Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Alfonso Cuarón
Screenplay by	Steve Kloves
Starring	Daniel Radcliffe Rupert Grint Emma Watson Robbie Coltrane Michael Gambon Richard Griffiths Gary Oldman Alan Rickman Fiona Shaw Maggie Smith Timothy Spall David Thewlis Emma Thompson Julie Walters
Music by	John Williams
Cinematography	Michael Seresin
Editing by	Steven Weisberg
Distributed by	Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date(s)	23 May 2004 (2004-05-23) (Radio City Music Hall) 31 May 2004 (2004-05-31) (United Kingdom) 4 June 2004 (2004-06-04) (United States)
Running time	142 minutes
Country	United Kingdom United States
Language	English
Budget	$130 million
Money made	$796.7 million

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is an exciting fantasy film from 2004. It was directed by Alfonso Cuarón and brought to life by Warner Bros. Pictures. This movie is based on the popular 1999 book by J. K. Rowling with the same name. It's the third movie in the Harry Potter film series, following Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

The film stars Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley, and Emma Watson as Hermione Granger. In this adventure, Harry is in his third year at Hogwarts. He learns that a dangerous prisoner named Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban prison. Everyone believes Sirius is trying to find and harm Harry.

Making this movie was a big step for the Harry Potter films. They started releasing a new movie every eighteen months. Alfonso Cuarón was chosen to direct, bringing a new style to the series. Most of the actors from the earlier films returned, and new faces like Gary Oldman, David Thewlis, and Emma Thompson joined the cast. This was also the first time Michael Gambon played Professor Albus Dumbledore, after Richard Harris sadly passed away in 2002.

Filming began in February 2003 at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden. This movie was special because it used many real-life places, like locations in Scotland and London. Filming wrapped up in November 2003. The movie was released in the United Kingdom on May 31, 2004, and in North America on June 4, 2004. It was also the first Harry Potter film shown in IMAX theaters!

Prisoner of Azkaban earned a lot of money, about $796.7 million worldwide. It was the second-highest-grossing film of 2004. Critics and fans loved it, praising Cuarón's directing and the actors' performances. Many people think it's one of the best Harry Potter films because it changed the series' mood and look. It was even nominated for two Academy Awards for its music and visual effects. The next film in the series was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005.

The Story of Harry's Third Year
Meet the Main Actors
- The Golden Trio and Key Teachers
- Other Familiar Faces
How the Movie is Different from the Book
Images for kids
See also

The Story of Harry's Third Year

The Knight Bus, a magical way to travel for wizards and witches.

Harry's Summer and a Big Escape

Harry Potter is having another tough summer with his relatives, the Dursleys. When his Aunt Marge insults his parents, Harry accidentally uses magic. She inflates like a balloon and floats away! Harry decides he's had enough and leaves. The Knight Bus arrives and takes Harry to the Leaky Cauldron. There, the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, forgives Harry for using magic outside of school.

Harry meets his best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. He then learns shocking news: Sirius Black, a supporter of the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, has escaped from Azkaban prison. Everyone believes Sirius is coming to find and kill Harry.

Back to Hogwarts and New Dangers

The trio returns to Hogwarts on the Hogwarts Express. Suddenly, Dementors board the train. These ghostly prison guards are searching for Sirius. One enters Harry's compartment, making him pass out. Luckily, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Remus Lupin, chases the Dementor away with a powerful spell.

At Hogwarts, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore announces that Dementors will guard the school. This is to keep everyone safe until Sirius Black is caught. Rubeus Hagrid, the Hogwarts groundskeeper, becomes the new Care of Magical Creatures teacher. His first class doesn't go well. Draco Malfoy purposely upsets a hippogriff named Buckbeak, who then attacks him. Draco makes his injury seem worse than it is. Later, his father, Lucius Malfoy, gets Buckbeak sentenced to death.

Mysteries and Discoveries

The portrait of The Fat Lady, which guards the Gryffindor common room, is found ripped and empty. She is terrified and hiding in another painting. She tells Dumbledore that Sirius Black has entered the castle! During a stormy Quidditch match, Dementors attack Harry. He falls off his broomstick, which is destroyed.

Later, in Hogsmeade, Harry learns something shocking. Sirius Black was his father's best friend. Everyone thought Sirius betrayed Harry's parents to Voldemort. Harry also learns that Sirius is his godfather. Professor Lupin secretly teaches Harry how to fight Dementors using the powerful Patronus Charm.

Unmasking the Truth

Harry, Ron, and Hermione watch Buckbeak's supposed execution. Suddenly, Ron's pet rat, Scabbers, bites Ron and runs away. When Ron chases him, a large dog appears. The dog drags Ron and Scabbers into a hole at the base of the Whomping Willow. This leads the trio to an underground passage to the Shrieking Shack.

Inside, they discover the dog is actually Sirius Black! He is an Animagus, meaning he can turn into an animal. Professor Lupin arrives and greets Sirius as an old friend. Lupin admits he is a werewolf and explains that Sirius is innocent. Sirius was wrongly accused of betraying the Potters and murdering Peter Pettigrew. It's then revealed that Scabbers is actually Peter Pettigrew, also an Animagus! Pettigrew was the one who betrayed Harry's parents.

A Race Against Time

Severus Snape arrives to capture Black, but Harry knocks him out. After forcing Pettigrew back into human form, Lupin and Sirius plan to deal with him. But Harry convinces them to turn Pettigrew over to the Dementors instead.

