An interesting interview has popped up online via The Daily Beast with Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe. In the interview, Daniel talks about the rumors of engagements, his new projects…oh and the fact that he has not filmed any new scenes for the upcoming Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts ride at Universal Orlando’s all new Diagon Alley which will open this Summer at Universal Studios Florida. Does it really mean there will be no Harry Potter in the all new Wizarding World of Harry Potter?
While Daniel Radcliffe was front and center for all eight Harry Potter films, and the first Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park areas at Universal Orlando (and soon Universal Japan), the actor has gone on record and said that he HAS NOT filmed any new footage for the new attraction.
“I know nothing about that,” he says. “They may very well be using existing footage that we’d already filmed for the movies, but I have had no calls or involvement in that. A while ago they asked me to do more stuff for the theme park, and that was my moment to try and draw a line because that theme park is going to keep expanding, and keep going to more countries, and there’s going to come a point where I’m going to be 30 years old, and if I was still doing that then, that would be a huge problem.”
The point is there. Harry Potter is getting older…he really can no longer pass himself as “The Boy Who Lived” and as an actor, why would he want to? It was a great role, and it was a great time…but time goes on. Still, the question remains, will there be no Harry Potter in the all new Harry Potter ride?
Don’t get your wands out so fast.
Daniel Radcliffe specifically said he has “filmed no new footage”.
While no NEW footage has been filmed, it’s very possible that footage for the ride has already been filmed, and just shelved until the right time. It’s no secret that theme parks like Universal plan things years in advance. Their Halloween event, Halloween Horror Nights gets planned out almost 18 months in advance for the coming years. In the Harry Potter film series itself, Butterbeer first made an appearance in the third film, Prison of Azkaban. That film is said to have used REAL BUTTERBEER (as created by Universal executive chef, Steve Jayson). The Wizarding World of Harry Potter wasn’t announced until 2007, and not opened. If the Butterbeer used in the film was the real stuff they serve in Universal, that means that planning began over seven years prior to opening.
Let’s look at something else. Universal has recently released a new video showcasing new details for Escape from Gringotts.
As was said in the video, the ride takes place during Harry Ron and Hermione’s attempt to rob the the vault of Bellatrix LeStrange of her Horcrux. You get to see events in the film from a different perspective. That sounds like you will see Harry, Ron and Hermione…if only from a distance. Glimpses of them as they zoom by, and maybe even see them as they walk by in the Bank Lobby could be possible. In the video you also see Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) talking about the ride itself. To our knowledge, he also has not filmed new scenes for the ride either.
So while there have been no new scenes filmed recently for Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, it’s not likely that we will have an adventure in the Wizarding World without the Boy Who Lived coming in to save the day.
Update 5-13-14
It seems that Daniel Radcliffe and the Daily Beast spoke too soon. Art Director of both the Harry Potter film series AND the Wizarding World of Harry Potter tells MTV that yes, there are new scenes with Ron, Harry and Hermione filmed for Escape from Gringotts.
“They’ll be there! It’s quite exciting,” Alan Gilmore, the art director for both the rides and the films told us over the phone. “They’re regrouping for one last adventure.”
“It’s all new, it’s a brand new film,” Gilmore continued, “and it’s absolutely film quality, involving the films team, a merging of the film team and the Universal production team.”
So now the debate rages on. Radcliffe says no…Alan Gilmore says yes! Well, still the possibility that, yes, new scenes were filmed for the ride during filming of the movie. We will have to wait and see just how involved the trio gets in this all new adventure.
Escape from Gringotts will open with the rest of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter-Diagon Alley this summer at Universal Orlando Resort. Guests will not only fight dementors, face dragons and battle You-Know-Who, but they will also board the Hogwarts Express on Platform 9 3/4 and take a magical train ride to Hogsmeade.
Stay tuned as we bring you even more from Universal and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! Be sure to get social with us on Facebook, and follow along with us on Twitter @BehindThrills for the latest updates!
