The Numbers
- MuggleNet news posts: 759
- MuggleNet page views: 5,293,720
- MuggleNet visitors: 3,161,414
- MuggleNet seen in: 237 countries
The Stellar Seven
These were our seven most popular news stories for the year.
- Warner Bros. posted a special Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince behind-the-scenes DVD clip to YouTube, featuring close-ups with the cast members.
- Dame Maggie Smith shared a memory of the late Alan Rickman at a charity event hosted by Sir Kenneth Branagh.
- Actor Kevin Guthrie received a three-year jail sentence and will not be appearing in Fantastic Beasts 3.
- MuggleNet reported the sad passing of Helen McCrory, the actress who portrayed Narcissa Malfoy, who had been battling cancer.
- Daniel Radcliffe and Elijah Wood took part in a joint interview for Empire magazine.
- A massive LEGO Harry Potter wizard chess set, based on the one our protagonists have to play through to get to the Sorcerer’s Stone, was rumored to be released this year.
- Mobile games Hogwarts Mystery and Puzzles & Spells added their own magical Valentine’s Day features to celebrate the holiday.
The Stories
January 7 - VIDEO - The Belmond Royal Scotsman announced that its two Harry Potter-related journeys would be restarting, which would allow fans to visit the infamous film locations of Alnwick Castle and the Glenfinnan Viaduct.
January 12 - The Bookseller announced that literary agent Christopher Little, who took a chance on Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, had passed away at age 79.
January 13 - Warner Bros. announced that the release of the eagerly anticipated open-world role-playing game Hogwarts Legacy would be delayed to 2022.
January 17 - The cast of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Melbourne returned to rehearsals ahead of the show reopening in February after closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
January 20 - VIDEO - Dan Fogler and Mads Mikkelsen chatted during Fogler’s Fiction Fest 2021 about the filming of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.
January 21 - The House editions of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince were published by Bloomsbury.
January 22 - Match-three mobile game Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells, which was released in September 2020, surpassed the revenue brought in by Harry Potter: Wizards Unite.
January 23 - Warner Bros. president of Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics Tom Ascheim was appointed to oversee the Wizarding World franchise.
January 24 - VIDEO - Eddie Redmayne discussed filming Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore in an interview with Jamie Dornan.
January 25 - After delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, MuggleNet exclusively revealed that Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore was set to finish filming.
January 26 - VIDEO - Actor Richard Coyle revealed during an Instagram Live that he had joined the cast of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.
January 30 - Mads Mikkelsen spoke about his career and a speedy transition to playing Gellert Grindelwald in an interview with Happy Sad Confused.
January 31 - US Quidditch announced the cancellation of the 2021 US Quidditch Cup.
February 3 - An “irreplaceable” cast member of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore tested positive for COVID-19, halting production of the film.
February 11 - Katerine Waterston discussed the casting changes in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore and David Yates’s future as director of the franchise.
February 11 - A scene from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 was featured in a COVID-19 PSA highlighting the need to wear a mask.
February 11 - Harry Potter: The Exhibition was announced, with the revelation that it will begin touring the globe in 2022 and will feature characters, settings, and beasts from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series.
February 11 - It was revealed that Oliver Macussi will be playing a new character in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.
February 12 - The International Quidditch Association announced the cancellation of the 2021 IQA Continental Games.
February 14 - Evanna Lynch announced that her first book would be published in September, although this was later pushed to October.
February 17 - The cover design for MinaLima’s illustrated version of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was revealed.
February 25 - Daniel Radcliffe and Elijah Wood took part in a joint interview for Empire magazine.
February 28 - The cast of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Melbourne performed their first show after a 49-week hiatus due to COVID-19.
March 2 - Mads Mikkelsen spoke about his creative freedom in his new role as Gellert Grindelwald and how his portrayal would not copy actor Johnny Depp’s previous interpretation of the character.
March 3 - International education publishing company Twinkl launched official Harry Potter-themed educational resources to add magic to classrooms around the world.
March 6 - Arthur Weasley actor Mark Williams recalled the good memories he shares with his costars and crew of the Harry Potter franchise.
March 9 - Matthew Lewis became a patron of the Bambisanani Partnership, a charity known for using sports as a catalyst to promote education, health, global citizenship, and leadership to young people.
March 10 - The Protego Foundation reported that live owls will no longer be featured in future live Harry Potter productions licensed by Warner Bros.
March 23 - The Harry Potter Alliance (HPA) called for fans to vote on a new name that would accurately reflect the organization's work.
March 25 - Resurrected fansite Wizrocklopedia announced a quarterly release of brand-new wizard rock compilations.
March 26 - Bloomsbury credited Harry Potter as a top contributor to its growth in sales since the series provided readers with a magical escape from the outside world during lockdown.
March 26 - VIDEO - Warner Bros. unveiled a new website and promotional video for its upcoming Harry Potter-focused studio tour in Tokyo.
April 15 - Oxford University’s very own Professor Snape, a Muggle pediatrician and vaccine expert, trended on Twitter when his work on the Oxford vaccine was announced.
