If there's one thing certain about filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón, his creative wheels are always churning: just as he was getting off the ride of his life with the vastly acclaimed coming-of-age road tale "Y Tu Mamá También," he settled into the director's seat on the fast train to Hogwarts.

And for fans of J.K. Rowling's book "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," Cuarón is hoping that his film version of the third chapter in the magical tale of the boy wizard is just the ticket.

In an @ The Movies interview this week, Cuarón told me that he's confident of the adaptation because he loves the books himself -- a fascination that oddly didn't begin until was hired to direct the film.

"I was a late bloomer," Cuarón explained. "When I was approached about doing the film, I knew about Harry Potter, of course -- it's impossible not to know that it existed. But I had not read the books or seen the first two films.

But with one turn of the page with "Azkaban" -- a book that he looked at first for obvious reasons -- the 42-year-old filmmaker began a new chapter of his life.

"I started with the third book, but immediately went back to the first and read the whole saga," Cuarón enthused. "I became a huge fan of the whole series."

Adapted for the screen by "Sorcerer's Stone" and "Chamber of Secrets" screenwriter Steve Kloves, "Azkaban" chronicles Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermoine (Emma Watson) and Ron's (Rupert Grint) third year at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where they are confronted by a whole new set of fears.

First, there's an escaped prisoner, Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), on the loose from Azkaban prison. Legend has it that he led Lord Voldemart to kill Harry's parents and the belief now is that he's going to finish the boy wizard off, too. Then there are the Dementors; a terrifying set of Azkaban prison guards sent to stand guard over Hogwarts. The problem is the Dementors are frightening the very students they were sent to protect.

Anybody who's a fan of Cuarón's work (which also includes the adaptations of the literary classics "A Little Princess" and "Great Expectations") knows his films are breathtakingly atmospheric -- so you shouldn't be surprised that "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" delivers that wonderful quality of escapism again.

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But while his keen sense of establishing atmosphere helped him capture the dark tone of the book, Cuarón told me it was never his intention to give the film series a kick in the Azkaban.

"It's amazing source material in terms of themes and how archetypical things are -- like the great fairy tales and fables of our time," Cuarón enthused. "Guillermo Del Toro (the filmmaker who recently adapted the graphic novel 'Hellboy' for the big screen) told me, 'If you do the film, serve the material. Don't try to do your own thing, just serve the material. If you do that honestly, you'll make your best film ever.'"

While Cuarón was happy to have the input of such filmmaking friends as del Toro, he felt especially blessed to work with Chris Columbus, who directed "The Sorcerer's Stone" and "The Chamber of Secrets." Columbus gave up the director's chair to regain his personal life after the first two films and assumed the role of producer with "Azkaban."

"When I got engaged to this film and was doing pre-production, Chris was finishing the second one," Cuarón recalled. "The changing of the guard from him to me was very easy. First of all, I was very comfortable with the universe Chris inherited to me. Plus, we shared something in common -- a love and passion for the material."

Of course, the crown jewels in Cuarón 's inheritance were Radcliffe, Watson and Grint. The filmmaker told me that he's not proud of what the trio accomplished on the set, but of how they've handed the tidal wave of fame that accompanied them with the films.

"It's amazing. I'm really surprised how they do it -- they're so grounded," Cuarón said. "I see them follow-up with these films in different career facets. I see Daniel directing and Emma singing, for example. They can do whatever they want. They all have beautiful potential. And right now they're blessing us all with lending their personas to these characters."

Cuarón, of course, wasn't the only new kid on the block. Michael Gambon assumed the role of Professor Dumbledore after Richard Harris died after filming "Chamber of Secrets" in 2002. Cuarón said Gambon made the transition smooth and even respected Harris' legacy by keeping Dumbledore's Irish accent. But, ultimately, Cuarón said, Gambon has made the character his own.

"The approach is definitely different," Cuarón described. "He's more goofy. But that's what I like about Dumbledore in the books. He would appear to be a fool from the outside but at same time he has a great sense of honor."

Due to prior commitments, Cuarón will hand the director's reigns to Mike Newell ("Four Weddings and a Funeral," "Notting Hill") for "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire." But with three more films slated to take place after that, the filmmaker said he wouldn't mind getting back on the train to Hogwarts.

"I would love to come back, particularly if the kids continue to be a part of the cast," he said.

For now, he's just going to revel in the fact that he got the opportunity in the first place. After the family-friendly "A Little Princess," Cuarón's projects became decidedly more provocative, with "Great Expectations" and the sexually charged " Y Tu Mamá También."

"I was actually amused with the opportunity (to do 'Azkaban' after 'Y Tu Mamá También), Cuarón explained. "For me, this film would have made a lot of sense after I did 'Little Princess,' but it was happening afterwards."

At least J.K. Rowling wasn't detracted by his choice of films. In fact, he pointed out, she's a fan of both "A Little Princess" and "Y Tu Mamá También." But he knew the buck didn't stop with Rowling.

"I was curious about how the studio would react. So, I had a quorum with the head of Warner's and he said, 'Of course I understand what goes on in ' Y Tu Mamá También' but I loved your approach to the characters. I would like you to bring the spirit of the characters into the Harry Potter film," Cuarón recalled. "I have to say I admire Warner Bros. for putting their biggest franchise into the hands of a guy whose films are usually in Spanish with a lot of sex."