Finding the Philosopher’s Stone
Special seven-week feature to celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of the first Harry Potter film
Friday 22nd July – Monday 5th September
This summer, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter will celebrate the epic quest Harry, Ron and Hermione embarked upon to find and protect the Philosopher’s Stone. Filmmakers used a range of special and visual effects techniques to create the various obstacles the trio faced on their journey. Visitors will discover how giant chess pieces were made to move, Fluffy the three-headed dog (and his saliva) was brought to life and the deadly Devil’s Snare was taken from page to screen.
For the first time ever, there will be a moving display of the Devil’s Snare that the magical trio encountered in their hunt for the Philosopher’s Stone in Creature Effects. Visitors will have the chance to see and even touch the giant tentacles that have been specially created as they were in the films.
Head Propmaker Pierre Bohanna went through several processes to create the final version of the Philosopher’s Stone that can be seen on screen. When asked, J.K. Rowling said that the stone should look like an “uncut ruby”. A number of the early versions of the Philosopher’s Stone will be on display at the Tour and visitors will be able to see first-hand how it was created as expert prop makers demonstrate stages in the process.
During this special feature, film fans will be invited to learn how one of Ron Weasley’s favourite games, Wizard’s Chess, was brought to life on a large scale by Special Effects Supervisor John Richardson and his team. The giant chess pieces will move across a chequered board, as if by magic, on the Tour's backlot.
In addition to this, vats of slimy Troll snot, buckets of dribbling drool (of the three-headed dog variety) and pools of silvery unicorn blood will be showcased in the Tour and visitors will get to see demonstrations showing exactly how the gunk and goo were created. They will also have the chance to celebrate the bravery of not only Harry, Ron and Hermione but also Neville Longbottom. His pyjamas will be displayed in the Gryffindor common room as they were when he was placed in a Full Body-Bind Curse by a young Hermione.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone made its debut cinema debut in 2001 as the first of eight films based on J.K. Rowling’s world-famous series about a young wizard and his adventures at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Fifteen years later, in celebration of the iconic film’s anniversary, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter is running a series of special features, offering visitors the opportunity to go behind the scenes and discover where the filmmaking magic began.
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter opened its doors on 31st March 2012. The unique attraction offers visitors the ultimate chance to get up close to authentic sets, discover the magic behind spellbinding special effects and explore the behind-the-scenes secrets of the Harry Potter film series.
The Studio Tour has been well received with 97% of the 20,000+ reviews on TripAdvisor rating it as 'Excellent' or 'Very Good'.
Highlights include walking through the Great Hall where so many famous scenes were shot, seeing the treasures stored in Dumbledore’s office and strolling down Diagon Alley. Tickets must be pre-booked at www.wbstudiotour.co.uk or by calling the Studio Tour’s Visitor Services Team on 0345 084 0900 and cannot be bought at the attraction.
