“Wow, This Is Fantastic!”: Tom Felton Visits Harry Potter New York
Last year was tough on everyone. The COVID-19 pandemic forced us all into our homes to avoid spread and save lives. Several events and openings were canceled or postponed for the following year. While it was incredibly sad at the time, it would end up being fairly serendipitous for Harry Potter fans. This November marks the 20th anniversary of when Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone hit theaters. Technically, the big milestone is in November, but with so many Wizarding World-related events and fixtures opening up this summer, it seems like Potter fans are getting the opportunity to celebrate five months early. One such fixture is Harry Potter New York, a flagship store that opened on June 3. Former wizard Tom Felton managed a visit, and he had great things to say.
Extra spoke with Tom recently regarding his visit to the sprawling 21,000-square-foot destination for witches and wizards. Tom’s overall impression was expectedly glowing. You can check out the brief interview with Tom below:
Seeing the first floor alone was enough to impress Tom, prompting him to exclaim, “Wow, this is fantastic. It doesn’t get any better than this.” Someone quickly informed him that there were two more floors. That just means that the first floor is really that incredible. It’s another wonderful gift to the devout citizens of the wizarding world.
Though Tom was likely provided a special look at the store because he had a pivotal role in the Potter movies, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if Tom went of his own accord as an actual patron. During the quarantine, Tom remained very active on social media and continued to engage with the Potter fandom, especially on TikTok with #DracoTok and the #PottahChallenge. Last November and December, Tom even held two virtual livestreams in a series he called Tom Felton’s Home Party, in which he answered tons of questions from fans and even brought on former Potter costars to discuss the films. In December, Tom chronicled his first rewatch of Sorcerer’s Stone since 2001 on Instagram Live. Later in March, he would partner with Peacock to watch the movie again, but this time, live on TikTok.
@t22feltonDUET anyone ? 2nd March at 5pm PT ##PeacockPotterParty on TikTok Live , watching Philosophers Stone in full. @peacockTV muggles welcome xx♬ original sound – Tom Felton
Recently, in an interview with People, Tom made it very clear that he’d “abso-bloody-lutely” jump at any opportunity to play a Malfoy in any capacity. Can we just elect Tom as the Wizarding World ambassador already? Unlike his character, he’s so affable, and he clearly loves the franchise enough to never tire of talking about the flicks.
@t22feltoncan’t believe it’s been 10 years since the last film 🐍🐍🐍♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys – Kevin MacLeod
What are you most looking forward to most when you visit Harry Potter New York? What do you think Tom ended up grabbing from the flagship store? Do you think Tom would make a good Wizarding World ambassador? Let us know in the comments. If you’ve managed to visit Harry Potter New York, be sure to tag us on Instagram in any photos or videos.
