Dumbledore Confirmed

The search is over and the quest complete: Michael Gambon will play a certain Albus Dumbledore in the next slice of Potter magic, Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban. Tipped since December for the position of headmaster at Hogwarts, the Gosford Park actor has seen off impressive competition from the likes of Christopher Lee to bag the role the late Richard Harris so embodied. Joined by Gary Oldman as Sirius Black, David Thewlis as Professor Lupin, Pam Ferris as Harry's overbearing Aunt Marge and Timothy Spall fulfilling Peter Pettigrew's shoes, Gambon's headmaster will also have help from Paul Whitehouse as he ditches The Fast Show to become Sir Caddogan, the Knight who becomes a temporary guardian of Gryffindor Tower. Pre-production on the whole shebang has already kicked off and new boy Alfonso Cuaron is still over the moon at getting the chance to direct a project of a lifetime. "To be entrusted with such rich and beloved material, and given the opportunity to collaborate with this extraordinary cast and crew on the next Harry Potter adventure is an honour," he positively gushed. Well, with that cast and that story, you can see his point.