Update:

Hey Quint,

I was a little worried about the Gary Oldman situation too. However, the guy sover at Mugglenet, which are on the top of their game with their Potter news ans always make sure to identify what is strictly rumor and what is not confirmed say otherwise directly from Warner Bros. I know this to be a reliable source, because I know the guy who founded it, and they are always in contact with Warner Bros. to confrim casting and other Potter movie tidbits. They too had the news with the same quotes about Gary Oldman possibly not returning, but their most recent headline about it says other wise. On February 7, one of their headlines stated, "Roles of Gary Oldman and David Thewlis confirmed," followed by the short blurb, "We've just been told by Warner Bros that both actors (playing Sirius Black and Lupin, respectively) are still under negotiations to appear in Order of the Phoenix - they will begin filming this summer. This comes just as rumors earlier today reported the contrary." You can confirm that at www.mugglenet.com. They also have more recent casting tidbits about a good amount of the minor characters from Order of the Phoenix as well, it seems Warner Bros has been doing mucho casting right now. All right, well that's all I got for now. Hope this calms the waters some.

If you use this call me Glengary Glen Brad

Rejoice!!!

Ahoy, squirts! Quint here... sorry for that headline. That would have been one that my freshman Journalism teacher would have loved, but then she loved her some really dumb-ass corny headlines. I got a message from Harry saying I should post something on this Gary Oldman/Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix talk going around the internet. I saw it a couple days ago, but I was buried in the Santa Barbara Film Festival and figured Harry would grab it. He claims "Potter Ignorance" and tells me I should bring it up.

Read the below if you have no idea what I'm talking about. I'll be waiting for you at the bottom.

Sources:

The Sun

DigitalSpy.co.uk

Gary Oldman will apparently not be reprising his role of Sirius Black in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Oldman's manager Douglas Urbanski told The Sun: "You will be shocked to learn there are no plans for Gary to appear in the film. We are left with no choice but to pursue other employment for him."

Meanwhile, Warner Brothers do not rule out the possibility of a deal being struck in the near future, even though filming has begun. A studio source is quoted as saying: "We cannot say at the moment whether Gary Oldman will be in the film or not."

Oldman appeared as Black in the last two films in the franchise based on J.K. Rowling's creation, The Prisoner of Azkaban and The Goblet of Fire.

Those Potter fans out there are now pretty alarmed. Unliked his short appearance in GOBLET OF FIRE, Sirius Black (and his house... and family) plays a major, major role in ORDER OF THE PHOENIX. But calm down... have a mint. First of all, this could all be hubbub and jibber-jabber. Even if true, if you read the above quotes closely it seems pretty clear that there is still a deal being worked out. If I were a betting man, I'd wager that Oldman's people are trying to get him a bigger piece of the Potter pie.

Warner Bros has made... what? $4 billion? $5 billion? on these films. Pay him what he wants. He's a terrific Sirius Black and to see no Gary Oldman in ORDER OF THE PHOENIX... well, there'll be hell to pay with the fans. We love the continuity hasn't been altered with the series, except where it absolutely couldn't be helped (with Dumbledore). Hopefully we'll get final word on this soon. What do you folks think?