Harry Potter TV series to be filmed in £1bn mini-city
The forthcoming Harry Potter TV series is set to be filmed in a £1billion mini-town, complete with its own school and medical centre. The producers are investing heavily in the rapidly expanding Warner Bros' studio complex at Leavesden, just outside Watford, Herts. The development will feature new roads, multi-storey car parks and enormous hangars for the sets.
A school is being constructed for the hundreds of young actors who will be committed to years of filming, while facilities are also being created for the various animals that will appear, including dogs, birds of prey, rodents, snakes, spiders and horses.
It is reported that executives are even utilising wasteland adjacent to the studios to construct an updated version of Privet Drive, the street where the young wizard Harry spent his early years.
A source from the television industry revealed: "Warner Bros are making a huge commitment to the new TV show, looking at creating multiple, lengthy series over the next decade. They see this significant upfront investment in infrastructure as a worthwhile venture that will eventually yield returns. What they'll have is a small metropolis which will not only provide the backdrop for the show but all the facilities the large cast and crew need, too."
The series, touted by producers as a faithful adaptation of JK Rowling's books, is being produced by US TV behemoth HBO. The three lead roles have yet to be announced, but more than 32,000 hopefuls have submitted audition tapes, hoping to follow in the footsteps of Daniel Radcliffe, now 35, Emma Watson, also 35, and Rupert Grint, 36, who starred as Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.
The wizarding trio of Harry, Hermione and Ron brought magic to life in the eight iconic films, accompanied by beloved animals like Harry's loyal snowy owl Hedwig, Hermione's mischievous cat Crookshanks, and Ron's ill-fated pet rat Scabbers.
A statement from Warner Bros Studios assures, "No animals are housed overnight for this, or any other production." The iconic Privet Drive, Harry's humble home, was originally filmed at a house in Bracknell, Berkshire. However, a meticulous replica now stands within the immersive Harry Potter attraction on the 200-acre studio site.
Interestingly, Warner Bros initially leased the site for a decade starting in 2000 to produce the films, before acquiring it outright in 2010.
The recreated Privet Drive, nestled in the fictional Surrey town of Little Whinging, features homes that have been upgraded with charming Tudor features, injecting a touch of whimsy and nostalgia for fans of the boy wizard.
In casting news, t he HBO Original TV series, which sees creator JK Rowling take on the role of executive producer, has not yet cast its young stars, however many of the surrounding cast have already been revealed. We don't yet know who will be taking on the major role of Harry Potter, who had been played by British actor Daniel Radcliffe in the films, as well as Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.
The series will feature a brand new cast while staying authentic to the original books, to bring the wizarding adventures to new audiences. It has now been confirmed British actors Nick Frost and Paapa Essiedu and US star John Lithgow will be part of the brand new show. 3rd Rock From The Sun star Lithgow, 79, who won an Olivier earlier this month for playing children's author Roald Dahl in Giant in the West End, will play Hogwarts headmaster Professor Albus Dumbledore.
Theatre star Essiedu, known for Gangs Of London and I Will Destroy You, will portray the cruel Professor Severus Snape, while Frost takes on the role of friendly groundskeeper Rubeus Hagrid in the decade-long series.
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