While the seven book series and eight-film saga are well behind us, arguably with what's to come that may have just been the start of what Harry Potter has to offer.
In the coming year two major Harry Potter events are confirmed, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park attractions in Orlando, Fla. and
Osaka, Japan. The
Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley will open sometime this summer, as Universal Orlando Resort has announced, and a Gringotts ride and
The Leaky Cauldron restaurant have so far been confirmed. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter of Osaka will be the second attraction around the world, with Hogwarts looming over the village of Hogsmeade, such as that of the park in Orlando open now.
Rumours have surfaced for both parks, including a possible Knockturn Alley and various shops in Diagon Alley, and a larger version of Ollivanders in Osaka. SnitchSeeker has received word from a reliable source that J.K. Rowling herself is set to visit Osaka this coming July, which is said to coincide with that attraction's opening. SnitchSeeker has also asked both Universal Studios Japan and Warner Bros. about this information, and both have said that no set opening date has been chosen, so do believe this all with a grain of salt. Universal and Warner Bros. first announced a 'late 2014' opening for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Osaka, which could be as late as this December. Of course, as always, SnitchSeeker will keep up to speed on both parks this year - SnitchSeeker will be in Orlando later this month for the new webcast and announcements for Diagon Alley with James and Oliver Phelps, and Evanna Lynch, as well as
A Celebration of Harry Potter from January 24-26.
The next Harry Potter-related piece is of course the
pre-Hogwarts Harry Potter London play, which will be co-produced by Rowling, though not written by her (she will obviously be lending her hand in the story). Rowling's reps have told SnitchSeeker that representatives for the play will be announced early this year, and that the play will go into pre-production in 2014, which means that a cast and crew will be chosen. The play is set to open in the West End within the next two years, so it could mean that it MAY open in 2014, but the safe bet is that it will make its debut in 2015.
The biggest surprise news of course was the
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them upcoming film franchise, set to take place 70 years before Harry Potter's time, noted Rowling when the announcement was made last September.
David Heyman confirmed that he will produce the series, and Rowling said recently that
she had completed two drafts of the screenplay, which she is of course writing about the times of author Newt Scamander, in New York City and possibly more. No word yet beyond the script re-writes, and once Rowling has sent in a final work, pre-production will begin in England for the feature, which will include of course casting the movie and choosing locations and crew for the feature. Warner Bros. is well behind the series, which is said to include expansions at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and video games.
Here are also a few highlights of what those included in the Harry Potter saga have in store for 2014:
• J.K. Rowling is still well on her way to complete the
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them film script. She will also be releasing the sequel to
The Cuckoo's Calling this year under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.
• Actor Daniel Radcliffe has a long year ahead of him, workaholic that he is. Dan is currently filming
Frankenstein in the UK, which will continue through March. After, Dan will star in the Seb Coe biopic
Gold starting in April, and sometime this summer will head to Japan for filming of
Tokyo Vice. For those inpatient for those features, Dan will be seen on the big screen this year in
The F Word and
Horns (no release dates confirmed for either film), and on television he will be back in
The Simpsons, as well as the second series of
A Young Doctor's Notebook, presumably on Ovation again, in the U.S.
• Rupert Grint is currently starring in the West End production of
Mojo through Februrary, and after will begin production of
Enemy of Man. He also lent his voice for
Postman Pat: The Movie and the English cast of
Foosball, both set to be released this year.
• Emma Watson has
Noah out this March in theaters worldwide. She is also attached to the projects
Your Voice in My Head,
Queen of the Tearling and
While We're Young, but production dates haven't been announced for any of them.
• Bonnie Wright's feature with Harry Potter alum Freddie Stroma,
After the Dark (formerly
The Philosophers) will be in theaters February 7, and the new trailer will be out this Monday on Yahoo!, the reps informed SnitchSeeker. Bonnie also filmed
The Sea, which was released in U.K. theaters this fall, though no U.S. date has been announced. Bonnie also shot
Before I Sleep,
Geography of the Hapless Heart and
Those Who Wander, and has been attached to the indie feature
All Hail the Squash Blossom Queen. No film listed currently has a release date.
• For Tom Felton,
From the Rough will be out early this year, as well as
In Secret (formerly
Therese), which will hit theaters in February.
Belle will release in May,
Ghosts of the Pacific will be out sometime this year, and Tom is currently filming the TNT series
Murder in the First, which will be on television sometime this summer.
• Evanna Lynch's indie comedy
G.B.F. will hit theaters later this month, though no confirmed release date on her crime thriller,
Dynamite: A Cautionary Tale.
• Matthew Lewis is starring in the BBC Two series
Bluestone 42, the Christmas special this past December being his inaugural episode. The second season will begin in the U.K. sometime in the spring.
Also, word has it that the BBC miniseries
The Casual Vacancy, based on Rowling's first grown-up book, will begin production sometime this year, hopefully for a 2015 broadcast. Further details on that will be reported on SnitchSeeker as they are announced.
For now, this is what SnitchSeeker knows (though there is far more, especially for those following the adult actors crew and cast as well -
Gravity's Alfonso Cuaron and David Heyman will be hitting the award circuits this winter, starting with next weekend's Golden Globe Awards, and may become Oscar nominees for the feature. The Oscar nominations will be announced on January 16, and of course all relevant nominations will be reported here).
Since Rowling out-of-the-blue announced both the Fantastic Beasts films and pre-Hogwarts Harry Potter play, who knows what the author has in store. Also remember there is Harry Potter: The Exhibition, currently in Edmonton and on its way to Europe this spring. Pottermore will give a sneak preview of its next Goblet of Fire chapters at A Celebration of Harry Potter in Florida this month, and let us not forget Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter at U.K. Leavesden Studios.
Harry Potter in 2014: Wizarding World of Harry Potter attractions, play & more 
This year has really been the Return of Harry Potter year, what with all the announcements. I vividly remember my delight when I found out a new Harry Potter was coming out, very possibly the first in a series. I was scrolling down facebook and saw the headline on moviepilot. Then I ran over to Snitchseeker to have it confirmed and to celebrate with the other posters in the news section. It was perfect! A sequel would have been un-epic, so a prequel was the way to go. 
