The Harry Potter Studio Tour experience is going to China
Warner Bros. Discovery announced its intention Wednesday to build a 'Harry Potter Studio Tour' in Shanghai. The company is partnering with Jinjiang International, which made the news official on its WeChat account.
The interactive experience is expected to open in 2027 in the existing Jinjiang Action Park. Currently, there are two Harry Potter Studio Tours: the original in London and another in Tokyo.
'The Harry Potter Studio Tour will take visitors on a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour,' Jinjiang said in the post, 'allowing them to gain a deep understanding of the magical world of Harry Potter.'
Details on the upcoming studio tour in China are still sparse. However, if the original London location of the attraction is anything to go by, the tour will include some of the most famous set pieces from the Harry Potter films, including Diagon Alley, Platform Nine and Three Quarters, Privet Drive, the Hogwarts Express and the Ministry of Magic, as well as opportunities to sample butterbeer, chocolate frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans.
The project is expected to cover an area of about 53,000 square meters, including a soundstage and a backlot, according to a statement from WBD posted on Wechat. WBD is the parent company of CNN.
'This will be the first tour of its kind in China,' WBD said, adding it will take about half a day for people to visit the whole project.
The amusement park is located in the southwest of the city and has a strong nostalgia factor for many Shanghai natives. Its location is convenient for tourists, as it is about 20 miles from Hongqiao International Airport (SHA).
The amusement park is currently going through a major renovation. The park closed to the public on January 26, with operators saying it could 'no longer meet the new needs of tourists.' It will reopen in 2027 with the Harry Potter experience as a centerpiece, according to Jinjang.
Until now, the park's rides and attractions have focused on Chinese characters. Harry Potter is hugely popular in China, where there are many Harry Potter-themed bars, coffee shops and restaurants, plus the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Beijing. The books' hero is called 哈利波特 (Hali Bote) in Mandarin.
The movies were some of the only foreign films released in China that faced little censorship, and the characters are still popular in the country across different age groups.
China has been pushing its domestic consumption, as well as inbound tourism, amid the slowing economy.
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