The Harry Potter franchise continues to expand away from the screen, and Warner Bros. has now confirmed that an existing attraction is set to undergo a very magical makeover.
Harry Potter‘s Global Theme Park Expansion
For 16 years, the Wizarding World has been a cornerstone of theme park expansion, beginning with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade, which opened at Universal Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando Resort in 2010 and introduced guests to Hogwarts Castle and the Forbidden Journey attraction.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley followed in 2014, with the two lands connected by none other than the Hogwarts Express itself. The concept expanded at Universal Studios Japan at around the same time, Universal Studios Hollywood in 2016, and Universal Studios Beijing in 2021.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Rides
Several new rides spanning all destinations have come online during that time, from Flight of the Hippogriff to Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey to Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts.
Most recently, in 2025, guests stepped inside the Ministry of Magic at Orlando's Universal Epic Universe, a new area that blends the 1920s wizarding Paris as seen in the Fantastic Beasts films and the original British Ministry of Magic, with the latter featuring the ride Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry.
HBO's Upcoming Television Series
The Harry Potter franchise’s footprint is also evolving on the small screen. HBO’s upcoming television adaptation of the seven original novels by J.K. Rowling is now in active production. The long-form series, designed to span a decade, has announced dozens of cast members for Season 1, with filming underway across the United Kingdom.
Production activity has been centered in part at the historic studio complex in Leavesden, the same site that housed the original film productions. Cameras are officially rolling on the first season, which is expected to adapt Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in full, with work continuing throughout 2026.
Related: Universal’s Epic Universe Under Fire: Lawsuit Claims Harry Potter Ride “Plagued” by Malfunctions
The Making of Harry Potter in London
That brings the focus back to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, located at the studio’s production base in Leavesden, Hertfordshire.
Opened in 2012, the Studio Tour was developed inside the very soundstages where all eight Harry Potter films were made between 2000 and 2011.
Rather than a theme park, it was conceived as a behind-the-scenes experience, preserving original sets including the Great Hall, Diagon Alley, the Forbidden Forest and Platform 9¾. Thousands of authentic props, costumes and animatronic creatures used on screen remain on display, many maintained by former crew members who worked on the films.
Related: The Most Massive ‘Harry Potter' Experience Yet Is Opening in 2027 : Disney Fanatic
A New Magical Event Is Coming
Over the years, the attraction has expanded, adding the Gringotts Wizarding Bank set in 2019 and regularly introducing limited-time seasonal features tied to specific films.
It has become one of the UK’s most visited paid attractions, drawing Potterheads from around the world to the site where the franchise was physically brought to life.
That context makes this year’s announcement particularly fitting. Per HarryPotter.com, the Studio Tour has now unveiled a new summer feature, “First Year at Hogwarts,” running from May 7 to September 7, 2026, commemorating 25 years since the release of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, the film that launched the entire franchise back in 2001.
The new experience will spotlight key moments from the first installment.
In the Great Hall, Gryffindor banners will hang above the house tables, while floating hats will recreate the atmosphere of the first-year End-of-Term Feast.
The Gryffindor Common Room will feature the scene in which Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) casts “Petrificus Totalus” on Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis). Quidditch will also take center stage, with the original polearm rig on display and new insight into how the flying sequences were achieved.
Meanwhile, a Backlot Stage presentation titled “Secrets of Sound Effects” will explore the art of Foley and the creation of the series’ distinctive audio landscape. Creature effects from the first film, including Fluffy’s paw mould and the self-playing harp, will be exhibited alongside a Wizard Chess display featuring moving pieces and the original knight prop used in Ron Weasley’s sacrifice.
An exclusive ticketed event, “First Year at Hogwarts – Opening Night,” will accompany the feature, offering attendees access to behind-the-scenes commentary from members of the original filmmaking team.
The upcoming seasonal experience isn't the first of its kind at the Studio Tour, which has hosted the likes of The Return to Azkaban and Magical Mischief in 2024 and the annual Hogwarts in the Snow.
Tickets go on sale at 10am on March 10 on the official Studio Tour website.
The Harry Potter Reboot Won't Take Over the Studios
Despite the HBO series being in production at the same studio complex and essentially serving as a reboot of the films, the Leavesden tour is unlikely to undergo any sweeping aesthetic transformation to align with the project.
The attraction is built around the physical legacy of the eight films, and Warner Bros. has previously confirmed that they will always “remain at the core of the franchise.”
With its continued popularity and carefully preserved sets, any significant overhaul would represent a substantial shift — one that may not resonate with the millions who visit specifically to experience the world as it first appeared on screen.
The Harry Potter TV series, which will span seven seasons over 10 years, stars John Lithgow (Albus Dumbledore), Nick Frost (Rubeus Hagrid), Paapa Essiedu (Severus Snape), Janet McTeer (Minerva McGonagall), Paul Whitehouse (Argus Filch), Katherine Parkinson (Molly Weasley), Alastair Stout (Ron Weasley), Arabella Stanton (Hermione Granger), and Dominic McLaughlin (Harry Potter). The cast includes dozens more confirmed actors.
Have you visited The Making of Harry Potter in London? Let us know in the comments!
