FORT WAYNE, Ind., Dec. 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Vera Bradley, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRA; “Vera Bradley” or the “Company”), a leading American bag and luggage company and iconic lifestyle brand, today debuted the Harry Potter™ + Vera Bradley Luna’s Medallion collection, a new limited-edition capsule collection in collaboration with Warner Bros. Consumer Products.

Fan favorite Luna Lovegood™, her distinct flair for fashion, and the dreamy, kaleidoscopic view seen through her signature Spectrespecs inspired the magical Luna’s Medallion collection. Look for surprises hidden within the pattern, such as Luna’s radish earrings and rabbit Patronus!

“We’re celebrating the joy and excitement of the holiday season by once again collaborating with Warner Bros. Consumer Products to create another very special Harry Potter™ + Vera Bradley collection,” noted Daren Hull, Vera Bradley Brand President. “Fans of the Wizarding World™ and Vera Bradley alike are sure to delight in the limited-edition Luna’s Medallion collection, inspired by the one-of-a-kind, lovable Luna Lovegood™.”

The Harry Potter™ + Vera Bradley Luna’s Medallion collection, offered in the brand’s newest Recycled Cotton fabrication, is available exclusively on www.verabradley.com and at Harry Potter New York, the official Harry Potter™ flagship store in New York City. The collection offers 16 styles, ranging in price from $19.99 to $135, including best-selling silhouettes like the Plush Throw Blanket, Large Travel Duffel and RFID All in One Crossbody. To learn more, visit www.verabradley.com/harrypotter and follow @verabradley and @harrypotter.

About Vera Bradley, Inc.
Vera Bradley, Inc. operates two unique lifestyle brands – Vera Bradley and Pura Vida. Vera Bradley and Pura Vida are complementary businesses, both with devoted, emotionally-connected, and multi-generational female customer bases; alignment as casual, comfortable, affordable, and fun brands; positioning as “gifting” and socially-connected brands; strong, entrepreneurial cultures; a keen focus on community, charity, and social consciousness; multi-channel distribution strategies; and talented leadership teams aligned and committed to the long-term success of their brands.

Vera Bradley, based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is a leading designer of women’s handbags, luggage and other travel items, fashion and home accessories, and unique gifts. Founded in 1982 by friends Barbara Bradley Baekgaard and Patricia R. Miller, the brand is known for its innovative designs, iconic patterns, and brilliant colors that inspire and connect women unlike any other brand in the global marketplace.

In July 2019, Vera Bradley, Inc. acquired a 75% interest in Creative Genius, Inc., which also operates under the name Pura Vida Bracelets (“Pura Vida”). Pura Vida, based in La Jolla, California, is a rapidly growing, digitally native, and highly engaging lifestyle brand founded in 2010 by friends Paul Goodman and Griffin Thall. Pura Vida has a differentiated and expanding offering of bracelets, jewelry, and other lifestyle accessories.

About Warner Bros. Consumer Products 
Warner Bros. Consumer Products, part of Warner Bros. Global Brands and Experiences, extends the Studio’s powerful portfolio of entertainment brands and franchises into the lives of fans around the world. WBCP partners with best-in-class licensees globally on an award-winning range of toys, fashion, home décor, and publishing inspired by franchises and properties such as DC, Wizarding World, Looney Tunes, Hanna-Barbera, HBO, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim. The division’s successful global themed entertainment business includes groundbreaking experiences such as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi. With innovative global licensing and merchandising programs, retail initiatives, promotional partnerships and themed experiences, WBCP is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world. 

About Wizarding World
In the years since Harry Potter was whisked from King’s Cross Station onto Platform nine and three quarters, his incredible adventures have left a unique and lasting mark on popular culture. Eight Blockbuster Harry Potter films based on the original stories by J.K. Rowling have brought the magical stories to life and today, the Wizarding World is recognised as one of the world’s best-loved brands.

Representing a vast interconnected universe, it also includes two epic Fantastic Beasts films, (the third releasing in 2022), Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – the multi-award-winning stage-play, state-of-the-art video and mobile games from Portkey Games, innovative consumer products, thrilling live entertainment (including four theme park lands) and insightful exhibitions.

This expanding portfolio of Warner Bros. owned Wizarding World experiences also includes Harry Potter New York – a brand new flagship store, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo, and the Platform 9 3⁄4 retail shops.

