TOURISM & HOSPITALITY
Mandrakes and Magical Creatures
arrives at Warner Bros Studio Tour London
A Mandrakes and Magical Creatures special feature is arriving at Warner Bros Studio Tour in Leavesden to shine a spotlight on how favourite creature effects from the Harry Potter films were brought to life on screen. The feature runs from 1st July until 12th September.
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isitors will be welcomed into the Great Hall to the Frog Choir scene as seen in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, featuring the costume of conductor of the choir, Professor Flitwick, as worn by actor Warwick Davis. At this special event attendees will find their favourite magical creatures as they explore the Studio Tour. There will be Cornish Pixies, Dumbledore’s beloved Fawkes and the animatronic Monster Book of Monsters to spot during the visit. In addition, visitors can learn about how magical creatures such as the Thestrals and Mandrakes were brought to life using a mixture of scale models and CGI in the Creatures Workshop. Also new for 2022, Warner Bros is opening the doors to Professor Sprout’s Greenhouse for the very first time.
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INSPIRE
The greenhouse is a fan-favourite set from the Harry Potter Series where students were taught their Herbology lessons with Professor Pomona Sprout. Built by the original Harry Potter filmmakers, the greenhouse is home to many exotic and magical plants. There will be an interactive display where visitors can stop and pull out a potted Mandrake. Based on the scene from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, there will be a Venomous Tentacula hanging from the ceiling as visitors walk through the greenhouse. During filming, various techniques were used to achieve the movement of magical plants. The grasping movement of the Tentacula’s tendrils was computer generated. However the movement of the Mandrakes was achieved using animatronic controllers hidden beneath the table.
In addition to this brand-new set, the Studio Tour will be expanding the exterior sets in its backlot with new additions including the fountain from the Hogwarts courtyard and a 1:3 scale-version of the Weasleys’ Burrow. The scale-model of the Weasleys’ burrow is an exciting addition to the backlot area as filmmaking fans will learn the camera trickery behind the external scenes of the family home, seen in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. During production, the Weasleys’ Burrow took filmmakers 14 weeks to build but only six minutes to burn down in the iconic scene where the Death Eaters set the home ablaze. Professor Sprout’s Greenhouse, the courtyard fountain and the exterior of the Weasleys’ Burrow will be permanent additions to the Studio Tour.
