It’s been six years since the last ‘Harry Potter’ movie, ‘The Deathly Hallows Part 2’ was released in theaters and ten since the publication of the book upon which it was adapted. But the bespectacled boy wizard has only slightly faded from the public pop culture consciousness thanks partly to his creator, J.K. Rowling’s tireless efforts. Not only did she pen the scripts for the stage production, ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ and the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ movies, but she is constantly enriching the lore of the Wizarding World via Pottermore, the official website for all things Harry. Her latest offering comes on a significant date from the ‘The Deathly Hallows’, September 1 also known as the “19 Years Later” date, when adult Harry and Ginny drop their son Albus Severus Potter off at Platform 9-3/4 so that he can depart to begin his first year at Hogwarts.
One important part of arriving at a new school is a guided tour. Now you may not be able to get into Hogwarts, but you can still take the tour yourself! Pottermore is now offering ‘The Hogwarts Experience’, an immersive virtual tour of the school grounds and the woods surrounding it, which “gives visitors the illusion of flying through the exterior of the castle, through the Forbidden Forest and Hagrid’s hut, and a full view of the Quidditch pitch.” There are clickable attractions that allow fans to stop and learn more about certain points of interest.
‘The Hogwarts Experience’ works on any smartphone, computer or tablet. It’s free but you have to sign up for a Pottermore account, which is also free.
Henriette Stuart-Reckling, Pottermore Global Digital Director, announced:
“We’ve seen many interpretations of Hogwarts – from the artwork in the illustrated editions of the books to the eight feature films from Warner Bros. This new feature on our website marks the first time fans will have the opportunity to explore the famous wizarding school any time, any place and at their own pace. It’s a unique, mobile-first experience using bespoke visual assets allowing anyone to ‘visit’ Hogwarts on-the-go.”
Check out this promotional video to get an idea of what to expect:
For more Wizarding wonders, ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ opens on Broadway in April 2018. The second ‘Fantastic Beasts’ movie, starring Jude Law as a young Albus Dumbledore, is currently filming with a release date of November 16, 2018. An official title has yet to be revealed.