The Wizarding World continues to evolve to provide Harry Potter fans with fresh and exciting ways to engage. For the worldwide fan community, and for generations to come, it welcomes everyone in to explore and discover the magic for themselves.

WIZARDING WORLD and all related trademarks, characters, names, and indicia are © ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s21)

Vera Bradley Media
877-708-VERA (8372)
MediaContact@verabradley.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6645e88e-b881-4a11-bbfa-55e6f21ead73

This Christmas marks the 20th anniversary of the release of the first Harry Potter film, and on January 1, HBO Max will release a special, Return to Hogwarts, featuring interviews with the original cast. Noticeably absent from the reunion is Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, who has become outspoken on gender issues and regularly expresses concern that the transgender activist movement is erasing the concept of womanhood. She is increasingly assailed by progressives, and thus it’s possible that the controversy is the reason she’s being left out. (Neither Rowling nor Warner Bros. have commented on the author’s omission from the special.)

Rowling is not exactly a conservative: She has described her politics as center-left, and has supported both the Labour Party and the U.K. remaining part of the European Union. She is at the very least politically open-minded, however her books frequently toy with libertarian ideas—most notably in the later entries, when the incompetence, corruption, and eventual outright authoritarianism of the Ministry of Magic (the wizarding world’s government bureaucracy) is on full display.

As a fan of the books and films who had not revisited them in quite some time, I had always remembered how unflatteringly Rowling portrayed the government of her fictional world. But I was surprised to rediscover another entity that is absolutely savaged in the Harry Potter universe: the mainstream media. Rewatching the films this month for the first time in years, I was particularly struck by how much fake news was printed in the pages of The Daily Prophet.

The Prophet is the main source of news for wizards and witches living in England. Owls deliver it daily to virtually all magical folk, including teenagers: Harry and his classmates receive the paper while they eat breakfast at Hogwarts. It is the wizarding world’s version of the mainstream media; it is also an ever-evolving source of lies and propaganda.

In the fourth book and film, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the newspaper takes on a tabloid role. When Rita Skeeter, a star reporter for the Prophet, interviews Harry about his participation in a magical tournament, she misquotes him deliberately and sensationalizes his life and habits. She also writes articles falsely claiming that Harry and his best friend, Hermione, are in a romantic relationship.

But this is the least of The Daily Prophet‘s appalling failures. In the fifth book and film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the newspaper sides with the government, openly aiding the Ministry of Magic’s efforts to paint Harry and his mentor, Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, as lunatics and conspiracy theorists. Harry and his friends know that the dangerous dark wizard Voldemort has returned, but the truth is inconvenient for the Ministry, and thus the media does everything it can to paint Harry as deranged. Sample headlines include, “Harry Potter: The Boy Who Lied?” and “Dumbledore: Is He Daft or Is He Dangerous?”

In the final novel, after the villain Voldemort has taken over the government and installed a puppet minister, The Daily Prophet becomes an outright fascist publication, in full support of Voldemort’s tyrannical and genocidal agenda. Meanwhile, alternative media sources take up the cause of reporting actual news about Voldemort’s sinister agenda and Harry’s resistance to it. The Quibbler, a newspaper edited by Xenophilius Lovegood, father to Harry’s friend Luna, starts out the series with a low reputation on account of some poorly sourced articles; toward the end, it’s the only newspaper printing the truth about Voldemort. Indeed, in order for Harry to provide his eyewitness account of Voldemort’s rise, he relies on The Quibbler to publish “Harry Potter Speaks Out At Last: The Truth About He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and the Night I Saw Him Return.”

Some of Harry’s supporters also launch a pirate radio program, Potterwatch, which provides information about Voldemort’s attacks on non-magical folk. Podcasts and contrarian papers are the journalistic heroes of the wizarding world; the mainstream media is, to quote one notable real-world muggle, “the enemy of the people.”

Many of the stars of the Harry Potter films seem eager to reprise their roles in a potential sequel series or reboot: Here’s hoping that any future Potter project both 1) involves Rowling, and 2) reflects the source material’s independent outlook toward the news.

A moment 20 years in the making. Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: #ReturnToHogwarts is streaming on @HBOMax New Year’s Day. pic.twitter.com/xfp95HPZqR

— Wizarding World (@wizardingworld) December 15, 2021

Following months of “Return to Hogwarts” fan teasers — and rampant rumors of J.K. Rowling being banned, the controversial author has finally been spotted at the “Harry Potter” 20th anniversary reunion.

