The London outpost of the movie studio will transform into an epicurean destination this summer, serving up “Harry Potter”-themed treats as part of a behind-the-scenes look at the preparation of the Hogwarts feasts.
For the first time ever, the Warner Bros Studios Tour will reveal the tricks behind the treats presented throughout the various “Harry Potter” films. Technicians and prop teams will run workshops from July 20 to September 6, baring the tricks of their trade.
Young and old alike will learn how the pros were able to make a pudding levitate in “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” delve into the mystery of orange-flavoured slugs and learn all there is to know about chocolate frogs. The visit will take guests through some of the most iconic sets in the Harry Potter universe, but the main attraction of the “show” will definitely be the reproductions of the legendary Hogwarts feasts. Visitors will also get a chance to hang out in the Gryffindor common room.
Candies and other sugary treats are an integral part of every “Harry Potter” film: for example, candies are used as passwords sometimes, and let’s not forget the infamous Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans, where a vomit flavored jelly bean was as likely as an ear wax or liver flavored one. As for the Hogwarts feast, it was the backdrop for many of the films’ most key moments. In fact, Warner Bros. Studio promises to serve butterbeer ice cream at the end of the visit.
Some iconic sets will also be given a makeover as the Great Hall’s long tables are lined with props from Hogwarts feasts and the Gryffindor common room is dressed as it was for Quidditch victory scenes in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Food facts:
- Chocolate desserts of all kinds covered the Great Hall tables in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and nearly all of it was actually made out of intricately-painted resin. However, some edible pieces were baked such as the chocolate phoenix cake which is displayed at the Studio Tour (having survived more than seven years in storage).
- To make the scene where Ron throws up slugs in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets more palatable for actor Rupert Grint, filmmakers created the slimy creatures out of orange-flavoured jelly.
- More than 300 litres of silicone were used to make the vibrantly-coloured sweets in Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, including Puking Pastilles and Nosebleed Nougat.
The Studio Tour’s Sweets and Treats feature will run from Monday 20th July – Sunday 6th September. Tickets must be purchased ahead of time on www.wbstudiotour.co.uk for a specific time slot, and visitors are encouraged to show up at least 20 minutes before.
The Warner Bros. Studios is located in Leavesden, Hertfordshire, northwest of London.
