The Harry Potter universe is colliding with the Lego world in an upcoming video game called, LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 . The Lego video game franchise has been very popular and has include Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Batman Lego games. You can find the official website for the video game here. In this tour of the video game you can see some giant Lego Harry Potter figures. You will be able to use magic and cast spells in the Lego game. It looks like a fun game. Take a look:
The video game arrives in stores in May. It can be pre-ordered here on Amazon.com.
Video: Wizarding World of Harry Potter Super Bowl Ad
Here is the official commercial for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter that will air during the Super Bowl on Sunday. Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a theme park based on the Harry Potter universe. You can read more about the theme park here. The park will official open in late Spring 2010 at the Universal Orlando Resort. Take a look:
The first official trailer is out for part one of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The book was split into two movies because of its length. The featurette has brief interviews with director David Yates and producer David Heyman, and shows some footage from the film. Then, the official trailer begins. Take a look:
Warner Bros. Releases First Deathly Hallows Images
Warner Bros. has released the very first ever images from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. The film arrives in theatres in November, 2010. David Yates, who directed the last two films, directs both of the Deathly Hallows movies.
Actor Matthew Lewis Celebrates Arrival of Harry Potter Exhibit in Boston
The city of Boston celebrated the arrival of the Harry Potter: The Exhibition with a "Very Important Muggle" preview reception last night at the Museum of Science. The exhibit, which includes artifacts and displays inspired by the Hogwarts film sets, will open Sunday, October 25th.
More than one thousand guests attended the soiree to catch a first glimpse of the 200+ artifacts displayed in film-inspired settings, including the Great Hall, Hagrid's hut, and the Forbidden Forest. Actor Matthew Lewis, who plays Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter film series, was the first cast member to tour the exhibition. In the photograph above, Lewis presented Neville Longbottom's wand for installation in the Gryffindor common room area. In the photograph below, Lewis pulls a Mandrake with local school children.
"The Museum is excited to offer its visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in an exhibit that bridges both cultures and generations," said Ioannis Miaoulis, president of the Museum of Science, Boston. "We are confident that this exhibition will attract visitors of all ages – some of whom may have never visited a science center. It is our hope that the exhibit will lead visitors to experience the excitement of discovery that's at the heart of all that we do at the Museum of Science."
You can read more about the Harry Potter exhibit at the Museum of Science, Boston here on the museum's website.
Universal Announces Plans For The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Details about the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort has been revealed. Universal announced that the new world will open in spring 2010. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal's Islands of Adventure will include multiple attractions, shops and a signature eating establishment. The Harry Potter films' production designer, Stuart Craig and art director, Alan Gilmore, in cooperation with a artisans from Universal Creative are working to construct an authentic Harry Potter experience. Guests will be able to sip Butterbeer in Three Broomsticks and buy Extendable Ears at Zonko's.
"All of the action and adventures of Harry Potter's world will come to life here at Universal Orlando Resort," said Tom Williams, chairman and CEO, Universal Parks and Resorts. "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be unlike any other experience on earth and we can't wait to see the looks on our guests' faces as they enter this rich environment."
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will feature the locations listed below:
At the entrance of Hogsmeade, billowing steam and an iconic whistle signal the arrival of the Hogwarts Express into Hogsmeade station
Across the way is Zonko's, a joke shop with a collection of tricks and jokes, including Extendable Ears, Boxing Telescopes and Sneakoscopes
Honeydukes is next door and full of treats like Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans
The Three Broomsticks and adjacent Hog's Head pub will feature traditional British fare and drinks including Butterbeer and pumpkin juice
Across from the Three Broomsticks is The Owlery, where owls roost and await their next delivery
The Owl Post sends letters with a certified Hogsmeade postmark and sells official stamps from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Ollivanders wand shop providean incredible interactive experience where the wand chooses the wizard
Completing Hogsmeade is Dervish and Banges, the magical instruments and equipment shop featuring Quidditch equipment, Triwizard apparel, Spectrespecs and Remembralls
The first attraction, Dragon Challenge, features a twin high-speed roller coaster with many iconic elements from the Triwizard Tournament
Next is Flight of the Hippogriff, a family coaster simulating a Hippogriff training flight over the grounds of Hogwarts castle
Located in Hogwarts castle, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is an attraction that uses new technology to bring the magic, characters and stories of Harry Potter to life
Before exiting back into Hogsmeade, Filch's Emporium of Confiscated Goods is full of Ministry of Magic and magical creatures merchandise, Omnioculars, and even remote control Golden Snitches
Here's a video tour of the concept and art and map. The map is created by the same artists who created the Marauder's Map in the movie.