The long-awaited event — set to air Jan. 1 on HBO Max was first announced in November, at a time when the billionaire writer had only just slipped off the tabloid radar, after critics first accused the billionaire writer of “transphobic” rhetoric in 2020.

Many raised concerns that Rowling, 56, was being “canceled” from the production when she didn’t appear in trailers for the televised event.

However, in a newly released preview obtained by The Independent, Rowling is said to be featured during a scene in which cast members describe how the novelist had made an an indelible impact on their lives.

“So many people were falling in love with J.K. Rowling’s writing,” said actress Bonnie Wright, 30, who played Ron Weasley’s sister Ginny in the films.

“I think it’s very easy to forget that at the time, people were talking about ‘the death of reading,’ ” Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe, 32, added in the clip.

Actor Robbie Coltrane, 71, who played the affable Hagrid and has sparked backlash by previously defending Rowling, continued the thread by saying, “One of the many reasons I admire J.K. so much is that millions now read books who would never have lifted a book up in their lives, and you suddenly realize the power of writing.”

Rowling enters the conversation, as it were, as they turn to memories from casting the titular role. Not altogether scrubbed, she is seen saying during an interview reportedly filmed in 2019, “We just couldn’t find Harry, and it was getting kind of weird, and panicky.”

“Return to Hogwarts” airs Jan. 1 on HBO Max, and stars original cast and crew including Radcliffe, Grint, Coltrane, Emma Watson, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Gary Oldman, Tom Felton and others.

The Independent’s viewing tracks with The Hollywood Reporter, who reported in November that Rowling might only be featured in the special via archival footage, according to insiders. Rather, the retrospective would focus on the making of the film, not the books.

During Sony’s PlayStation 5 event in September 2020, the long rumoured and previously leaked Harry Potter RPG, Hogwarts Legacy, was finally confirmed.

Set at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the late 1800s, Hogwarts Legacy seeks to let players experience their own wizard journey while not encroaching on the established canon of the books.

Developed by Avalanche Software, previously of Disney Infinity fame, the game is being released under Warner Bros’ PortkeyGames label, which also plays home to Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, a magical Pokemon Go developed by Niantic (at least until it shuts down in late January).

After all this time, there’s still very little known about the game itself. In 2018 footage of an early build of the game leaked, showing off the player learning spells, exploring iconic areas of the wizarding world and interacting with beasts, but it’s not clear how much of that early prototype still exists in the game we’re supposed to be getting in 2022.

It’s rumoured that the game will begin with the player being transferred to Hogwarts in their 5th year, two years before students typically graduate from the school. Leaks appeared to show players customising a character that looks significantly older than a first-year Hogwarts student.

A trailer shown in 2020 begins with what looks to be an older student arriving at the school, seemingly confirming this, though with the sorting hat and the process of being sorted into Hogwarts’ four houses so prevalent in the original books and subsequent media, it seems strange that this element would be omitted.

Although not part of the trailer, a screenshot released also showed an older student in a wand shop testing out their new wand, something that’s traditionally done when a student joins Hogwarts at age 11, so there’s potential that the story could surround a wizard not uncovering their powers until slightly later in life. The appearance of the unnamed wand shop implies that players will be able to visit the magic world’s High Street: Diagon Alley.

What’s also made clear by the trailer is that the world around Hogwarts is also a large part of the game. Hogsmeade village, the Forbidden Forest, and other locations from around the school grounds will be explorable. One part of the trailer even shows the player flying what looks to be a Hippogriff over a seaside setting, suggesting the open world may be much larger than expected.

Dementors, Inferi and Dragons all make an appearance in the trailer, as well as several of the creatures introduced in the Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them spin-off films. Due to the game being set in the late 1800s, there are few other established characters or events that could appear in the game. While ghosts such as Nearly-Headless Nick could appear due to having died in the 1400s, teachers, students and other notable figures are likely to be entirely the creation of Avalanche.

One of the biggest questions so far surrounds the appearance of mysterious skull-faced figures at the end of the video. These appear to be the main threat to the player, although their motives and origins are unknown. After all, since the story is set more than 100 years before the rise of Voldemort and his death eaters, there has to be a new threat for the player, further divorcing this game from the canon established by creator J.K. Rowling.

Rowling’s involvement has also been the source of much speculation due the ongoing controversy surrounding her and the fact that over the past 18 months she’s been criticised for continually making comments and supporting views perceived to be transphobic on her Twitter account.

