Latest news with #Muggles
India Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Harry Potter x MINISO Pop-Up Store Now Open at Mall of India, Noida
Attention, all Wizards and Muggles! The wait is over—the exclusive Harry Potter x MINISO Pop-Up Store is now open at Mall of India, Noida! Explore a world of magic at Miniso's Harry Potter pop-up store, where a wide selection of officially licensed Harry Potter products is available. From enchanting stationery and spellbinding plush toys to house-themed accessories and collectibles, this pop-up store is a dream come true for every Harry Potter fan. Whether you're a brave Gryffindor, a wise Ravenclaw, a loyal Hufflepuff, or an ambitious Slytherin, you'll find something to showcase your House pride!The store is inspired by elements as seen in the Harry Potter films. As you step in, you'll be greeted by decor inspired by the corridors of Hogwarts, complete with floating candles and spellbinding visuals. Every corner of the store offers a magical experience, making it the perfect setting for capturing memorable photos. You can even pose next to life-size replicas of famous props from the films!Event details-Harry Potter X Miniso Pop-up storeDate: May 25th- June 29thTimings: 11 AM - 11 PMBeyond the visual experience, the Harry Potter x MINISO Pop-Up Store offers an extensive range of exclusive Harry Potter merchandise that will delight every fan. Browse through intricately designed wands, stylish Hogwarts house-themed bags, and adorable plushies of your favorite magical creatures. If you're a collector, you won't want to miss the limited-edition items that are only available at this those looking to add a touch of Hogwarts to their daily life, the store features an exciting selection of home and lifestyle products. From cozy Gryffindor blankets to intricately designed Ravenclaw notebooks, every item lets you carry a piece of Harry Potter's world with you wherever you go. Whether you're buying for yourself or picking up a gift for a fellow Harry Potter fan, there's something for elevate the magical experience, the pop-up store also features Harry Potter clothing products celebrating each Hogwarts house! Fans can explore house-inspired apparel and discover photo-worthy corners designed with stunning wizarding world this pop-up experience is only available for a limited time! Gather your fellow witches and wizards and make your way to Mall of India, Noida, before the magic disappears. Don't forget to share your magical moments on social media using #HarryPotterXMINISO #MINISOINDIA #MagicalWondersAwait and join the spellbinding adventure today! Explore the magical world—only at the Harry Potter x MINISO Pop-Up Store!About the Harry Potter franchise From the moment eleven-year-old Harry Potter met Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, his adventures have left an indelible mark on popular culture. Today, over 25 years later, the Harry Potter phenomenon thrives as one of the most successful and best-loved entertainment properties in history.J.K. Rowling's best-selling Harry Potter novels have been brought to life in an ever-evolving, interconnected universe that is loved by millions of fans worldwide. Eight blockbuster Harry Potter films and three epic Fantastic Beasts films bring the spellbinding action to life on screen, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child mesmerises on stage, and state-of-the-art video and mobile games from Portkey Games allow players to experience the wizarding world like never before. Fans can proudly showcase their passion through innovative consumer products, and thrill at spectacular location-based experiences - including five theme park lands at Universal Studios locations around the expanding portfolio of Warner Bros. Discovery-owned Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts offerings includes ground-breaking touring experiences and events, each developed to celebrate special moments and locations that fans cherish, as well as the Platform 9 34 retail shops and iconic flagship store - Harry Potter New York. Wizards, Witches, and Muggles alike can also discover something new as they explore behind-the-scenes secrets at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter and Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry a new HBO Original TV series based on the Harry Potter books on the way, this extended world continues to provide the community with fresh and exciting ways to interact. For its global fans, and for generations to come, it invites everyone in to find the magic for themselves. About Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer ProductsWarner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products (WBDGCP), part of Warner Bros. Discovery's Revenue & Strategy division, extends the company's powerful portfolio of entertainment brands and franchises into the lives of fans around the world. WBDGCP partners with best-in-class licensees globally on award-winning toy, fashion, home dcor, and publishing programs inspired by the biggest franchises from Warner Bros.' film, television, animation, and games studios, HBO, Discovery, DC, Cartoon Network, HGTV, Eurosport, Adult Swim, and more. With innovative global licensing and merchandising programs, retail initiatives, and promotional partnerships, WBDGCP is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the The material and information contained are for advertorial purposes only. India Today holds no responsibility for the content written on the website as a basis for making any business, legal, or any other decision. Any reliance placed on such material is at your own risk. advertisement
Toronto Star
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
There's a new Harry, Hermione and Ron: HBO announces casting for upcoming ‘Harry Potter' TV series
After an open casting call for British children aged 9 to 11, the network announced its three lead Muggles: Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. All three actors are newcomers.
