Hogwarts goes to Hollywood with Harry Potter theme park at Universal Studios

Fifteen years after Harry Potter’s first big screen adventure, Universal is enchanting a new generation of muggles with its most spectacular conjuring trick yet – a theme park in the heart of Hollywood.

The “Wizarding World of Harry Potter” follows similar money-spinning ventures in Florida and Japan, but is set to be the most technologically advanced, incorporating state-of-the-art 3D effects with the traditional fun of the fair.

Opening at Universal Studios beneath the Hollywood hills, it is the latest attraction in a burgeoning film industry sideline which has become so lucrative executives are beginning to design sets with future theme parks in mind.

“When you think about the property of Harry Potter – seven books and eight films – there’s no better place than the filmmaking capital of the world to have this ultimate experience,” says Thierry Coup, a senior vice-president of Universal Creative, the company’s research and development division.

The last Harry Potter film was released five years ago but the character’s appeal remains as strong as ever, with fans eagerly awaiting stage show Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which opens in London this summer.

Meanwhile a spin-off movie trilogy is due to hit the big screen, starting with Fantastic Beasts And Where to Find Them later in the year.