April 15 - Matthew Lewis shared memories of his last moments on the Harry Potter set with Severus Snape actor Alan Rickman.
April 16 - MuggleNet reported the sad passing of Helen McCrory, the actress who portrayed Narcissa Malfoy, who had been battling cancer.
April 20 - The world’s first Harry Potter store, located in New York, announced its opening date as June 3, although this was later pushed to July 15.
April 21 - Harry Potter was found to be the most recognizable film score of all time in a new poll.
April 22 - VIDEO - Harry Potter audiobook narrator Stephen Fry was awarded the medal of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Phoenix by the Greek Ambassador for his acts of service.
April 28 - Hansons Auctioneers announced a first-of-its-kind auction dedicated to Harry Potter-themed memorabilia and rare, first-edition books.
April 29 - VIDEO - Bloomsbury announced a new gift book titled Harry Potter – A Magical Year: The Illustrations of Jim Kay, revealed to take readers on an unforgettable journey through the seasons at Hogwarts.
April 29 - VIDEO - David Thewlis, who portrayed Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter series, announced the publish date of his second novel, Shooting Martha.
May 6 - Several Universal theme parks reported heavy financial losses in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
May 11 - MuggleNet interviewed Tracey Nicol-Lewis ahead of the official announcement that she had broken the Guinness World Record for largest collection of Wizarding World memorabilia.
May 13 - It was revealed that the flagship Harry Potter New York store would include a butterbeer bar, making it the only location in the United States outside of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter that guests can get their hands on the official version of the beverage.
May 13 - The House editions of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and box sets containing all seven Harry Potter books were made available for preorder.
May 18 - Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery reached a significant milestone: 100 million downloads.
May 19 - Mads Mikkelsen teased an epic battle between Grindelwald and Newt Scamander in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.
May 19 - WarnerMedia green-lit a Harry Potter quiz show, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses, airing on Cartoon Network and TBS in honor of the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
May 21 - Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo - The Making of Harry Potter witnessed its groundbreaking ceremony and released concept images of its environmentally friendly green spaces.
May 25 - Universal Orlando Resort announced that it would be selling hot butterbeer year-round.
May 28 - Major League Quidditch created the Gender Diversity Initiative, which announced its first official tournament: Take Back the Pitch.
June 2 - A new species of frog was discovered in the rainforest of New Guinea and named the chocolate frog due to its brown coloring.
June 5 - A leaked photograph showed what appears to be the inside of the German Ministry of Magic, possibly inspired by Hitler’s personal architect.
June 8 - Universal Studios Hollywood announced it would be increasing its attendance limit to full capacity the following week, and Universal Studios Japan fully reopened following the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
June 8 - The nonprofit organization formerly known as the Harry Potter Alliance (HPA) changed its name to Fandom Forward.
June 9 - Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood announced it would soon be reopening with a new Harry Potter showcase.
June 17 - Warner Bros. announced the all-new Harry Potter Photographic Exhibition, which later opened in London on July 12.
June 23 - Wizarding World Digital launched Harry Potter Reading Magic, a five-week digital initiative to get children reading in the summer.
June 25 - VIDEO - Major League Quidditch returned to play following the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
June 28 - Performances of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in New York, San Francisco, and Toronto were altered to a single-part show instead of the original two-part show.
June 30 - The cover for Evanna Lynch’s memoir, The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting: The Tragedy and the Glory of Growing Up, was revealed.
July 2 - Design team MinaLima unveiled a new book, The Magic of MinaLima, which will detail their experience creating the graphics of the Wizarding World franchise.
July 4 - Bonnie Wright spoke about her forthcoming book, Go Gently: Actionable Steps to Nurture Yourself and the Planet, while promoting the reopening of Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood.
July 6 - The London production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child announced that it would reopen in October following a year-and-a-half-long pandemic shutdown.
July 7 - VIDEO - Portal from Facebook revealed a Harry Potter and the Cursed Child augmented reality experience that would transform users into characters from the play.
July 10 - Details were revealed on Harry Potter New York's two virtual reality experiences: "Chaos at Hogwarts" and "Wizards Take Flight."
July 15 - VIDEO - James and Oliver Phelps recalled memories from the Potter set while visiting the newly opened Harry Potter Photographic Exhibition.
July 17 - The International Quidditch Association confirmed that its next World Cup will be held in Richmond, Virginia, in 2023.
July 18 - VIDEO - Warner Bros. announced a 20th-anniversary edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone on Digital and Blu-ray with a new feature called Magical Movie Mode.
July 21 - Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience, a new attraction opening in Cheshire, England, was announced by Warner Bros.
July 31 - Evanna Lynch shared a teaser from her forthcoming memoir, The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting: The Tragedy and the Glory of Growing Up, and revealed that she would have a book launch event in London.
August 12 - Bloomsbury announced a special 25th-anniversary edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
August 18 - Tickets to Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience were made available.
August 19 - Alnwick Castle, one of the filming locations of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter of the Chamber of Secrets, announced that it would screen the first three Potter movies in September.
August 23 - It was announced that Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, the official Harry Potter card role-playing game, would be released in China on September 9.