New York Post
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Harry Potter' HBO series has officially found its Harry, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger
Muggles rejoice: we have found our new trio. HBO's new 'Harry Potter' series has cast Dominic McLaughlin to play Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton in the role of Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. In the original movie franchise, the roles were played by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, respectively. 9 Arabella Stanton, Dominic McLaughlin, and Alastair Stout. Aidan Monaghan/HBO. 9 Arabella Stanton in 'Matilda The Musical.' BBC 'After an extraordinary search led by casting directors Lucy Bevan and Emily Brockmann, we are delighted to announce we have found our Harry, Hermione, and Ron,' the series' director Mark Mylod and showrunner Francesca Gardiner shared in a statement on Tuesday. 'The talent of these three unique actors is wonderful to behold, and we cannot wait for the world to witness their magic together onscreen,' the pair continued. 'We would like to thank all the tens of thousands of children who auditioned. It's been a real pleasure to discover the plethora of young talent out there.' The three young stars are all newcomers in the industry, with McLaughlin's previous acting credit being in the movie 'Grow.' 9 Alastair Stout is set to play Ron Weasley. Urban Talent Management 9 Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson. ©Warner Bros/courtesy Everett Co Stanton, meanwhile, played Matilda in 'Matilda The Musical' in London's West End. The show is set to premiere in 2026, with each season following one of J.K. Rowling's seven 'Harry Potter' books. In February, news broke that John Lithgow was headed to Hogwarts, playing the role of Professor Albus Dumbledore. Shortly after, the actor, 79, confirmed the news in an interview with ScreenRant. 9 Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint in the 2002 film 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.' ©Warner Bros/courtesy Everett Co 'It came as a total surprise to me,' Lithgow admitted. 'I just got the phone call up at the Sundance Film Festival for yet another film, and it was not an easy decision because it's going to define me for the last chapter of my life, I'm afraid.' 'I'm very excited. Some wonderful people are turning their attention back to 'Harry Potter,'' continued the star. 'That's why it's been such a hard decision. I'll be about 87 years old at the wrap party, but I've said yes.' After Pop Base posted the casting decision to X, one fan commented: 'He is perfect for the role!' 9 Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint in the 2002 film 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.' ©Warner Bros/courtesy Everett Co 9 The 2001 film 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.' ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection A second social media user chimed in, 'A brilliant actor in drama and comedy, I think he'll make a great wizard! It would be amazing if the show goes 9 seasons!' Rounding out the fan love, a viewer shared: 'John Lithgow as Dumbledore? A magical casting choice for sure.' Although some critics weren't too thrilled with the news. 9 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.' ©Warner Bros/courtesy Everett Co 'Meh, I've already lost interest,' one social media user quipped in the comments section. 'Noo this won't work,' a second said, while a third stated, 'What? This is going to be the stupidest tv show ever. Will not make it one whole season.' Dumbledore was originally played by Richard Harris in the first two 'Harry Potter' movies. Michael Gambon then took over the role after Harris died in 2002. HBO CEO Casey Bloys confirmed in November that Rowling, 59, will also be an executive producer on the new series. 9 Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint. 'She's been fairly involved — she was very involved in the process of selecting the writer and the director,' he told reporters at the time, despite the author's history of anti-transgender rhetoric. 'I imagine she'll have opinions on casting,' Bloys added. 'It hasn't affected the casting or hiring of writers or production staff or anything, so we haven't felt any impact from that.' After the internet's reaction to Rowling signing onto the project, Lithgow said he 'absolutely' didn't expect to get as much hate as he did from her critics. 'Of course, it was a big decision because it's probably the last major role I'll play,' he said during an interview with the Times of London. 'It's an eight-year commitment so I was just thinking about mortality and that this is a very good winding-down role.' Lithgrow added, 'I suppose at a certain point I'll meet her, and I'm curious to talk to her.'