G-Force, an animated kids movie about a group of highly trained guinea pigs, has won the weekend box office. The popularity of the film has raised concerns that kids will be begging parents for guinea pigs as pets. G-Force made $32.5 million over the weekend. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince slipped to number two but made another $30 million to bring its total box office gross to over $221 million. Katherine Heigl's R-rated comedy The Ugly Truth made an impressive $27 million despite attempts by Newsweek to derail her career.
The creepy Orphan horror movie opened in fourth place and made over $14 million. Orphan was followed by Ice Age, Transformers 2 and the very funny comedies, The Hangover and The Proposal. You can see the complete box office chart for the weekend here.
Muggles Pour Into Theatres to See Latest Harry Potter Film
Harry Potter has charmed moviegoers once again. The sixth Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, won the box office weekend grossing nearly $80 million. The film has already made over $159 million in the U.S. since it opened in theatres Wednesday. The new Harry Potter film was also huge overseas, grossing $237 million on 15,900 screens.
In second place was the animated kids film, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, which took in another $17 million. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was third and added $13.75 million to bring its total box office gross to $363 million - the highest so far this year. Bruno fell to fourth in its second week in theatres. It just barely beat out The Hangover, which has been in theatres for seven weeks. The success of The Hangover is likely part of the reason Bruno has not made as much money as it was expected to.
Another film that debuted this week in a limited release is 500 Days of Summer starring Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Critics love this romantic comedy. The movie made $838,000 despite opening in just 27 theatres - that's an impressive $31,037 per theatre.
Tom Felton, who plays Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, is actually a nice guy off-set. But he really has enjoyed playing the bad guy. Access Hollywood talked to Tom when he was filming Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. If you have somehow managed to avoid reading the book or seeing the movie, the big spoiler of the book is discussed in the clip. You've been warned. Take a look:
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Breaks Box Office Record
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince made a whopping $22.5 million from just the midnight showings. That puts the movie on track to have the biggest midnight opening ever, according to Variety. The film's revenues were counted from 3,003 runs at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.
That figure beats the $18 million earned in midnight runs by Warners' very own The Dark Knight and the $17 million earned by 20th Century Fox's Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith.
Half-Blood Prince opens in the same Wednesday slot that Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix did in 2007. Order of the Phoenix grossed $12 million in midnight runs on its way to a $139.7 million five-day debut.
The new Potter film beat Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, which grossed $16 million when it opened with Wednesday midnight showings earlier this summer. We can't wait to see it.
Rupert Grint recently contracted the H1N1 swine flu virus and recovered after a couple days of rest. He was isolated from the rest of the cast and no one else came down with the virus. Rupert Grint said he didn't find out until later that it was the swine flu. Rupert Grint's fellow cast members Emma Watson and Tom Felton explain how they felt about Rupert Grint's swine flu case.
Rain Soaks London Premiere of New Harry Potter Film
Torrential rains didn't keep stars and fans from coming out to celebrate the London premiere of Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince. Daniel Radcliffe admitted that the rain was his fault. Take a look:
Daniel Radcliffe talks about his on-screen romances and kisses at a press conference for the new Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in London. Emma Watson reveals that the movies are so dark sometimes that the cast was happy to have a romantic comedy element in this film. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince opens in wide release in the U.S. on July 15. Take a look:
The BBC reports that actor Rupert Grint who plays Ron Weasly in the Harry Potter series is back on the set after what is being described as a "mild" case of h1n1 swine flu.
Grint, who plays Ron Weasley, took a few days off filming but has now returned to the set of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
And he is well enough to attend the world premiere of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in London on Tuesday.
"He has now recovered and is looking forward to joining his fellow cast members," his publicist said.
Young people are particularly susceptible to H1N1 swine flu because they have no immunity. The British government expects swine flu cases in the UK to climb to 100,000 per day by the end of August with as many as 40 people dying from the novel influenza daily. The CDC has said as many as 450,000 people could die in the U.S. You can find more H1N1 resources here.
Update 7-6-09: Rupert Grint talks about his bout with H1N1 swine flu.
Warner Bros. has released some new images for the upcoming Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince movie. Thanksfully, the highly-anticipated film is almost here. The film opens in theatres on July 15th.
There are some new posters out for the upcoming film as well - see here.
Details about the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort has been revealed. Universal announced that the new world will open in spring 2010. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal's Islands of Adventure will include multiple attractions, shops and a signature eating establishment. The Harry Potter films' production designer, Stuart Craig and art director, Alan Gilmore, in cooperation with a artisans from Universal Creative are working to construct an authentic Harry Potter experience. Guests will be able to sip Butterbeer in Three Broomsticks and buy Extendable Ears at Zonko's.
The BBC 
