The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter Almost Became A Part Of Disney World
In 2003, rumors began about a Harry Potter attraction coming to either Walt Disney World or Universal Studios. At the time, Disney owned the network television broadcast rights to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, which cost them a lot of money, but Universal had been trying to secure the rights to the property since before the first movie even finished filming. Initially, it seemed like Disney was bound to win, as Rowling signed a letter of intent with Disney in 2004. But soon after everything fell apart, with Disney’s plans proving to be too small for Warner Bros. and Rowling. In response, Disney stated that they pulled out of the deal because Warner Bros. and Rowling’s rules were too strict.
Writer and theme park historian Jim Hill spoke about Disney’s plans on his podcast in 2018, suggesting, based on his own sources, that they had planned to build two attractions. One was to be an “Omnimover attraction with a wand instead of a gun,” much like Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, and the other a “Care of Magical Creatures Petting Zoo.” Either way, Disney’s disappointing plans led to Universal Studios finally getting the rights, quickly beginning construction on the version of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter you know today.
The Beginnings Of Harry Potter
In 1997, British author J.K. Rowling released the first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone . The book was an instant hit, and Rowling released six more books over the next decade, each of which was accompanied by midnight release parties and massive fan and media hype, culminating in the massive 2007 release of the final book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
In 2001, Warner Brothers released a film adaption of the first book. The studio and director Chris Columbus, in close collaboration with Rowling crafted the film into a massive hit that stayed relatively true to the source material and the authors vision of authenticity. Over the next decade, seven more films were released , each of which was a massive success and overall contributed to the Harry Potter series being one of the most successful in cinema history.
Is Harry Potter On Peacock
As it became evident through the course of this article, despite the franchises massive popularity the movies are actually quite difficult to track down and watch with only a handful of streaming services featuring it in their catalogs.
If you ask any Potterhead this is a real problem which is why most fans rely on owning a physical copy of the movies to avoid any unpleasant surprises which may be caused by a constantly rotating collection of movies featured on different streaming services.
Luckily, all of this came to an end once Peacock TV was announced. Peacock TV is a new streaming service owned by NBC Universal which was released in July of last year.
Due to the deal which NBC Universal made with WarnerMedia to acquire the film rights for the series, they now have the ability to feature it on their new streaming service.
The Harry Potter franchise first made its way to the site in October 2020, but by November it was removed from the site. Luckily in early 2021, all eight moves were returned to Peacocks library.
Although the fate of the movies on the site is quite unclear due to the frequent changes between different streaming sites the most likely explanation is that the series will either be featured on both Peacock TV and HBOMax or will rotate between the sites periodically.
Peacock TV is a great option for anyone since the base package with a limited library is actually free. From there on you can actually get individual movies for a certain price.
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Is Jk Rowling Richer Than Oprah
Heres a shocker: Oprah Winfrey is NOT the number one self-made female billionaire in the world. Shes followed by two more Chinese women who are each worth more than $4 billion. To put that in perspective, Oprah ranked ninth with $2.3 billion and Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is 20th with $1 billion.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald
Our second adventure in the Fantastic Beasts world sees Johnny Depp move from a fleeting cameo in the first film to a full-blown appearance as dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald. Jude Law also stars as Albus Dumbledore. This decidedly gloomy second offering didnt do quite as well as the first, but it did start to explore the complex relationship between the two wizards. We also know Fantastic Beasts 3 is on its way, albeit with some new casting: its now Danish actor Mads Mikkelson who will take on the role of Grindlewald.
Where to watch in the UK:
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Does Disney Owns Universal
Does Disney own Universal Studios? No, thankfully not. Both Universal Studios and Dreamworks are owned by the mega media conglomerate NBCUniversal, which in turn is owned by Comcast.
Also, Which is the biggest Universal Studios?
Universal Studios Orlando
Orlando is Universals largest resort and has the largest and original Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which spans Universal Studios Park and Islands of Adventure.
Accordingly, Is Disney or Universal cheaper?
With that said, Universal is less expensive than Walt Disney World in most ways. Park tickets and food prices are not particularly noticeable, but the big one is hotel rates. Not only is Universal significantly cheaper, but its resorts include perks that would cost additional money at Walt Disney World.
in the same way Can you stay at Universal and go to Disney?
Sure. You can also stay at Disney and go to Universal, or stay off property and visit both theme parks.
Does Disney own CBS?
It is the flagship subsidiary of ViacomCBS, and is based in New York City. Prior to Disneys purchase of the American Broadcasting Company, several Disney shows were originally aired on CBS.
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The Future Of Harry Potter At Universal Studios
The success of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure encouraged Universal to bring the land to its other theme parks in California and Japan, and Hogsmeade will have a place in Universals upcoming park in China. In 2014, Universal Orlando expanded the Wizarding World to its other park, Universal Studios Florida, and connected the two lands with a Hogwarts Express train experience. Like with Islands of Adventure, this new land drastically boosted Universals park attendance.
