A Harry Potter theme park. Need I say more?
With the magical way the whole Harry Potter phenomenon took off more than nine years ago, it’s not surprising why big names are interested in dipping their hands on a large-scale project such as this. According to Deadline Hollywood Daily, negotiations have begun as early as 2005 between J.K. Rowling, Disney and Warner Bros. Now, it seems like Universal Studios has taken the place of Disney.
Ah, but enough of the business politics!
The theme park is said to be located at the Universal Orlando Resort, Florida and is set to be ready by 2009. So far, the closest manifestation of this theme park is the building of Alnwick Castle or Hogwarts. Wouldn’t it be a treat if they actually manage to re-create the moving staircases? Of course, it would probably be just for decoration as actual moving staircases are pretty dangerous, aren’t they?
As the rides and other Harry Potter attractions are inside Orlando’s Island of Adventures Theme Park, the project has been tagged as a theme park within a theme park. And while no new information has been released, I hope to see more than a couple of my favorite Harry Potter concepts there in the future!
For example, seeing a replica of book one’s HUGE chess board ought to be fun. The Mirror of Erised, the mirror that supposedly reveals your one true desire, will certainly prove to be interesting. Living portraits… Moaning Myrtle… Uh, maybe no Moaning Myrtle…
Harry Potter fans need not fear for the overall outcome. According to BBC News,
Oscar-winning production designer Stuart Craig, who has worked on the Harry Potter films, is leading the creative design for the park to ensure it remains faithful to JK Rowling’s vision.
“Our primary goal is to make sure this experience is an authentic extension of Harry Potter’s world as it is portrayed in the books and films,” he said Craig.