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North Wales Live
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Live
Giant animatronic dragon from Harry Potter roams London streets
A colossal dragon, familiar to Harry Potter fans from a popular film in the series, caused quite a stir in London today as it roared its way through the city streets. The 25-foot-long animatronic beast was seen 'trapped' in a box, journeying past renowned landmarks such as Westminster Bridge and King's Cross Station, en route to Warner Bros. Studio in London. This dramatic display was part of the celebrations for the launch of 'Triwizard Tournament – Making of Champions', a new exhibit at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, marking the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire. Weighing in at a hefty 1.3 tonnes, the Hungarian Horntail recreates the memorable scene from the much-loved film where Harry faces off against the daunting dragon during the first task of the 'Triwizard Tournament'. The lifelike creature, designed by Harry Potter filmmaker and animatronic designer Joe Scott, boasts moving head, mouth and eyes, along with sound effects. Constructed over 750 hours, this masterpiece features a 3D printed head, 25kg of fibreglass, and 119 individually attached spikes. Its jaws are fitted with 38 resin teeth, meticulously designed to replicate the film's terrifying appearance in detail. Scott consulted original drawings, CGI drafts, and scans of the actual film prop to inform his design strategy. Reflecting on the project, he commented: "Revisiting the creation of the Hungarian Horntail 20 years on from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire has been magical." He continued: "Creating the dragons for the Triwizard Tournament was no mean feat, with engineers, animatronics, designers and the special effects teams all working together to bring them to life. "It's fantastic to see the craftsmanship that went into this on display at the new feature - inspiring visitors with the magic of our filmmaking secrets." 'The Triwizard Tournament – Making of Champions' exhibit is set to run from 15 May to 8 September 2025 at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter. Fans will be able to step behind the scenes of the iconic Triwizard Tournament, discovering how the thrilling magical challenges were realised. The Studio Tour's latest summer feature offers guests a chance to step onto the all-new Backlot Stage to delve into the Secrets of Special Effects. This dedicated indoor area features a digital screen, tiered seating and live demonstrations that unveil how filmmakers conjured the magic. Key attractions include a reimagined arrival of the Beauxbaton and Durmstrang students, complete with costumes and choreography. Visitors can also learn about the techniques used to depict Harry holding his breath underwater during the second task. Geoff Spooner, senior vice president at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, expressed: "We're excited to launch our brand-new summer feature, Triwizard Tournament – Making of Champions, where visitors can learn behind-the-scenes secrets of the fourth Harry Potter film. "To celebrate and bring the magic of Warner Bros. Studio Tour London to the streets of the capital, we recreated the iconic moment of the escaped Hungarian Horntail dragon 20 years on from 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire."
Daily Mirror
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Harry Potter fans stunned as Hungarian Horntail dragon roars through London
The 1.3-tonne dragon, measuring 25 feet in length, was seen roaring its way around Westminster Bridge and King's Cross Station in the capital city today Londoners were left stunned as a colossal dragon, instantly recognisable from one of the beloved Harry Potter films, made its way through the city's streets today. The 25-foot-long animatronic creature was spotted 'trapped' inside a box, passing some of the city's most iconic landmarks like Westminster Bridge and King's Cross Station, en route to Warner Bros. Studio in London. This dramatic stunt marked the launch of 'Triwizard Tournament – Making of Champions', a new attraction at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the release of Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire. The Hungarian Horntail, weighing an impressive 1.3 tonnes, recreates the heart-stopping moment in the fan-favourite film where Harry battles the beast in the first task of the 'Triwizard Tournament'. Designed by Harry Potter filmmaker and animatronic designer Joe Scott, the incredibly lifelike creature boasts a moving head, mouth, and eyes, accompanied by sound effects. Taking over 750 hours to craft, the dragon features a 3D-printed head, 25kg of fibreglass, and 119 hand-applied spikes. Its intimidating mouth is lined with 38 resin-printed teeth, painstakingly recreating the film's fearsome appearance in minute detail. Joe drew inspiration from original sketches, CGI mock-ups, and scans of the original movie model to guide the design process. He remarked, "Revisiting the creation of the Hungarian Horntail 20 years on from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire has been magical." "Creating the dragons for the Triwizard Tournament was no mean feat, with engineers, animatronics, designers and the special effects teams all working together to bring them to life," he added. "It's fantastic to see the craftsmanship that went into this on display at the new feature - inspiring visitors with the magic of our filmmaking secrets." The 'Triwizard Tournament – Making of Champions' exhibit will run from 15 May to 8 September 2025 at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter. Fans will be transported behind the scenes of the iconic Triwizard Tournament, discovering how the thrilling magical challenges were brought to life. Warner Bros. Studio Tour London's latest summer offering invites lucky visitors into the all-new Backlot Stage to explore the Secrets of Special Effects. Within this new indoor arena, incorporating a digital screen and stepped seating, are live demonstrations showcasing how filmmakers captured the magic. One of the standout features will be the reimagined arrival of the Beauxbaton and Durmstrang students, complete with original costumes and choreographed moves. Visitors can also uncover the tricks filmmakers used for scenes like Harry Potter's underwater breath-holding in the second task. Geoff Spooner, senior vice president at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, said: "We're excited to launch our brand-new summer feature, Triwizard Tournament – Making of Champions, where visitors can learn behind-the-scenes secrets of the fourth Harry Potter film. "To celebrate and bring the magic of Warner Bros. Studio Tour London to the streets of the capital, we recreated the iconic moment of the escaped Hungarian Horntail dragon 20 years on from 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire."
