128 days, 9 hours, 58 minutes, 55 seconds

according to the countdown on Mugglenet.com until Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince comes out. I'm not a big fan of the movies; I consider them a mere afterthought to the book series that I have been a dedicated reader of for nearly a decade. I am so giddy and eager that I read the Deathly Hallows in one sitting from midnight on release day until 6 am, also ensuring that nobody would give away any plot points because I'd be the first one done with the book.

However, despite my distaste for the movie portion of the Harry Potter franchise (basically the ugly fraternal twin of the book who resembles an unborn fetus) the new film has sparked my interest for a few reasons.

1. Jim Broadbent as Horace Slughorn. Metal image of the crazy red-moustached guy from Moulin Rouge disguising himself as an armchair - too funny.
2. They've cast all these characters who have literally are mentioned maybe once in the book. Who remembers Sanguini the vampire, Wendy Slinkhard or Marcus Belby? I had to look them up because they are so obscure.
3. More Alan Rickman as Severus Snape.

As a side note - Equus starts its Broadway run in September. Yes, I will be eager to see naked Harry Potter humping horses.