CNN
07-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Epic Universe: Inside Universal's new theme park in central Florida
As if the words from 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' have jumped off the page into reality, fluorescent green fog shrouds people walking through a wizarding world Floo Network transit tunnel, to be greeted on the other side by an atrium with soaring ceilings depicting moving storm clouds. It might be the first time Muggles (non-wizards) have been inside the Ministry of Magic. That is just one jaw-dropping moment for guests to experience when Universal Orlando Resort officially opens its third and newest theme park, Epic Universe, on May 22. It is the first major theme park to open in central Florida in 26 years. At 750 acres, including both guest areas and backstage space for employees, it is believed to be the largest theme park in the world and estimated to have cost up to $7.7 billion to build, according to Dennis Speigel, owner and founder of consulting firm International Theme Park Services. Universal hasn't commented on the park's cost. 'I've seen them all,' Speigel said of theme parks around the world. And Epic Universe, he said, is 'too damn good.' That first impression has everything to do with Universal's use of the most advanced technology available coupled with intentional design to build a sense that the visitor is truly in a fantastical space with no glimpse of the outside world. At a media preview ahead of the public opening, CNN saw each of the park's 'worlds' and the experiences in them, including technology never seen in a theme park before. Let's take you through each section. It all begins with walking through Chronos, a portal that takes guests into the main hub of Epic Universe: Celestial Park. Here, guests will find Stardust Racers, a dual-track roller coaster, as well as Constellation Carousel, beautifully lit with animals that spin in different directions. There are shops, restaurants and bars nearby. But that's just the beginning. From this hub, guests can choose to enter four other portals, each leading them to a different world. 'It's as if all of the worlds of Epic Universe are closed off from the rest of the park,' said Alicia Stella, owner of Orlando ParkStop. Stella, who has been tracking the development of the park since its inception, said 'when you enter those portals … you are no longer in a theme park. You are in the Isle of Burke, from 'How to Train Your Dragon.' You are in the video games of Nintendo. You are in the Wizarding World, and you are in the world of Universal monsters, at Dark Universe.' When guests are inside one of these spaces, the only thing visible beyond its walls and sets is perhaps the top of Helios, a glittering new hotel located in the center of the park. Through one portal, in the world called Dark Universe, Universal brings to life its signature monsters including Dracula, the Wolf Man and the Invisible Man. The anchor attraction in this world — and one of the best in the park — is Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, utilizing some of the most advanced, life-like robotic technology ever created. Prev Next But it's through another portal, to Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic, that the resort has introduced its most ambitious ride to date. Universal Orlando Resort already has two themed Harry Potter areas in its existing parks, but the third installment within Epic Universe brings people into the 1920s Paris of the 'Fantastic Beasts' offshoot story, full of street atmosphere, shops and restaurants. Guests will then be expected to time travel to experience the impressive ride, Harry Potter: Battle at the Ministry, going via metro tunnel from 1920s Paris into 1990s London, after the original Harry Potter series has concluded. Staff at the awe-inspiring Ministry of Magic are preparing for Dolores Umbridge's trial, and guests will ride an omnidirectional elevator, chasing her through the building. Epic Universe's third portal transports guests to the first-ever theme park land devoted to the 'How to Train Your Dragon' franchise. Guests have told CNN that they have seen tests of large, extremely life-like dragons flying through the sky via drone, although those were not on display during media previews. Guests will find roller coasters and a kid-friendly boat ride in the midst of an elaborate Isle of Berk, where dragons breathe fire and ice. A technically impressive show inside a theater features Toothless, the lovable dragon from the series, who flies above the audience, landing on stage. Super Nintendo World, which currently exists in Universal's Japan and Hollywood park locations, now comes to Epic Universe through a fourth portal with a beloved Mine-Cart Madness ride themed to Donkey Kong, in addition to the go-kart racing ride, Bowser's Challenge. Guests can wear special 'Power-Up' bands on their wrists to play games and win points, running around a life-sized video game while Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach mill