This has caused many Harry Potter movie actors, including leads Emma Watson and Eddie Redmayne, to publicly voice their support for the transgender community, and reports this year have suggested that the game’s development team are following suit by fighting to include transgender characters to the game to ensure representation.

Warner even addressed the concerns about the author’s involvement in the game in an FAQ posted online. “J.K. Rowling is not directly involved in the creation of the game,” they wrote, “however, her extraordinary body of writing is the foundation of all projects in the Wizarding World.”

Regardless of the author’s creative involvement, she is certain to receive profits from the game as she still oversees all of the projects related to the Harry Potter IP, but it’s going to be interesting to see how her recent behaviour will affect the fanbase’s appetite for the game.

“Regardless of the author’s creative involvement, she is certain to receive profits from the game as she still oversees all of the projects related to the Harry Potter IP, but it’s going to be interesting to see how her recent behaviour will affect the fanbase’s appetite for the game.”

The upcoming 20th anniversary reunion special due to stream on HBO Max on January 1 doesn’t appear to have any sign of Rowling at all, and Niantic’s game – which on paper seemed like it would be another surefire success given Pokémon Go’s popularity – will be killed off next month, causing some to wonder if the series’ spell is beginning to wane, and whether Rowling’s actions have catalysed this is any way.

It’s also going to be interesting to see what the state of public perception of the series will be by the time Hogwarts Legacy is released – according to an interview with a Warner Bros manager in November, it’s likely to be the second half of the year.

In the Wizarding World canon, September 1 is the day that students return to Hogwarts after the summer holidays, a day which would certainly fit thematically for a release. It remains to be seen if that’s when new players will be enrolling, and how many of them will actually show up for term.

The holiday season may be coming to an end, but there’s much to look forward to in entertainment to cheer you up—like the Harry Potter reunion on HBO Max. The week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve can be…weird, so try to find some happy with these TV shows and movies. Happy watching! 

Letterkenny  Catch up on the last nine seasons (LOL) before the next one premieres. Streaming on Hulu 

The Year: 2021  Per an ABC press release, “As 2021 comes to a close, ABC News announced its annual two-hour prime-time special highlighting the biggest moments of a historic year. With the country still fighting COVID-19, a groundbreaking inauguration, the Capitol insurrection, and continued protests for racial justice, 2021 proved to be a year unlike any other in modern-day history.” 9 p.m. E.T. on ABC

Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer  Per Netflix, this is a “a docuseries dive into crime’s darkest places. In 1970s NYC, the ‘Torso Killer’ preys on women to fulfill his grotesque fantasies while eluding police.” Streaming on Netflix 

The Lost Daughter  Dakota Johnson and Olivia Colman star in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut, a psychological drama that’s earned rave reviews. Read a description, below. Streaming on Netflix 

“A woman’s beach vacation takes a dark turn when her obsession with a young mother forces her to confront the secrets of her past.”

Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party Hosted by Miley Cyrus and Pete Davidson  The title says it all. Ring in the new year with Cyrus and Davidson on your couch! 10:30 p.m. E.T. on NBC 

Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts  Here’s everything we know about this highly anticipated reunion. “It has been an incredible journey since the debut of the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone film, and witnessing how it has evolved into this remarkable interconnected universe has been magical to say the least,” Tom Ascheim, president of Warner Bros. global kids, young adults, and classics, said in a statement to Variety. “This retrospective is a tribute to everyone whose lives were touched by this cultural phenomenon—from the talented cast and crew who poured their heart and soul into this extraordinary film franchise to the passionate fans who continue to keep the Wizarding World spirit alive 20 years later.” Streaming on HBO Max

No matter which acre of Universal Studios‘ 425 you’re standing on, you’re bound to be hearing something composed by John Williams playing in the background—whether it’s Harry Potter fanfare or the Jurassic Park soundtrack.

There are a few exceptions here and there—depending on which themed area you’re walking to, or what time of the year you’re visiting the park. Danny Elfman’s opening suite for The Simpsons can be heard year-round in the town of Springfield, while James Horner’s score for How The Grinch Stole Christmas plays in—you guessed it—Whoville, a seasonal section of the park only erected during November and December, in celebration of “Grinchmas.”

click to enlarge

• Photos By Caleb Wiseblood
• SHREK TREK A 7-foot-tall Shrek (dressed in a cute Christmas sweater) greets guests young and old at Universal Studios Hollywood.