August 24 - VIDEO - The soft opening of Universal Beijing Resort was expanded to the public, with trial operations set to start on September 1.
August 25 - A fire caused damage at the Elephant House café in Edinburgh, Scotland, where drafts of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone were written.
August 27 - Cinemark celebrated 20 years of magic with special showings of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
August 31 - It was announced that the Harry Potter trolley located at King's Cross station would set off on a tour across the United Kingdom, stopping in each country (with a fifth stop later added in Ireland).
August 31 - James and Oliver Phelps announced that they had begun filming a travel show and that they would be joined by Evanna Lynch for Episode 1, set in Ireland.
September 2 - House of MinaLima announced a new pop-up shop in Paju, South Korea, and teased sneak peeks on Instagram.
September 15 - Dame Helen Mirren was announced as the host of the highly anticipated Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses quiz show on Cartoon Network and TBS.
September 20 - The Wizarding World franchise won in three categories at the Licensing Awards 2021: Best Teen or Adult Licensed Property, Best Licensed Food or Drink Range, and Best Licensed Children's Apparel or Accessories Range.
September 20 - Harry Potter: Magic Awakened became the most downloaded game in China and reached the #1 spot for top-grossing games on the App Store in China, Hong Kong, and Macau.
September 22 - The title of the third Fantastic Beasts film was announced as Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, coming to theaters on April 15, 2022.
September 22 - Wizarding World Digital revealed the plot of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.
September 23 - Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter announced November screenings of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the Great Hall, where some of the most iconic fan-favorite scenes were filmed.
September 27 - Wizarding World Digital announced that the exclusive Harry Potter Fan Club Gold Membership would officially end in one month's time.
September 29 - It was announced that Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore will be released a week earlier in Ireland and the United Kingdom.
September 30 - Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter announced that the Forbidden Forest would be a part of the Hogwarts in the Snow experience for the first time.
October 4 - VIDEO - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Japan nailed down the date of its first show, July 8, 2022, and revealed that fans could win tickets to see it through a lottery draw.
October 5 - VIDEO - Bloomsbury announced the 2022 theme and date for the eighth annual Harry Potter Book Night.
October 8 - Deadline reported that Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore will include locations outside of the West, including Bhutan and China.
October 13 - A 15-foot-tall wand installation was unveiled in Leicester Square ahead of the 20th-anniversary celebration of the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone film.
October 17 - It was reported that the United Kingdom is facing an unprecedented shortage of Harry Potter merchandise due to severe delays at container ports.
October 19 - Test screenings of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore revealed that a certain character from Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald would not be appearing in it at all.
October 19 - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Toronto announced that May 31, 2022, would be its new opening date, with ticket sales beginning on December 1, 2022.
October 20 - VIDEO - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child announced the addition of a Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to the company.
October 24 - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Melbourne announced its reopening date at the Princess Theatre as November 18.
October 27 - Bonnie Wright launched an environmental and sustainability newsletter to provide subscribers with weekly climate content.
October 28 - VIDEO - A new trailer for the Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses quiz show, hosted by Dame Helen Mirren, was released.
November 6 - In an interview with Variety, Chris Columbus reflected on his experiences directing Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
November 11 - Bloomsbury released its House edition box sets of the Harry Potter novels.
November 14 - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Melbourne announced that it would be performing the new one-part play starting in May 2022.
November 16 - VIDEO - It was announced that Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, director Chris Columbus, and many other cast members of the Harry Potter films would be reuniting for an HBO Max special to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
November 17 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone director Chris Columbus shared his desire for Warner Bros. to release the original three-hour cut of the film.
November 20 - Bonnie Wright revealed the title and covers of her debut novel, Go Gently: Actionable Steps to Nurture Yourself and the Planet, to be published April 19, 2022.
November 22 - Chris Rankin discussed his time playing Percy Weasley in the Harry Potter films.
November 30 - Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter unveiled a brand-new feature, Magical Mischief, which will reveal the filmmaking trickery behind the Harry Potter film series.
November 30 - The executive producers of the Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses quiz show sat down with The Hollywood Reporter to discuss the development process and Dame Helen Mirren’s involvement as host.
December 6 - VIDEO - HBO Max released a teaser for Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts.
December 7 - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child officially reopened on Broadway as a one-part play.
December 10 - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was revealed to be the most borrowed audiobook from UK libraries in 2021.
December 11 - VIDEO - A first-edition hardback copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone sold at auction for $471,000, over double that of the previous highest recorded paid price for a first-edition copy of a Harry Potter book.
December 13 - VIDEO - The highly anticipated trailer for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore was released.
December 16 - US Quidditch and Major League Quidditch began the joint process of changing the name of the sport of Muggle quidditch.
December 19 - VIDEO - Bloomsbury announced that it will release two special 25th-anniversary editions of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 2022.
December 20 - The first official poster for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore was released.
December 20 - VIDEO - HBO Max released a full trailer ahead of the highly anticipated New Year’s Day special Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts.
December 23 - Brazilian soap opera actress Maria Fernanda Cândido announced that she will play a character called Vicência Santos in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.