about. Universal officials told CNN the company invented new technology and secured patents for Epic Universe experiences, including special animating effects, ride design and robotics. The results are most obvious on two rides guests are most likely to be talking about after their visit: Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment and Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry. The Harry Potter ride feels like an experience combining elements of Universal's existing Spiderman ride and Disney's Rise of the Resistance. It features trackless ride systems, augmented reality, and high-resolution projections combined in new ways. For all the children who waited at midnight for the release of a new Harry Potter book a generation ago, 'this is our new midnight release,' said Ryan Clavin, host of DIS Unlimited: Universal Show on YouTube. Like many theme parks, Universal employs dynamic pricing for tickets, which varies depending on the season and how busy the parks are anticipated to be. Single-day tickets for Epic Universe recently became available, starting from $139 for adults and $134 for children ages 3-9, plus tax. Those prices currently apply to some weekdays in September, with the most expensive single-day tickets priced at $199 and $194 for children, plus tax, during the late December holiday season. Disney World's Magic Kingdom, the most visited theme park in the world, also has a ceiling of $199 during the same time frame. Multi-day ticket packages are also available, which allow guests to visit Epic Universe on one of those days. Per-day pricing on multi-day tickets is lower than single-day tickets. Universal's 'Express Pass,' which allows guests to enter attractions through a faster line, can vary by date. These passes often cost more than the park ticket itself. For example, buying an Express Pass for the busy July 4 holiday at Epic Universe will cost $250 for a single day, a cost in addition to the ticket price. Stella said she believes these prices are in line with existing parks. 'I think it's priced appropriately. Actually, a lot of us who are big fans of the theme park industry are surprised at some of the price points being as low as they are, because I feel like there was an opportunity to charge whatever they wanted for opening,' Stella said. She added that Universal's brand-new hotels near Epic Universe are also priced more affordably than she expected. With so much buzz around Universal's new park, industry experts are watching for Disney's response. 'Disney and Universal are in the greatest boxing match they've ever been in at this point in time, and it's a slug fest,' Speigel said. 'I believe that within 12 to 16 months, Disney will announce its fifth gate theme park, because it's necessary.' Disney, still the dominant leader in the theme park industry, currently has four theme parks on its Walt Disney World property in central Florida, the last of which opened in 1998. For the moment, the company has announced a slew of new themed lands and attractions within existing parks, but no new theme park. 'Is [Epic Universe] going to put Disney out of business? Absolutely not. Is it going to put a chink in their armor? Yes, it will,' Speigel said. Universal's momentum has ramped up ever since it opened the first area themed to the Harry Potter franchise in 2010 at its second Orlando theme park, Islands of Adventure. Speigel said Universal Orlando Resort saw a 36% increase in attendance in the year that followed, the biggest one-year increase he has ever seen in any park attendance in history. In Disney's 2024 fourth quarter earnings call, Hugh Johnston, chief financial officer of the Walt Disney Company, highlighted positive early bookings for this summer and said, 'The history of other non-Disney parks opening in Florida has been positive for Disney bookings.' While that may be so, Stella believes the typical family vacation where most of the time is spent at Disney World, with a small portion of the week at Universal, may shift in balance. 'I could definitely see it being, 'Well, we need two or three days at Universal, so we'll only do two or three days at Disney,'' Stella said. 'If they're coming to Orlando anyway, or if they're coming to Epic Universe on purpose, will they decrease their stay elsewhere, like Disney? Will they skip Sea World altogether?' Speigel said, 'Everybody subscribes to a rising tide floats all boats, but it does eat up some of the market too.' He added that he expects 2025 to be a year of heavy discounting by all parks, not just to compete with Epic Universe, but to anticipate a worsening economy. Even with the stock market roller coasters and Goldman Sachs predicting that recession odds are rising, Speigel predicts at least 6 million guests will visit Epic Universe within its first year. Clavin said what he saw on the Harry Potter ride is indicative of the spectacle Universal has created in the entire park: 'This is sort of a very good example of why we love theme parks … Where else can you literally step into a movie like this?'
