Movies News Talk
Eddie Redmayne will once more play Newt Scamander in Universal Orlando's forthcoming Epic Universe theme park. One of the five themed sections in the park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic will combine timelines from the eight Harry Potter films and three Fantastic Beasts films. Guests will be able to travel throughout the Métro Floo system, so the story will take place in a version of 1920s Paris and 1990s London.
Redmayne reportedly already shot his section for the Ministry of Magic land. Entertainment Weekly More video of the themed zone has since been released by Universal, offering a preview of the stores and attractions. Following David Yates's October 2023 revelation that the fourth Fantastic Beast movie has been "parked" and that production for the franchise, first intended as a five-movie saga, will not proceed.
Given the likely cancellation of the Fantastic Beast series, Redmayne's comeback as Newt Scamander surprises us. The disappointing box office and audience performance of the franchise as well as questions about Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling and Warner Media's choice to restart the series on HBO could help to explain the failures. Whether Redmayne's footage was shot prior to Secrets of Dumbledore's 2022 premiere is unknown.
Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, the major attraction of the Ministry of Magic, will use omnidirectional technology to send visitors on a trip spanning all sorts of directions. The trip will take participants from Paris to the British Ministry of Magic and involve the trial of Dolores Umbridge, portrayed in Movies by Imelda Staunton. It will lead them from the famous grand atrium of the company as shown in the movies to the trial, when Umbridge's attempt at escape goes disastrous.
Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), and a house elf called Higgedly will be among riders. It is unknown exactly Newt's place in the Ministry of Magic territory. But the character went to the company when he had to search the French Ministry of Magic for Lestrange family records from the archive to spare Credence (Ezra Miller) from Yusuf Kama's fury. Redmayne playing Newt once more would be interesting to see.