Trivia: Film 2
Daniel Radcliffe has said that Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is his favourite book.
Hugh Grant was originally cast as Gilderoy Lockhart but was forced to withdraw at the last moment because of scheduling conflicts. Alan Cumming was also considered.
Zoë Wanamaker does not appear in this film as Hogwarts’ flying instructor, Madam Hooch. Her character was written out.
Daniel Radcliffe was initially only offered £125,000 (approximately US$181,500) to film Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The Actor’s Union Equity stepped in, however, and negotiated new terms that increased his salary to roughly £2,000,000 (US$3,000,000).
Many Harry Potter fans went to see Scooby Doo just to see a Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets trailer.
Christian Coulson landed the role as Tom Riddle, even though he is 23 and exceeds the 15-17 age group set for auditions.
Fourteen Ford Anglias were destroyed to create the scene where Harry and Ron crash into the Whomping Willow.
As Hagrid is taking Harry away from Knockturn Alley, we see, in one of the shop windows in the background, an entire set of Harry Potter books.
The “Let’s just hope Mr. Potter will always be around to save the day” dialogue (see quotes) was improvised by Radcliffe and Isaacs.
During the shoot, the part of Dobby was played by an orange ball on a stick (he was added digitally later, of course).
The train station interior used in the film is Kings Cross in North London, whereas the exterior shot is actually St Pancras. The two stations are adjacent to one another, but not the same building. This was done because the architecture of St Pancras is much more visually appealing.
The punch line for the “Japanese golfer” joke told by Uncle Vernon that Harry ruins is actually quite vulgar and not at all appropriate for young children or mixed company.
As Harry enters Prof. Dumbledore’s study, a portrait of Gandalf the Grey is included in the collection of the great wizard paintings. It is above the doorframe and slightly to Harry’s right.
Harry Taylor reprises his brief role as the Train Station Guard from Harry Potter and The Philosophers/Sorcerers Stone
A cinema manager in Stavanger in Norway reported that the film was making his younger patrons ill. Evidently many children who had overindulged on sweets and popcorn were throwing up when Ron begins vomiting giant slugs. “It is not a particularly fun task for our employees to have to wash away the sick,” he said.
Some of the portraits in Hogwarts are actually faces of production designer Stuart Craig and executive producer Mark Radcliffe.
While chatting with the Grangers at the bookshop, Mr. Weasley says, “I understand that other muggles are afraid of you.” This makes little sense unless you know that both Hermione’s parents are dentists.
Emma Watson broke her left wrist during filming and you can just about see a cast under her sleeve in some scenes.
The script originally said that Hermione would hug Harry and Ron in the final scene. Because Emma Watson was embarrassed about having to hug them in front of the entire cast, Chris Columbus changed the scene. Hermione just hugs Harry, and starts to hug Ron, but the two get embarrassed and shake hands instead.
The tapestries hanging in the Gryffindor Common Room are copies of the “Lady and the Unicorn” series, a set of 16th century tapestries that are now displayed in the Cluny Museum in Paris.
The title used by the film crew to disguise the shoot (and printed on the clapper boards) was “Incident of 57th Street”.
The Weasleys’ car registration number is 7990 TD
All four of director, Chris Columbus’s children appear in this movie. Eleanor Columbus plays Susan Bones (also plays her in the first movie), Brendan Columbus plays a boy in study hall, Violet Columbus plays the little girl with flowers and Isabella Columbus plays the little girl in the bookstore
When Harry and Ron are called to the dormitory it has been ransacked. As Harry sifts through the pile of books on the floor you briefly see Volume 4 of the Encyclopedia Magica from TSR’s Dungeon and Dragon’s second edition.
Filming began two days after the release of Harry Potter and the Philosophers/Sorcerers Stone