As the group leaves, the full moon rises, and Lupin transforms into a werewolf. Sirius turns into his dog form to fight him off. In the confusion, Pettigrew changes back into a rat and escapes. Harry and Sirius are then attacked by Dementors. Harry sees a figure in the distance save them with a powerful Patronus spell. He thinks it's his deceased father, James Potter, before he passes out.

Harry wakes up to find Sirius has been captured and is about to receive the Dementor's Kiss. Following Dumbledore's advice, Harry and Hermione use Hermione's Time Turner to travel back in time. They watch themselves and Ron repeat the night's events. They save Buckbeak from execution. When the Dementors attack Harry and Sirius again, the present Harry realizes it was actually himself who cast the Patronus spell. He casts it again, saving them. Harry and Hermione rescue Sirius, who escapes with Buckbeak.

Because he is now known as a werewolf, Lupin resigns from teaching. He gives the Marauder's Map back to Harry. Sirius sends Harry a new Firebolt broom, and Harry happily takes it for a ride.

Meet the Main Actors

The Golden Trio and Key Teachers

Daniel Radcliffe plays Harry Potter: A 13-year-old wizard famous for surviving Lord Voldemort as a baby. He is now in his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Rupert Grint plays Ron Weasley: Harry's loyal best friend at Hogwarts.
Emma Watson plays Hermione Granger: Harry's other best friend, known for being very smart and resourceful.
Robbie Coltrane plays Rubeus Hagrid: The kind gamekeeper and new Care of Magical Creatures teacher at Hogwarts.
Michael Gambon plays Albus Dumbledore: The wise headmaster of Hogwarts. Michael Gambon took over the role after Richard Harris, who played Dumbledore in the first two films, passed away in 2002. Gambon wanted to make the role his own.
Richard Griffiths plays Vernon Dursley: Harry's grumpy Muggle uncle.
Gary Oldman plays Sirius Black: Harry's godfather, who escapes from Azkaban prison. He was wrongly accused of a terrible crime. Oldman found the role challenging but rewarding.
Alan Rickman plays Severus Snape: The strict Potions teacher and head of Slytherin house.
Fiona Shaw plays Petunia Dursley: Harry's Muggle aunt.
Maggie Smith plays Minerva McGonagall: The Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts and the Transfiguration teacher.
Timothy Spall plays Peter Pettigrew: A former friend of Harry's parents, believed to be dead.
David Thewlis plays Remus Lupin: The new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts. He is also a werewolf. Thewlis was the first choice for the role and read the book to prepare.
Emma Thompson plays Sybill Trelawney: The Divination teacher at Hogwarts.
Julie Walters plays Molly Weasley: Ron's loving mother.

Other Familiar Faces

Many other actors returned for Prisoner of Azkaban. Harry Melling plays Dudley Dursley, Harry's cousin. James and Oliver Phelps are Fred and George Weasley, Ron's twin brothers. Chris Rankin plays Percy Weasley, Ron's older brother, and Bonnie Wright plays their sister Ginny. Mark Williams plays their father, Arthur Weasley.

Tom Felton plays Draco Malfoy, Harry's rival. Jamie Waylett and Joshua Herdman are Crabbe and Goyle, Draco's friends. Matthew Lewis plays Neville Longbottom, and Devon Murray plays Seamus Finnigan, two Gryffindor students. David Bradley plays Argus Filch, the school caretaker. Robert Hardy plays Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic.

Pam Ferris plays Aunt Marge. Lee Ingleby plays Stan Shunpike, the conductor of the Knight Bus. Jim Tavaré plays Tom, the innkeeper of The Leaky Cauldron. Dawn French plays the Fat Lady in the portrait. Julie Christie plays Madam Rosmerta, the barmaid at the Three Broomsticks. Warwick Davis appears as the conductor of the Hogwarts choir.

How the Movie is Different from the Book

Changes for the Big Screen

Prisoner of Azkaban was the longest book in the series when it was published. Because of this, the movie had to change some parts to fit everything in. Some smaller plot details and backstories were simplified or left out. For example, the movie only briefly mentions how Harry's parents were connected to the Marauder's Map. It also doesn't fully explain who the Marauders were or what their nicknames meant.

Some parts that were very detailed in the book were made shorter in the movie. The Shrieking Shack and Scabbers the rat are mentioned quickly in the film, but they have a much bigger story in the book. Most of Sirius Black's past is also cut, and the movie doesn't explain how he escaped from Azkaban.

Simplifying Magic and Lessons

To keep the movie moving, some detailed descriptions of magical lessons were removed. Only one Hippogriff, Buckbeak, is shown, and only Malfoy and Harry interact with him in Care of Magical Creatures class. Many other lessons, including most of Snape's Potions classes, were not shown in the film. A complicated magical explanation called the Fidelius Charm was completely removed. This means the movie doesn't fully explain how Sirius was thought to have betrayed the Potters to Lord Voldemort.

Character Focus and Tone

The movie puts more focus on the friendship and feelings between Ron and Hermione than the book does. The filmmakers wanted to show more emotional development for Harry, Ron, and Hermione. However, any mention of Harry's crush on Cho Chang is removed from this film. She first appears in the fourth film. Prisoner of Azkaban has a darker mood and shows more of Harry's strong emotions. For example, when Harry learns about Black's "betrayal," he shouts, "I'm gonna kill him!" In the book, he's described as being "too stunned to move."