This part of the park operates as a town square-esque setting, complete with a communal Christmas tree lighting, which reoccurs every hour or so during the evening. The ceremony kicks off with an introductory speech from Whoville’s mayor, Augustus Maywho (à la Jeffrey Tambor in Ron Howard’s film adaptation, although he doesn’t appear in Dr. Seuss’ original book).

The first time I spot this shady Whoville official is much earlier in the day though, nearly right after entering the park. As surreal as it is to see one of my favorite underrated movie villains come to life, my wide-eyed gaze is swiftly stolen by a 7-foot-tall Shrek wearing a cute Christmas sweater, towering just around the corner.

That sentiment kind of sums up my recent holiday trip to Universal Studios—everything at the park seems to be competing for my attention. Springfield, where we stop to chow down on some burgers and chili dogs at Krusty Burger, is always a joy just to walk through and admire its quirky, reverential atmosphere, but its landscape is overshadowed by a nearby monument, only a few steps away, down a cobblestone road—the robust entrance to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

click to enlarge

• Photos By Caleb Wiseblood
• WHOVILLE TOPS THE BILL Whoville (a seasonal section of the park only erected during November and December in celebration of “Grinchmas”) operates as a town square-esque setting, complete with a communal Christmas tree lighting, which reoccurs every hour or so during the evening.

Unlike the universe it’s based on, we don’t have to run through a magic wall to get to Platform 9 3/4, nor board a train or flying car to get to Hogwarts. Instead, we’re forced to maneuver around dense crowds to get anywhere in this part of the park; the line for butter beer is just as lengthy as any of the rides’ wait times. We pop into as many shops as we can, including Honeydukes, where we browse through the store’s colorful candy assortments—we resist the temptation to buy too much, limiting ourselves to a couple of chocolate frogs.

click to enlarge

• Courtesy Photo By Téa Main
• CANDY CORNER We pop into as many shops in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter as we can, including Honeydukes, where we browse through the store’s colorful candy assortments—but we resist the temptation to buy too much, limiting ourselves to a couple of chocolate frogs.

Rather than wait in the 85-minute line for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey—a magic broomstick ride of sorts inside Hogwarts Castle—we decide to explore alternative attractions, with the intention of returning to Hogwarts in the evening, right before closing time in hopes that the line will be much shorter. Luckily, we’ve got the Studio Tour, The Mummy, and Jurassic World (formerly Jurassic Park) to keep us muggles company in the meantime.

Waiting until about 8 p.m. to head back into the Potter-verse worked out perfectly, as we were able to enjoy The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle—a spectacular holiday fireworks and light show—just before stepping into the 15-minute line for the aforementioned Forbidden Journey with a churro and goblet of fire, er, I mean, cup of hot cocoa in hand. Δ

Calendar Editor Caleb Wiseblood is a card-carrying Slytherin. Send comments to cwiseblood@newtimesslo.com.

Tom Felton collapsed during a celebrity golf tournament in Wisconsin on Thursday.

The 34-year-old actor, best known for playing Draco Malfoy in the “Harry Potter” franchise, was seen looking a bit disheveled in pics obtained by Page Six, however it is currently unclear why he languished.

Photos show Felton on the ground at the Whistling Straits golf course in Kohler, surrounded by a group of people. Following the incident, Felton was escorted off the course in a cart, where appeared still conscious but lying down on a stretcher.

We’re told Felton collapsed on the 18th hole during a practice day. Reps did not immediately return Page Six’s request for comment.

The actor was joined at the event by a number of other celebrities, including Mandy Rose, Toni Kukoč, Mike Eruzione, Stephanie Szostak, A.J. Hawk, Dan Jansen, Kelly Slater and Sasha Vujačić.

The celebrity tournament kicked off just before the Ryder Cup, a biennial men’s golf competition between teams from Europe and the US.

Felton has not yet commented on the incident — occurred just one day after he celebrated his 34th birthday — via his rep or on social media.

“33 years done – good lord it’s been so much fun getting here – yet, somehow, I still feel the best is yet to come,” Felton wrote on Instagram Wednesday. “Thank you all for your love, support sense of humour – let’s keep a good thing going – to the next 33 xx.”

J.K. Rowling drew inspiration from numerous sources when writing Harry Potter, from Homer to Shakespeare. One author in particular heavily influenced the characters, setting, and concept of the book series: T.H. White.

