Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Synopsis

Emboldened by the return of Lord Voldemort, the Death Eaters are wreaking havoc in both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven it once was. Harry suspects that new dangers may lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle that he knows is fast approaching. He needs Harry to help him uncover a vital key to unlocking Voldemort's defenses--critical information known only to Hogwarts' former Potions Professor, Horace Slughorn. With that in mind, Dumbledore manipulates his old colleague into returning to his previous post with promises of more money, a bigger office...and the chance to teach the famous Harry Potter.

Meanwhile, the students are under attack from a very different adversary as teenage hormones rage across the ramparts. Harry's long friendship with Ginny Weasley is growing into something deeper, but standing in the way is Ginny's boyfriend, Dean Thomas, not to mention her big brother Ron. But Ron's got romantic entanglements of his own to worry about, with Lavender Brown lavishing her affections on him, leaving Hermione simmering with jealousy yet determined not to show her feelings. And then a box of love potion-laced chocolates ends up in the wrong hands and changes everything.

As romance blossoms, one student remains aloof with far more important matters on his mind. He is determined to make his mark, albeit a dark one. Love is in the air, but tragedy lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again.

David Yates, who directed the 2007 summer blockbuster "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," returned to direct "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." David Heyman, the producer of all of the Harry Potter films, produced the film, together with David Barron. Screenwriter Steve Kloves, who scripted the first four installments of the film franchise, adapted the screenplay based on the book by J.K. Rowling. Lionel Wigram served as executive producer, with John Trehy co-producing.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Heyday Films production, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," the sixth installment of Warner Bros. Pictures' Harry Potter film franchise based on the beloved novels by J.K. Rowling. Once again heading the cast, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson reprise their roles as young wizards Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, who are facing new challenges and dangers following Lord Voldemort's return.

Other returning Harry Potter cast members include: Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange; Robbie Coltrane as Rubeus Hagrid; Warwick Davis as Professor Filius Flitwick; Michael Gambon as Professor Albus Dumbledore; Alan Rickman as Professor Severus Snape; Maggie Smith as Professor Minerva McGonagall; and Julie Walters as Molly Weasley.

A number of young stars also reprise their roles as Hogwarts students, including Tom Felton as Harry's longtime adversary, Draco Malfoy; Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood; and Bonnie Wright as Ginny Weasley, the youngest of the Weasley clan.

Two award-winning actors join the cast in their first Harry Potter film. Academy Award® winner Jim Broadbent ("Iris," "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe") plays Potions Professor Horace Slughorn. BAFTA Award winner Helen McCrory ("Streetlife," "The Queen") appears as Narcissa Malfoy, mother to Draco Malfoy and sister to the evil Bellatrix Lestrange. Additionally, several young newcomers are making their feature film debuts in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince": Jessie Cave plays the role of Lavender Brown, who only has eyes for Ron Weasley; Hero Fiennes Tiffin is seen in the role of Tom Riddle at age 11; and Frank Dillane plays the 16-year-old Riddle, who is already on the path to becoming the evil Lord Voldemort.

Collaborating with David Yates behind the camera, two-time Oscar®-nominated director of photography Bruno Delbonnel ("A Very Long Engagement," "Amelie") lensed his first Harry Potter film. The behind-the-scenes team also reunites such Harry Potter veterans as production designer Stuart Craig, editor Mark Day, composer Nicholas Hooper, visual effects supervisor Tim Burke, and costume designer Jany Temime.

"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" is being distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince": An IMAX 3D Experience--digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® through proprietary IMAX DMR® technology--will be released by Warner Bros. Pictures in select theatres in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago on July 15th, concurrently with the nationwide 35mm release in traditional theatres. The film will open nationwide in IMAX on July 29th. Using IMAX's revolutionary live action 2D to 3D conversion technology, the movie's opening sequence has been transformed into IMAX 3D. The film will also be shown completely in IMAX 2D in select locations without IMAX® 3D capability. With crystal clear images, laser-aligned digital sound and maximized field of view, IMAX provides the world's most immersive movie experience.