In 2019, Universal announced that it would be building a third theme park in the Orlando area to be called Epic Universe. One of the four immersive lands this park will have is rumored to be based on the Harry Potter spinoff prequel series Fantastic Beasts. Interestingly, one of the speculated attractions for this land is a shoot-for-points ride using wandsa concept eerily similar to Disneys proposed attraction for its Harry Potter mini land. This just goes to show that some ideas never die.
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Harry Potter And The Disneyland Purchase
One source claimed that one of the reasons why Harry never made his way to Disney is because of the underwhelming offer J.K. Rowling received from Disney for a Harry Potter-themed attraction in Disneyland. According to Jim Hill Medias Universal Joint podcast, Disney would put Harry Potter attractions around Disneyland as big as the leagues of Fantasyland or Tomorrowland, but would simply be a mini-land featured inside Fantasyland.
Had Disney gotten its way, there would be a Leaky Cauldron that served food and probably their version of butterbeer, a petting zoo inspired by a Care of Magical Creatures class, and an attraction that was similar to the Buzz Lightyear attraction, but with wands instead of guns. This was an extremely small attraction for the real potential the Harry Potter franchise could have, so it was no surprise that J.K. Rowling turned it down and accepted Universals offer which was much more extensive and immersive.
Prior to this, Disneyland not only dominated the competition for theme parks from the 80s until the early 00s, but it made so much that it earned twice the profits of its closest competition. But in 2010, when Universal won the rights to opening a Harry Potter land called The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Suddenly, Disney had a serious competitor threatening its position in terms of profit. So, in an attempt to beat the Harry Potter attraction, it turned to other franchises it thought could compete with Harry Potter.
The Wizarding World Reinvents Ips At Theme Parks
The land instantly turned Universal into a must-visit destination, and the company quickly began planning to add more Potter. Universal Studios Floridas Diagon Alley expansion opened in 2014, featured another mega E-Ticket attraction, hyper-detailed, Rowling-Approved land, and even the Hogwarts Express combining the two lands . Beyond Universal, Potters success spurred on the construction of more single-IP mega-lands.
Its impossible to overstate just how different the theme park landscape would be right now had Disneys Harry Potter land and attractions been built. Universal Studios Florida would be a completely different resort, and Disney may have never built Pandora: The World of Avatar or Star Wars: Galaxys Edge.
Are you glad that Disneys deal with JK Rowling never came to fruition, or do you wish we have gotten a chance to see what the company could have done with her Harry Potter characters. Let us know in the comments below!
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Is Harry Potter On Disney+
Disney+ is another massively popular streaming platform. Even before the platform was released in the early November of 2019 people were eager the learn more about this new platform.
The platform became even more popular after the announcement that it will feature exclusive content from some of the most popular Disney properties such as Marvel and Star Wars.
After the release of now extremely popular series like The Mandalorian and WandaVision, the platform became as popular as it has ever been. The combination of content managed to accumulate the fans that were looking forward to the additional content and the fans who subscribed to the platform for the original Disney content.
With its quick launch into popularity, many who were interested in getting the platform wondered if the site will feature popular content such as the Harry Potter series.
Unfortunately, the site does not feature our favorite magical series. It is also unlikely the platform will ever feature anything aside from the Disney content.
The platform serves as a medium of releasing additional content exclusively, which enabled Disney to become independent from other streaming services and in turn maximizing Disneys profits. It also allows Disney to release additional content in relation to their recently acquired properties such as Star Wars which served as a means of introducing those franchises to new fans.
The Real Reason Disney World Didn’t Get Harry Potter Land
Those who say “you can’t have your cake and eat it too” clearly haven’t visited a Disney World snack kiosk. They even have cake in the form of lollipops now you can have it, and eat it, and probably do another task, as well. This philosophy of plenty extends to the entire Disney World experience. That being said, after exploring the cinematic worlds of Star Wars and Marvel, as well as other Disney Classics, theme-park attendees still have nowhere to hide their horcruxes.
If you step over to Universal Studios, though, you can slip behind a mysterious brick wall and venture into Diagon Alley. After guzzling some butterbeer, an even larger extension of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is just a train ride away via the Hogwarts Express. The first chunk of the official wizarding experience opened up in 2010 at Universal Studios Orlando, followed by an expansion into sister parks in 2014. This marked a serious sea change in the theme park market Disney might have remained the bigger brand in parks, but for once Universal Studios actually had the hotter product. Attendance at Disney World dipped in the years following the debut of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, with Universal seeing a steady reciprocal rise in attendance nearly 10% in the first year after the Harry Potter-themed attraction opened its magical doors. How could the House of Mouse miss out on such an obvious cash cow?