The Independent
15-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
I'm a ‘sad beige mum' like Meghan – it's the only way I can cope
Adding insult to injury, the forthright comedian Katherine Ryan has accused Meghan Sussex's new Netflix series With Love, Meghan of being 'too beige' – and this after it has been panned by critics and hate-watched by millions. Speaking on her podcast Telling Everybody Everything, the comedian, who also criticised Sussex for lying about whether she knew her husband Prince Harry before she met him, said she was 'not against her' but that, 'She just doesn't seem to be the kind of girl I would want to be friends with. It's too manicured, it's too beige.' Hmmm. I know it's considered as dull as ditchwater to deck a place out in perfect neutrals, but I do also want to stand up and say that actually, there's nothing wrong with a bit of Kelly Hoppen. I understand the psychology of going full-throttle beige, like Meghan has, only too well. Stop judging us sad beige mums – it's the only way I can cope. I lost control of my life when I had two kids on my own using my partner's banked sperm after he died midway through our IVF journey – so I bought everything in neutral tones: mocha mousse-coloured towels, cream paint, earthy toned duvets sets, kid's clothes in oat, off-white baby bouncers, and inoffensive, colourless toys. As I look around my flat now, it's literally all beige: the wooden floors, the tiles, the T-shirts – the lot! Even the dog is creamy white (Muggles is a golden retriever). How did I get to this point? It's quite scary. I see it in so many of my mum friend's houses, too – it's called the 'sad beige aesthetic,' all muted colours. I wish I could stop it. I know it's safe and boring, but you see beige is also a retreat from the madness – politics, war, climate change, and my life as a single mum juggling two children and a job. I can honestly say that the neutral colour palettes have eased my emotional pain with grief, loss and other setbacks. I've even hidden an old pink sofa under a sandstone throw – admittedly half the reason is because Muggles chewed one side off it – but what is wrong with taking refuge in beige? I often envy houses that are cluttered with multi-coloured velvet armchairs, avant-garde patterned wallpaper and big pendant ceiling lamps in bright pink and orange, but if it's going to cause me to panic in my own home, what's the point? To buy an Ikea cream sofa and plonk it in a minimalist setting is like wearing a uniform – it doesn't take much thought. There's no grit to beige and no mess, unlike my inner emotional world. Call it impractical – I don't care. I haven't started sprinkling white flowers on crudites, or packaging up creamy popcorn for guest rooms I don't have, like Sussex does on her TV show, but the bone, sand and hessian colour tones are calming, relaxing and dependable – when everything around me feels like I'm spinning plates. 'Sad beige', also known as 'sad beige mum' is a visual aesthetic that uses muted colour tones in homes, clothing and overall style. It refers to a minimalist style in which parents choose neutral-coloured children's toys, buggies, bibs, bedding, and home décor for their children, including playrooms. Its critics argue that this approach deprives children of colourful stimulation – but in my view, that's total rubbish. Why the hell should I turn my flat into a nursery school full of rainbow-coloured toys just so all my kids' friends, who also have sad beige mums, can come over to wreck our flat when a playdate at theirs is like having a party in an empty white wardrobe? One nanny insists that my children, Lola, 8, and Liberty, 6, clean up the whole mansion before they leave – using them as unpaid hired help when they have only played with a few environmentally friendly wooden toys in one room. Children have plenty of opportunity to drown in brash bright colours – just look at the long hours that parents spend ferrying them to parties at horrendous multi-coloured soft play centres. Of course, it was upsetting for my children when I politely turned down the offer of a free Barbie Dreamhouse last week, but I would have had a total freak out with a 3ft-tall pink monstrosity dominating our living space. Just don't blame us mums for being beige. Many of us are utterly exhausted managing the work-life balance and school drop-offs. Beige is like a calm in the storm. We are bombarded with social media beige-ness – the look is all over Instagram as it's photogenic and on TikTok as part of the 'clean girl' aesthetic. It's a fresh start as it's the opposite of the homes we grew up in – mine had deep pink carpets and a green kitchen. People want to emulate the 'quiet luxury' of beige. It signals to the world that you have it all together when you don't. Of course, when people are inauthentic, it can seem like a cop-out or phoney. But often, it's all we have to hold onto. The truth is, I simply wouldn't function in a bright decor with too much coming at me. I feel I have too much coming at me in life.
