Bone-Idle has posted a new interview with Sony where they discuss the upcoming Wonderbook: Book of Spells including the fact that they’ve been working on it for two years and it was actually J.K. Rowling’s idea to do a “Book of Spells” with the Wonderbook software.
How much of an influence and input has JK had on the Book of Spells is it a licence deal or is she there all the time?
She is very much hands on, not only did she come up with the Book of spells but she has written the story, the spells and conundrums but also her and her team have been very hands on with looking at what we have done and signing off on everything. Looking at the characters and locations and making sure they are authentic enough.
So as Art Director how much freedom did you have to let your own imagination flow?
Quite a bit actually from the look of the book itself, the look and feel of everything like the paper styling but it was very much a case of showing everything to JK and ensuring that it all fits, as it is important that everything we create fits into that world and is authentic.
In terms of a story mode or campaign then is there own within the Book of Spells or is it a series of separate spells you learn?
Well JK wrote a conundrum that takes you through the book and teaches you the qualities that a wizard should have so at the end of each chapter you receive a piece of the conundrum which tells the story of a previous Hogwarts student that maybe didn’t have the right quality to be successful. So all those pieces come together to make up the whole over arching storyline.
So is there any online side to it that you are talking about yet?
Well …am if you have already got an account with the Pottermore website when you start the game you get to link your accounts at the start of the game and the same house you get in the Pottermore website you get in the game.
The cover art and a new synopsis for J.K. Rowling’s new book The Casual Vacancy has been released by the Little, Brown and Company. The book is 512 pages and will be released on September 27, 2012 in hardcover ($35.00), large print hardcover ($39.00), e-book ($19.99), unabridged audio download ($29.98), and on CD ($44.98)
When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.
Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.
Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils…Pagford is not what it first seems.
And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity, and unexpected revelations?
A big novel about a small town, The Casual Vacancy is J. K. Rowling’s first novel for adults. It is the work of a storyteller like no other.
Pottermore has updated their Insider blog to let users know that Slytherin House won the House Cup and will be able to access Chamber of Secrets 24 hours before the rest of the houses.
Their Site Updates section has also been updated with more news on Chamber of Secrets:
Monday 09 July Chamber of Secrets update:
This week, we are recording sounds for Chapter Sixteen, The Chamber of Secrets.
Tuesday 03 July Chamber of Secrets update:
This week, we’re finalising artwork for Chapter Eight, The Deathday Party.
Monday 25 June Chamber of Secrets update:
This week, we’re finalising artwork for Chapter Seven, Mudbloods and Murmurs, and Chapter Fifteen, Aragog.
Monday 18 June Chamber of Secrets update:
This week, we’re finalising artwork for Chapter Fourteen, Cornelius Fudge.
Monday 11 June Chamber of Secrets update:
Last week, we were editing sounds in the studio for the Chamber of Secrets and we’re now working on finishing artwork for Chapter Eleven, The Duelling Club.
Universal Orlando has announced that they will be opening up a new hotel in 2014 for guests of the park. It will be called Universal’s Cabana Beach Resort and will contain 1800 rooms. The opening of the hotel will coincide with the opening of their second Potter-land at Universal, which is rumored to be Diagon Alley and/or a Hogwarts Express ride.
Half of those rooms will be “family suites” — lower-end suites with room for as many as six people. Universal said the hotel will be modeled after a large, sweeping motor court, to evoke the road trips many Americans grew up enjoying when on vacation. Renderings of the hotel show a retro-style entrance, with clean lines accented by orange-and-turquoise flourishes.
“Our new hotel will give guests an affordable, incredibly themed on-site hotel experience unlike anything else at our resort,” Tom Williams, chairman and chief executive officer of Universal Parks & Resorts, said in a prepared statement. “Our new family suites and family-value pricing will give our guests on-site options they’ve never had before.”
Universal and Loews are positioning Cabana Bay as a more-affordable on-property option than their existing hotels: the 1,000-room Royal Pacific Resort, the 750-room Portofino Bay Hotel and the 650-room Hard Rock Hotel.
Like guests in the three existing hotels, travelers booking rooms in Cabana Bay will get early admission to Universal Orlando’s two theme parks. But unlike guests in the other hotels, they will not receive complimentary front-of-the-line ride passes.
“The Cabana Bay Beach Resort furthers our goal of operating special and distinct properties in important markets,” Paul Whetsell, Loews Hotels & Resorts president and CEO, said in a prepared statement. “This is another important step in our plan to expand the Loews system in major markets across the United States.”
The new hotel will be built on 37 acres adjacent to Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park, just off Hollywood Way and Turkey Lake Road.
Cabana Bay is being timed to coincide with the opening of a second Harry Potter-themed “land” that is also expected to open in 2014 and will likely deliver another huge attendance surge to the resort.
It’s also the latest example of Universal Parks & Resort’s new corporate owner, cable-TV giant Comcast Corp., sinking money into the theme-park business. With Comcast’s blessing, Universal is also building copies of Wizarding World in Southern California and Japan.
According to London24 Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe have participated in a video that will be aired during the Olympics in London next month. The article states:
A video featuring stars including actors Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, musician Gary Barlow, boxing star Amir Khan and comedian and actor Simon Pegg will be played at the end of Olympic events. The five-minute video will be played on screens at a number of venues as spectators leave.
In the video Emma says: “I hope you had an awesome time, keep loving London.” They did not reveal Dan’s message.
(Other Potter stars may be involved as well, but the article only reports Dan and Emma)
Today Bloomsbury launched a competition to find the UK and Irelend’s biggest Harry Potter fan. This competition was made to coincide with the 15th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. It runs from today, 26th June until Harry and Jo Rowling’s birthday, 31st July 2012. The winner and runners-up will be announced on Saturday 1st September.
To enter, fans must write a letter that contains no more than 50 words stating why they are the ultimate Harry Potter fan and post their letter in the special postbox provided at a participating bookstore or library. Winners will receive:
The winner will receive a family holiday to experience the magic and excitement of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ only at Universal Orlando® Resort and a leather-bound, signed, dedicated and numbered 15th Anniversary Edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
Fourteen lucky runners-up will each receive a leather-bound, signed, dedicated and numbered 15th Anniversary Edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone .
More details from the press release are as follows:
We are looking for the most creative, clever and entertaining reasons and, while the word limit it set to a strict 50 words, please do draw, doodle or illustrate your letters if you wish. Entry is only available through participating bookshops and libraries. Over 1,800 venues are taking part, and to find out whether there is one in your area please take a look at the map and list below. The competition is open to all ages.
As part of your entry, please remember to include your name and date of birth, parent or guardian’s name (where relevant), contact address, email address and phone number. This information will not be counted as part of the 50 word limit.