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Is Jk Rowling Involved With The Development Of Hogwarts Legacy
The author of the Harry Potter book series, J.K. Rowling, is involved with many projects set within the series’ world, including the ongoing expansion of the universe via Pottermore and the Fantastic Beasts films. In June 2020, Rowling made public criticizing transgender people, and this angered many fans of the series. Harry Potter actors like Daniel Radcliffe have even spoken out against Rowling’s comments, and her involvement with the game appears to be a dealbreaker for some .
Bloomberg’s report does confirm that “she continues to play a role in most projects associated with the Harry Potter brand, and the game is no exception” but that “Rowling has very little direct involvement” in the game. Some developers at Avalanche Software are reportedly “rattled” by Rowling’s comments.
What If Disney Owned Ghostbusters
Theres definitely something strange in the Disney Parks neighborhoods. The Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean and Tower of Terrorare just a few examples of Disneys relationship with the weird and wonderful world of the supernatural and thats just the theme park attractions. Theres also the streaming service Disney+, and now that the House of Mouse has inherited a ton of new IPs following the Fox acquisition, with the likes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer being one of them, its curious to consider what other similar franchises they could make work.
One that comes to mind is Ghostbusters. With a new film due for release on November 19, its fair to say that this property is still as hot as it was back in the 80s . In fact, there are a number of different IPs we think Disney could take on, such as Harry Potter and theNinja Turtles. After all, Disney is no stranger to all things magic, superhero and supernatural but could Ghostbusters work? In other words, if you were being troubled by strange noises in the middle of the night, who ya gonna call? Well, lets suppose it was Disney
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Nbcuniversal Gets Exclusive Tv Rights To Harry Potter Films Until 2025
NBCUniversal just signed a massive deal with Warner Bros., giving it exclusive access to J. K. Rowlings Wizarding World franchise and Harry Potter films, Deadline reports. The agreement will give NBCU on-air and digital rights to the Wizarding World properties, and cable TV rights for the eight Harry Potter films. The agreement spans from 2018 to 2025, and could be one of the biggest movie franchise deals ever, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Now you know where to find the Fantastic Beasts
The upcoming Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, starring Eddie Redmayne, is the first installment in the Wizarding World series. Warner Bros. is already working on the sequel to that movie, due out in 2018, according to Deadline. As for the Harry Potter series, NBCU plans to air director’s cut versions of the films on USA Network and Syfy, according to Deadline. The two networks will also air 3D versions of the most recent Harry Potter movie, the two-part Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows.
The agreement between the two companies also gives Universal’s theme parks rights to “exclusive content and events,” which could include promotional events and screenings, according to Deadline.
WSJ reports that the deal could be worth as much as $250 million NBCU told WSJ it’s the largest movie acquisition in the company’s history. The terms of the deal will take effect in July 2018.
Disclosure: Comcast Ventures and NBCUniversal are investors in Vox Media, The Verge’s parent company.
Disney Plus Has So Many Other Gems In The Meantime
To satiate your Harry Potter need, Disney Plus does have some options that may help! If you’re looking for a good fantasy-type movie, Disney Plus offers movies like The Chronicles of Narnia franchise, A Wrinkle in Time, Beauty and the Beast, and Avatar.
There is also the 2010 adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, which will spark familiar feelings of nostalgia and childlike wonder for any Harry Potter fan. If a television series is more your taste for magic and wizardry, there’s always the entire series of the Selena Gomez Disney Channel original series, Wizards of Waverly Place.
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Nbcuniversal Is Launching Its Own Streaming Platform In July 2020
Fortunately for Harry Potter fans, NBCUniversal is launching its own streaming platform in July 2020 called Peacock. The platform will have popular television shows like The Office, 30 Rock,and every single Bravoshow.According to Vox, movies available for binge-watching include Jaws, Jurassic Park, E.T., the Fast & Furious series, the Bourne franchise, Billy Elliot, and Shrek.
Theres no word regarding when, or if, movies like Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone will join the library. Until then, Amazon Prime is the place to get your fill of the Harry Potter movie franchise. While you cant stream all eight Harry Potter movies with your Amazon Prime Video membership, you can still watch them through the service. Theyre available to rent or purchase. You will need a Prime account to stream them once youve paid for the movies.
What Is The Gameplay In Hogwarts Mystery
As we’ve mentioned, Hogwarts Mystery is an open-world action RPG set in the world of Harry Potter. “Now you can take control of the action and be at the center of your own adventure in the wizarding world,” the website reveals. “Embark on a journey through familiar and new locations as you explore and discover fantastic beasts, customize your character and craft potions, master spell casting, upgrade talents, and become the wizard you want to be.”
Hogwarts Legacy is in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
This article was originally published on 6.29.2020 6:55 PM
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