If you recall, last month I posted about Rupert Grint painting a butterfly that would be sold to support charity. That butterfly is now up for bids on eBay!
To bid on Rupert’s painting and support Keech, click here! The auction will run for ten days until next Sunday at 2 pm (UK time).
Thanks to Thierry Coup we have another video preview of the Harry Potter Wizarding World Theme Park! See the video by heading over to Universal Orlando’s Facebook page, here! You can also watch it below!
Thanks to clairland we have some fun news for fans in France. Tom Felton will be a guest at a French convention on December 18th of this year! The convention is called Magic Christmas and you can find more information by going to this website!
Cinemablend has posted more information about the Deathly Hallows preview I posted about earlier, HUGE spoilers ahead:
It was pretty bold of Warner Bros. to show off as much of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as they did, given that much of the effects work was unfinished and a major character– Ralph Fiennes’ noseless Voldemort– had dots on his face marking the future digital alteration that really makes him who he is. But they weren’t just bold in what they showed us, but how they did it– the first scene of the extended trailer was Harry and Voldemort’s confrontation in the woods outside Hogwarts. Harry, bloodied and visibly terrified, approaches a cold Voldemort (flanked by Bellatrix Lestrange); Voldemort taunts Harry, “The boy who lived, come to die.”
The footage shown came from all sections of The Deathly Hallows, so it’s impossible to tell where they will split up the two movies. We saw little bits of everything, from the seven Harry Potters escaping from the Dursleys house (totally surreal) to the attack at Bill and Fleur’s wedding to the escape from Gringotts on the pale dragon and even Hogwarts on fire. With unfinished effects it’s hard to really say how it all looks, though some of the most effective moments were the simplest– Ron and Harry’s fight in the tent, Harry visiting his parents’ graves, running away from the Snatchers in the woods, Harry defiantly telling Voldemort that he stays alive “because I have something worth fighting for.”
Basically, it’s hugely exciting for anyone who’s a fan of the book– but that’s been the case for every Harry Potter trailer and sneak peek thus far, so why should we have expected anything different. The cool, smoky cinematography that really marked Half-Blood Prince seems to be continuing in this one, and the newfound acting skills we saw in many of the young actors will likely be coming in handy. There was no sign of some of the key characters, like Draco Malfoy and Professor McGonagall, but I expect just as much good stuff from them too.
One odd moment– one of the final shots was of Hermione riding a broom, by herself, escaping from a fireball that’s likely the curse that Crabbe and Goyle set off in the Room of Requirement near the end. Did Hermione ever ride a broom by herself in the books? Is this a change that will mean something bigger, or just something convenient so the movie doesn’t have to bother explaining that Hermione isn’t good on a broom? It’s the kind of nitpick that only the geekiest Harry Potter fans will ever care about– but that’s what you have me for, isn’t it?
New footage from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was shown at Las Vegas’ ShoWest convention earlier today. FirstShowing attended the screening and posted some information:
Yep, just saw the Quiddich arena burning down and Harry flying with Hagrid on his motorcycle – footage from Deathly Hallows. Looks AWESOME!
I got chills seeing footage of Voldemort in Deathly Hallows without CG, just Ralph Fiennes with makeup & dots on his face. So frickin’ cool!
We saw a lot of him. In the forest looking for Harry. Then sitting down at a big table talking w/ Snape about Harry’s safehouse.
Universal Orlando released a new sneak peak at the making of some of the footage that will be used for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Dan Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, James and Oliver Phelps, Bonnie Wright, Robbie Coltrane, Michael Gambon, and more, are shown throughout the clip.
The opening date of the theme park will be revealed on March 25 at midnight EST.
