SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 2016 Actress Evanna Lynch attends the opening Actor James Phelps attends the opening Actor Oliver Phelps attends the opening of Actor Tom Felton attends the opening of of the ‘Wizarding World of Harry Potter’. of the ‘Wizarding World of Harry Potter’. the ‘Wizarding World of Harry Potter’. the ‘Wizarding World of Harry Potter’. Before 2020, the company has plans for tions. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said the from the films, including the luggage racks Avatar and Star Wars lands as well as Toy Story growth of Universal Studios-three quarters of from the Hogwarts Express train, Hagrid’s and Frozen expansions at its theme parks on the park has been transformed over the last five motorbike and a costume from the Yule ball. both coasts. Meanwhile, Motiongate Dubai, set years-would create new jobs, stimulate hospi- “Here, we don’t have actors, we have real peo- to open in October, recently announced a start- tality revenues and strengthen the economy. ple. So it was very important that we at least ing slate of 27 attractions inspired by films from “In Los Angeles, tourism is surging. We’ve set realized the set design perfectly so that when DreamWorks, Sony and Lionsgate, including records each of the last five years and we’re just you step into this world you feel you’re in the “The Hunger Games”, “How To Train Your getting started,” he added. The attraction, film,” he told AFP. Among a international pack Dragon,” and “The Smurfs.” The new Harry which boasts the forbidding Hogwarts castle as of reporters and photographers seeking their Potter attraction marks Universal’s fourth foray its iconic focal point, transports visitors into the inner wizard at a preview on Wednesday were a into the boy-wizard’s universe, with two visual landscape of J.K. Rowling’s books and the number of stars from the films, including Tom Orlando launches and an opening in Osaka, Warner Bros films that followed. Felton, who played Draco Malfoy, and Warwick Japan, seeing the company increase visitors by Davis (Professor Flitwick). up to 30 percent. “There’s a huge effort to real- ‘A more magical experience’ “Even though I’ve experienced much like ly address every facet of the creative process,” The attention to detail is impressive, from this, having worked on the films, for me coming supervising art director Alan Gilmore told AFP the fading patinas on the slate-gray stone Actor Warwick Davis attends the open- to ‘Wizarding World’ is a more magical experi- at a recent visit to “Wizarding World.” blocks that make up the aged rustic Hog’s Head ing of the ‘Wizarding World of Harry ence,” said Davis, whose filmography includes “The film is only one part of that, but you tavern to the painstakingly worn edges of the Potter’. several “Star Wars” episodes, “Labyrinth” and want to try and create a film that can be trans- stained furniture and the grimy floors. The theme park, the signature “Harry Potter and the “Willow.” “These environments are more lated into all of this.” Harry Potter’s enduring quaint fictional village of Hogsmeade bustles Forbidden Journey” ride combining state of the immersive because you can walk into some- appeal was evidenced by Universal’s announce- with the chatter of merchants on the cobble- art 360-degree 3-D special effects, live-action where like the Three Broomsticks from ment that yesterday’s opening had sold out stone streets and a pub packed with thirsty thrills and groundbreaking robotics, is anything Hogsmeade and it exists in reality, whereas days ahead, marking the first time ever that the patrons under a snow-capped roof. but. Gilmore, an architect by trade, says when you make the movies these locations and park has had to halt online ticketing transac- If all that sounds like the run-of-the-mill “Wizarding World” boasts many original props sets are quite separate.” — AFP An exterior view of Hogwarts is seen during the ‘Wizarding World of Harry Potter Opening’ press preview..