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masterofmystery · #1 (**permalink**) 12-19-2011, 01:19 PM

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - the Making of Harry Potter announced this morning that fans who get the chance to tour the Leavesden lot will be able to walk around the streets of Diagon Alley and take peeks into the shops. London mayor Boris Johnson got an early look; that can be seen here. The Harry Potter Leavesden tour will be open to the general public beginning March 31, 2012.

It's official. Boris Johnson has revealed that you will be able to step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley and take a peek into Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium here at the Studio Tour.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, steps into the magical world of the UK’s most anticipated visitor attraction Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter and unveils the inclusion of one of the most iconic and beloved of all sets - Diagon Alley.

The Diagon Alley set, which will take centre stage when the tour opens on 31st March 2012, was first featured in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and features the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium where Harry Potter first met his beloved owl, Hedwig.

"Harry Potter has been captivating people across the world for the last eleven years.” says Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London. “Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter brings these spellbinding stories to life and offers a magical opportunity for fans to discover what goes into making a production on this scale. This attraction will be a fantastic boost for London tourism when the world comes to London in 2012.”

Production Designer, Stuart Craig, whose work on the Harry Potter film series has garnered him both Academy Award and six BAFTA nominations (winning the BAFTA Award for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) says, “Diagon Alley is (along with Dumbledore's office) my favourite set. It has a long history with many changes. It was first built for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and then part of it used for Hogsmeade High Street in Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban! Then it was taken down and later rebuilt for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince with the inclusion of the Weasley Wizard Wheezes joke shop and then finally wrecked when Ollivanders wand shop was blown up. And so I am delighted that it has finally found a home in the Studio Tour for all to enjoy.”

WARNER BROS. STUDIO TOUR LONDON – THE MAKING OF HARRY POTTER: Additional Set Detail

Set in over 150,000 square feet, the tour will include some of the most recognisable and memorable film sets and props of all time allowing visitors to fully immerse themselves within the world of filmmaking and Harry Potter.

Within the iconic Great Hall visitors will walk on the actual solid York stone floor laid over 11 years ago. They will also marvel at the solid oak and pine house tables which were built for the films and then aged with axes and chains. Over the years, the Hogwarts pupils have taken upon themselves to carve in their own graffiti, which production designer Stuart Craig has encouraged, as this would happen in all schools! Visitors can also enjoy the unique house points bead system which is said to have caused a national shortage of beads when it was first installed in the year 2000.

Beyond the Great Hall, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter continues with a huge selection of the most detailed and largest sets ever produced in the UK. Visitors can gaze closely into Dumbledore’s office and spot the authentic sword of Gryffindor, Sorting Hat and Hogwarts headmaster portraits which adorn the walls.

Visitors will also discover the magic of green screen technology that has been used for the films including the many Quidditch matches. Also on display will be Harry Potter’s Nimbus 2000, Draco Malfoy’s Nimbus 2001 and Harry’s special gift from godfather Sirius Black, the Firebolt.

In addition to the green screen, a number of never-before-seen video pieces featuring interviews with the crew and cast will reveal the many secrets behind the filmmaking process. Visitors will also be able to appreciate the spectacular animatronics and make-up designs within the Creature Effects workshop. The workshop will feature iconic Harry Potter film creatures including Buckbeak the Hippogriff, Aragog, the giant spider, Fawkes the phoenix and the enormous Basilisk head.

The Weasley kitchen will showcase the incredible craftsmanship of the real life special effect props including Molly Weasley’s self-washing frying pan, knitting needles and chopping boards. And fans can celebrate Hogwarts’ loveable groundskeeper Hagrid by visiting the real Hagrid’s hut, view his famous motorcycle, and take a peek at the secrets of how the larger than life character was created on screen.

The Ministry of Magic will also feature in the Studio Tour, highlighted by the breathtaking Magic is Might statue as seen in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1, designed by Stuart Craig to be reminiscent in style of soviet sculptures from the 1930’s highlighting the dominance of the wizarding world over Muggles.

In addition, visitors will be able to enjoy one of the most famous addresses in the world, 4 Privet Drive, as well as the legendary cupboard under the stairs.

The Gryffindor common room is one of the films’ oldest sets and remains one of the most loved by fans. This iconic set will feature alongside the Gryffindor boys’ dormitory which includes the original beds made for Harry, Ron, Seamus, Neville and Dean for the first film. Over the course of filming, as the cast grew from young boys to teenagers, filmmakers were required to find unique camera angles to hide the fact that the cast had clearly outgrown the beds.

Other Hogwarts sets on show include the dark and mysterious Potion’s classroom, the lair of Professor Snape, and Professor Umbridge’s office resplendent in pink with the incredibly detailed hand painted cat porcelain plates each made especially for the films.

The gateway to the school itself, the Hogwarts bridge, last seen burning to the ground following Neville and the Death Eater’s chase in the final film, will be restored for all to see as will hundreds of props, costumes, animatronics and many other exciting sets which will be unveiled as the opening approaches.