Harry Potter Stars Gush Over the Ministry of Magic at Epic Universe

Given that the fantastical worlds of the Harry Potter series are all fictional, it’s hard for any fan to truly grasp the scale of such a reality. Actors James and Oliver Phelps and Warwick Davis, however, starred in the original Harry Potter films and have a better idea than most of what it felt like to be immersed in the Wizarding World. With James and Oliver playing Fred and George Weasley, respectively, and Davis playing Filius Flitwick and Griphook, even the trio was impressed and overwhelmed by Universal Epic Universe’s new attraction The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic and its sense of immersion.

“It’s just awesome because I keep noticing myself, and I did it in the Universal Islands of Adventure, as well, because I’m used to the sets, I literally find myself knocking it to see if it’s hollow or not,” James shared with ComicBook at Epic Universe’s grand opening. “So I was going around the Ministry earlier and it was, ‘Yeah, that’s real. That’s real. That’s real.’ Respect for the guy who grouted all those quarter of a million times.”

Oliver added, “They’re definitely all real and they’ve done so much detail to it. So I think that’s one thing that brings the fans back so much because they love that level of detail. They’ve done it so well.”

In The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, guests will journey from a Muggle park in Paris into the breathtaking spectacle of 1920s Place Cachée – a hidden, bustling shopping district in wizarding Paris. Within Place Cachée, guests will find numerous dining venues like Café L’air De La Sirène, chic shopping options like Les Galeries Mirifiques, a live, full-scale theatre experience, Le Cirque Arcanus and more. They’ll also journey from wizarding Paris to the British Ministry of Magic to witness the long-awaited trial of the infamous Dolores Umbridge in the thrilling ride, “Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry.”

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Similarly, Davis understood that the Ministry of Magic is an incredibly immersive experience that can be appreciated in the most minute of details.

“I used to go to Disney years ago and think, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to be part of one of these theme park rides?’ You see characters in them, and, lo and behold, I’ve achieved that several times now and been involved with these openings here at Universal. It’s great,” the actor admitted. “I’m in the Gringotts ride at Universal, as well. It’s been just lovely. To be invited to open it and speak on behalf of the Universal team who designed this, I just want to tip my hat to them now, because what we see around us now is the culmination of many, many man hours, blood, sweat and tears, designing all of this, building it all and creating what we see before us. Because, look at it, it’s a three-dimensional piece of art. It’s incredible.”

HBO is currently in the process of developing a TV series inspired by Harry Potter, and while some figures involved in the original films have expressed their willingness to return to that world, the Phelps brothers are focused on one of the franchise’s ancillary projects.

When asked if they’re keeping an eye on TV series news, James admitted, “Not too much. We’re just going to enjoy it as fans, but we’re currently just about to start shooting The Wizards of Baking Season 2.”

Universal’s Epic Universe is now open.

Are you looking forward to checking out The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic?  Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!