Warner Bros may develop Harry Potter spin-off
by Tom Anstey | 01 Jun 2014
The Harry Potter spin-off movie is being released November 2016
AM2 understands Warner Bros is exploring the possibility of creating attractions based on JK Rowling’s book Fantastical Beasts and Where to Find Them.
The media giant has already acquired film rights to the story, which was written by the Harry Potter author in 2001.
Locations are not yet known, however, the company has already announced it will be expanding its award-winning Studio Tour at Leavesden, UK, making it one possible location.
Fantastical Beasts is a school textbook mentioned in the first Harry Potter novel. It will be made into three films which follow the journey of the book’s “author” – a ‘magizoologist’ called Newt Scalamander.
Although the story is set in the same world, events occur 70 years prior to the Potter series, in 1920s New York City. The first film has a release date of 18 November 2016.
Potter-related attractions have huge consumer engagement. Wizarding World of Harry Potter – developed under licence for Universal parks in the US and Asia – has doubled attendances at Universal's Islands of Adventure in Florida, from 4.2m at opening in 2009 to 8.14m in 2013.
Numbers for Islands of Adventures' sister theme parks in Florida – Universal Studios, Florida – have also seen an increase – from 5.1 million to 7.1 million – via sales of the multi-site Universal/Seaworld pass, showing how the Potter-effect has knocked on to the wider business.
This dual-site impact will be strengthened this summer when Universal Studios opens Diagon Alley at Universal Studios, Florida, at which point the Potter experience will be spread across both parks, with the Hogswort Express train connecting the two. The development will double the area dedicated to Harry Potter within Universal's properties.
This dual-site development has been hailed as a master-stroke by industry commentators.
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Harry Potter theme park for Hollywood
AM2 understands Warner Bros is exploring the possibility of creating attractions based on JK Rowling’s book Fantastical Beasts and Where to Find Them. The media giant has already acquired film rights to the story, which was written by the Harry Potter author in 2001. Locations are not yet known, however, the company has already announced it will be expanding its award-winning Studio Tour at Leavesden, UK, making it one possible
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