Rowling showed she shared the pluck of Harry Potter when she disagreed with Steven Spielberg, who took an interest in directing the film. The director of ET and Raiders of the Lost Ark wished to merge the plots of the first two books and cast Haley Joel Osment, the American child actor who starred in The Sixth Sense as Harry Potter. Rowling insisted each film tackle one book and that Harry had to be British. Spielberg walked away.

... There are now only four days to endure before the publication of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Rowling can gaze with considerable pride on what her work has achieved. In just six years more than 160 million Harry Potter books have been sold in more than 100 countries, both films have achieved box office records and a Harry Potter duvet set brought a little financial light to a despondent Marks & Spencer. Harry Potter licensing deals have been struck with the biggest companies in the world, with Coca-Cola bidding £65 million for the rights. Next week Rowling will become the first artist since Madonna to participate in a live-webcast at the Albert Hall, at which 4,000 children have the chance to ask her questions as Stephen Fry tries to contain them. Even Prince Charles has swooned in her presence, commenting: "I©–m staggered that someone can write so beautifully."