The highly anticipated fifth installment of the Harry Potter series, “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” will be released in theaters Wednesday at 12:01 a.m. Here is some information that will prepare you to see the movie.

Key characters

Harry Potter

Fifth year, Gryffindor

Harry is the main character and the object of hatred for Lord Voldemort.

Ron Weasley

Fifth year, Gryffindor

Ron is one of several Weasley family members. He is also Harry’s best friend.

Hermione Granger

Fifth year, Gryffindor

Hermione is the brainy friend of Ron and Harry. She tries to keep them in line.

Cho Chang

Fifth year, Ravenclaw

Cho is the object of Harry’s affection. She also plays seeker on her Quidditch team.

Lord Voldemort

Powerful Evil Wizard

Voldemort tried to kill Harry when Harry was a baby. He is still trying to kill him.

Dolores Umbridge

High Inquisitor, Hogwarts

Umbridge, hated by students, is appointed to Hogwarts by the ministry of magic.

Houses of Hogwarts

Gryffindor

Gryffindor was founded by the wizard Godric Gryffindor. Gryffindors are known for their courage. Their colors are scarlet and gold, and their ghost is Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, also known as Nearly Headless Nick.

Hufflepuff

Hufflepuff was founded by the witch Helga Hufflepuff. Hufflepuffs are known for their honesty and loyalty. Their colors are yellow and black, and their ghost is The Fat Friar.

Ravenclaw

Ravenclaw was founded by the witch Rowena Ravenclaw. Ravenclaws are known for their intelligence and desire for knowledge. Their colors are blue and bronze, and their ghost is The Grey Lady.

Slytherin

Slytherin was founded by the wizard Salazar Slytherin. Slytherins are known for their cunning and their determination. Their colors are green and silver, and their ghost is The Bloody Baron.

Actors and actresses

Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter)

Radcliffe, 17, first acted on the stage in small productions before landing the role of Harry Potter. In 1999, he acted on-screen in a TV version of “David Copperfield.” His movie debut was in 2001’s “The Tailor of Panama.”

Earlier this year, Radcliffe performed in his first major theater role in Peter Shaffer’s play “Equus.” Radcliffe will next be seen in September, when “December Boys” is set for release.

Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley)

Grint, 18, born in England, had only acted in local plays before winning the role of Ron Weasley.

In 2006, Grint appeared opposite Julie Walters and Laura Linney in the independent feature “Driving Lessons.”

Grint is also a big music lover and golfer.

Emma Watson (Hermione Granger)

Watson, 17, born in Oxford, began her acting career in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” Before movie roles, she participated in several school productions.

Watson continues to stay active in school studies and activities.

Katie Leung (Cho Chang)

Leung, 19, was born in Scotland. Leung, like several others in “Harry Potter” movies, had no acting experience prior to first playing Cho in her debut in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” in 2005.

She stood in line for four hours in order to have a five-minute audition for the part of Cho Chang.

Ralph Fiennes (Lord Voldemort)

Fiennes, 44, is best known for his work in such movies such as “The English Patient,” “The Constant Gardener,” “Red Dragon” and “Schindler’s List.”

Before film, Fiennes, a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, spent time on stage and even Broadway. Even today, he is active in theater productions

Imelda Staunton (Dolores Umbridge)

Staunton, 51, is new to the cast, playing Dolores Umbridge.

Staunton has starred in films such as “Shakespeare in Love,” “Chicken Run” and more recently, “Freedom Writers.”

She has been recognized several times for her work on stage. In 2004, she was nominated for an Academy Award for her title role in “Vera Drake.”

David Yates (Director)

“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” will be Yates’ first of two “Harry Potter” films he will helm as director.

Yates graduated from the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield, England, after studying at the University of Essex and Georgetown University.

In 2003, he directed the drama series “State of Play” and the following year Yates directed the drama “Sex Traffic,” both of which won him awards.

In 2005, he earned an Emmy Award nomination for the HBO movie “The Girl in the Cafe.”

Information compiled from Warner Brothers and imdb.com.