Even if you don’t recognize the writer’s name immediately, you’ve likely heard of his most famous story, The Sword in the Stone. As MyLondon reports, without White’s take on Merlin and young King Arthur, we may have never gotten Dumbledore and Harry.

Rowling acknowledged the connection between Harry Potter and The Sword in the Stone, calling the boy Arthur (who goes by the name Wart before he becomes king) Harry’s “spiritual ancestor.” The two characters share many similarities. Like Harry, Wart is predestined for great things, as he proves when he pulls out a magical sword stuck on top of a stone and claims his title as king. But both boys come from humble backgrounds, Harry being an orphan and Wart being a squire of low status. Wart even lives in a castle not unlike Hogwarts.

One of the most obvious elements Rowling borrowed from White is the trope of the wise, white-bearded wizard. Merlin and Albus Dumbledore are both mentors to their story’s young protagonists, and they’re both powerful wizards with a whimsical nature. They also have pet birds in common, though Merlin owns an owl instead of a phoenix.

T.H. White didn’t invent the tale of King Arthur. The author was a fan of the 15th-century telling of the legend, Le Morte D’Arthur, and was inspired to write the characters into a children’s story in 1938. The Sword in the Stone kicked off his series The Once and Future King and was adapted into an animated Disney film of the same name in 1963.

Though White didn’t come up with King Arthur on his own, he did write the schoolboy version of the character that inspired Harry Potter. Fans of both stories may have noticed a nod to the Arthur legend in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. In the first book in the series, Harry finds a chocolate frog card of Merlin, confirming that the wizard exists in his world.

[h/t MyLondon]

Fans aren’t the only ones excited about the upcoming Harry Potter reunion special — the cast is eager too!

Ahead of the premiere of HBO Max’s special to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the franchise’s first film, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, ET spoke with star Rupert Grint about what fans can expect. The 33-year-old actor famously played Harry’s best friend Ron Weasley and one-third of the Golden Trio in all eight magical flicks. He’s gone on to star in several notable projects, including the psychological horror series Servant, which returns to Apple TV+ for season three on Friday, Jan. 21.

Saying that fans should prepare to feel many “emotions,” Grint shared that the reunion was particularly emotional for him, Daniel Radcliffe, and Emma Watson. The special marks the trio’s first onscreen reunion since the release of the final Harry Potter film in 2011 and the first formal reunion with their castmates.  

Stars from all eight Harry Potter movies are present, including Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Tom Felton, James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Mark Williams, Bonnie Wright, Alfred Enoch, Matthew Lewis and Evanna Lynch. Filmmakers David Heyman, Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuarón, Mike Newell and David Yates will also be joining the tribute with in-depth interviews and cast conversations to touch on their enchanting journeys while filming the movies.

“Those movies were our childhoods. We grew up on those sets so it has incredible meaning to all of us,” he said. “It’s been ten years since we wrapped the last movie and we’ve seen each other quite a bit in-between that but not a great deal. So it was great to see them again and talk about it. I don’t really talk or think about it a lot, so it was fun to remember.” 

Although the actor noted that he wasn’t sure “how much I can say about secrets,” he did note that “everyone” was present and accounted for. He also recognized that there’s been “talk” about possible reboots or sequels to the original films and shared that he wouldn’t say no to potentially returning to the role if asked. Especially as he and Ron now have fatherhood in common, after Grint and his partner, actress Georgia Groome, welcomed a daughter in 2020. 

“There’s been a lot talk of [playing Ron again] with everything going on and I feel like I am that character,” he noted. “I think I had a very strange relationship with him at first but I feel like there’s a lot of me in there so I’m quite protective of him. I don’t really have a good reason to say no, I’m very proud to be a part of it.”

The Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts reunion will begin streaming on Jan. 1, 2022, on HBO Max. 

For more with the beloved cast, check out the video below.

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Posting an article on this news, she quoted George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984. Rowling captioned her tweet: “War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength. The Penised Individual Who Raped You Is a Woman.”

As the controversy surrounding her trans views continues, Warner Bros have cut her name out of the latest Fantastic Beasts movie’s trailer, which launched on Monday.

The first film released in 2016 had the caption, “JK Rowling invites you”, before crediting her as writer and producer on the movie.

Two years later, The Crimes of Grindelwald trailer said, “From writer JK Rowling”, along with similar credits to her contribution.

READ MORE: JK Rowling was told ‘You will NEVER make money out of Harry Potter’