As I posted last month Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter would be at this year’s Empire Presents BIG SCREEN at The O2 London on August 14th. Tickets are still available for £10 (and selling out fast). To order yours head over to SeeTickets and select the following: FX INDIGO: 16:30-17:15 MAKING OF HARRY POTTER

Additionally, WBs reps have let us know there will be a special giveaway on the EmpireBIGSCREEN Facebook where fans can win tickets to the event. The giveaway will start at 5PM GMT TOMORROW (August 2nd) so be ready!

The trailer for the Harry Potter Leavesden Tour, which I also posted last month, may be seen below:

Day 1 of Pottermore’s pre-registration is closed. The clue for today was from Chamber of Secrets and was: “What is the number of the chapter in which Professor McGonagall cancels the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Multiply this number by 42.”

Tomorrow’s clue will be related to Prisoner of Azkaban and once again the time the clue will be revealed is a secret.  I assume that Pottermore will spread out the release of the clues so people all around the world will have a chance. (I have been sleeping both times the clue was released…grr)

As I reported last week, Warner Bros and Universal will be holding a special event at the Potter theme park entitled A Celebration of the Harry Potter Films. The tickets for the event went on sale today and the Premier Package is already sold out, the Celebration package is still available but I would advise anyone still interested in going to hurry up and book as soon as you can by heading the Universal Website!

Additionally, Universal have posted up some frequently asked questions about the event that you can read at this page. Some of the questions are as follows:

When will I know the celebrities that will be attending? Please continue to check www.universalorlando.com/celebration for updates about the event. Celebrities may not be announced until closer to the event.

How can I participate in the Autograph and Q&A sessions? Guests can purchase a Premier Package to participate in one Cast Member Autograph session. Guests can purchase either a Premier package or a Celebration package to participate in one Cast Member Q&A session. There will be additional ways for a limited number of people to participate in celebration events. Stay tuned for more details.

Can I bring a camera and or/video camera to the event? Yes, you can bring a camera/video camera to the event. However, please keep in mind we cannot guarantee that we will be able to accommodate requests for personal photos with cast members.

Are the film screenings included in the vacation package? No. Harry Potter film screening tickets are not included in the vacation package.

When will film screening tickets be available for purchase? Film screening tickets will be available for separate purchase at a later date. Please continue to check for updates.

Thanks to SS for the tip!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II has finally crossed the $1 billion dollar mark. It is the first Harry Potter film to reach $1 billion and the ninth film in cinema history to reach it.  It reached this amount in record time, only 17 days!

According to the press release “the film has now earned an estimated $318.46 million domestically and an estimated $690 million on the international side for a worldwide total to date of approximately $1.008 billion, already making it, globally, the top-grossing film in Warner Bros. Pictures’ history. ”

Some Potter executives had this to say about the achievement:

Dan Fellman stated, “What’s truly astounding is that these kinds of numbers are being achieved so early in the film’s release. The movie’s excellent reviews, outstanding word-of-mouth and repeat business will ensure that Harry Potter will be charming moviegoers for months to come.”

Veronika Kwan-Rubinek remarked, “To say that the global response to the film has been extraordinary would be an understatement. We are so proud that this last film in the series has not only reached such heights but has reached them in record time. It is now Warner Bros.’ most successful release ever, and there is still plenty more to come.”

Day 1 of Pottermore’s pre-registration is closed. The clue for today was from Sorcerer’s Stone and was: “How many breeds of owl are featured on the Eeylops Emporium sign? Multiply this number by 49.” Tomorrow’s clue will be released at a different time and will be a question that comes from Chamber of Secrets.

Some new information on the Magical Quill Challenge may be read below from the Pottermore Insider Blog:

If you did register for early access today, then congratulations! You should receive your validation email shortly. Don’t forget to click the link in your validation email within 48 hours; this will secure your early access place.

Please note that we will not be enabling early access to the site straight away. Once The Magical Quill challenge is over, we will send successful early access registrants a Welcome email, letting them know when they will be able to access Pottermore. We won’t be able to let everyone into the Beta site at the same time; you may have to wait a few weeks for your Welcome email to arrive.

Many fans are trying to get on the Pottermore website without success, it took a while but the page finally loaded for me. Fans who aren’t able to gain early access will need to wait until the official opening in October. Below you will find a screenshot of the current home page, click it to see it full size.  It reads:

7 books, 7 days, 7 chances
Those of you who would like the chance to gain early access to Pottermore must find The Magical Quill, and then submit your registration details. Each day, from 31 July to 6 August, a clue will be revealed here. Solve the clue and you will be taken to The Magical Quill. Be quick, The Magical Quill won’t be there for long and registration will only be open while spaces are still available each day.

There is also a help page with information about The Magical Quill, you can read that information in the screenshot below. Click it to see it full size so you can read!