkaban. Harry accuses Lucius Malfoy, Dobby's master, of putting the diary in Ginny's cauldron. Harry tricks Lucius into freeing Dobby, making the house-elf a free creature. The Basilisk's victims are all healed, and Hermione reunites with Harry and Ron. Hagrid also returns to his place at Hogwarts.

Meet the Cast

Daniel Radcliffe plays Harry Potter: A 12-year-old British wizard famous for surviving an attack by the evil wizard Lord Voldemort as a baby. He is now in his second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Rupert Grint plays Ron Weasley: Harry's loyal best friend at Hogwarts and a member of the large Weasley wizarding family.
Emma Watson plays Hermione Granger: Harry's other best friend and the smartest of the trio.
Kenneth Branagh plays Gilderoy Lockhart: A famous author and the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts.
John Cleese plays Nearly Headless Nick: The friendly ghost of Gryffindor House.
Robbie Coltrane plays Rubeus Hagrid: The kind half-giant gamekeeper at Hogwarts.
Warwick Davis plays Filius Flitwick: The Charms teacher at Hogwarts and head of Ravenclaw House.
Richard Griffiths plays Vernon Dursley: Harry's mean Muggle uncle who dislikes wizards.
Richard Harris plays Albus Dumbledore: The wise Headmaster of Hogwarts and a very powerful wizard.
Jason Isaacs plays Lucius Malfoy: Draco's father and a former student of Slytherin House.
Gemma Jones plays Madam Pomfrey: The magical Healer in the Hogwarts hospital wing.
Alan Rickman plays Severus Snape: The strict Potions teacher at Hogwarts and head of Slytherin House.
Fiona Shaw plays Petunia Dursley: Harry's Muggle aunt.
Maggie Smith plays Minerva McGonagall: The Transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts and head of Gryffindor.
Julie Walters plays Molly Weasley: Ron's loving mother.

Many other actors from Philosopher's Stone also returned. These include Harry Melling as Dudley Dursley, James and Oliver Phelps as Fred and George Weasley, and Bonnie Wright as Ginny. Tom Felton plays Draco Malfoy, Harry's rival. Matthew Lewis plays Neville Longbottom. David Bradley plays Argus Filch, the caretaker. Leslie Phillips is the voice of the Sorting Hat.

Christian Coulson appears as Tom Marvolo Riddle, the younger version of Lord Voldemort. Mark Williams plays Arthur Weasley, Ron's father. Shirley Henderson plays Moaning Myrtle, the ghost in the bathroom. Miriam Margolyes plays Pomona Sprout, the Herbology professor. Toby Jones voices Dobby, the House-elf. Julian Glover voices Aragog, a giant spider.

Images for kids

The flying Ford Anglia used in the film.