Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Mousewitcz

[BirdMom]

Disney officials very quietly began talks with J.K. Rowling, the acclaimed author of the "Harry Potter" series. And after months of negotiations, Rowling finally signed a letter of intent. Which then awarded the Walt Disney Company the right to begin preliminary development of a theme park-related project featuring the Harry Potter characters.

Now please note that we're only talking about just a letter of intent here. Which -- according to investorsworld.com -- is:

A letter from one company to another acknowledging a willingness and ability to do business ... A letter of intent is not a contract and cannot be enforced, it is just a document stating serious intent to carry out certain business activities.

And given Ms. Rowling's reputation for being one tough negotiator (Case in point: When Warner Bros. was getting ready to produce the very first "Harry Potter" film, the studio insisted that at least one actor in the cast be a "name." To be specific, Warners wanted Robin Williams for the role of Hagrid. But J.K. absolutely refused to allow the studio to cast this Academy-award winning comedian as Hogwart's big-hearted gamekeeper. And given that one of the terms of the sale of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" movie rights was that the author had final approval over the film's cast ... Well, that's how Robbie Coltrane wound up filling Hagrid's over-sized boots) ... Just because Disney now has a letter of intent with J.K. Rowling doesn't mean that you should plan on queuing up for "Harry Potter: The Ride" anytime soon.

Mind you, Disney's still hoping that negotiations can be completed in time for the company to be able to formally announce its arrangement with Rowling between July 7, 2007 (I.E. When the seventh & final Harry Potter book will be released to stores) and July 13, 2007 (When the movie version of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" is released to theaters). When the world is expected to be in the grips of unprecedented Harry Potter mania.

Still, given how protective J.K. can be about her characters ... Disney knows better than to count on their "Harry Potter" letter of intent being turned into a really-for-real full-blown contract. Which is why senior company officials decided to put together a contingency plan. One that would still allow the Mouse to be in business with a modern master of fantasy should Rowling actually decide to pull the plug on Disney's theme park deal.

Source: Jim Hill Media

Two words: oi vey.

I love Harry Potter books. Thanks to Brina, my eldest baby, I got hooked on them ages ago. This seems like a match made in (everything but fanatical Christian) heaven - million plus selling book franchise/movie franchise (even if it is WB) meets theme park. But I see some caveats. First of all - where would an HP attraction fit in? Fantasyland? Would Sleeping Beauty's Castle be rethemed as Hogwarts? Will we have Buckbeak flying round the ramparts and the dragons from the Tri-Wizard Tournament peeking out from the moat? Is Sirius Black lurking in a corridor? What about all the house ghosts or Peeves the poltergeist? Do the little Jedi robes get re-themed as Wizard Robes? Do you stick with the early Potter books with (somewhat) happy endings or do you go with the more mature Potter, the angst, death and emerging raging hormones? I don't quite see Potter fitting anywhere into DCA. Maybe one of the steam trains is rechristened the Hogwarts Express??? I really don't know about this...

Any other Potterhead CM's have any thoughts? :harrypott

[TinkerBelleRoo]

I don't know about DL but for WDW, I could see something done in the studios OR in the former 20K area. If there were rumors of a villains land there or something similar, why not a HP dark ride?

[BirdMom]

I don't know about DL but for WDW, I could see something done in the studios OR in the former 20K area. If there were rumors of a villains land there or something similar, why not a HP dark ride?

Considering some of the HP villains, there are:

Peter Pettigrew, aka Scabbers. Stumpy guy who happens to be an animagus (transforms himself into an animal), in this case, the rat. Disney audience friendly, meh. He did slice Harry's arm with a big knife in the last movie.

Gilderoy Lockheart, memorably portrayed by Kenneth Branaugh. In over his head, but good at memory charms. A fop in wizards clothing. Definitely audience friendly.

Lucius Malfoy. Nasty dad of Draco. Great Paris Hilton hair, mean to house elves. Death eater in pointy klan-type robes. May not go over too well in the south.

Prof. Quirrell. Memorably was hiding Voldemort-as-cranial-parasite under his turban. Tried to strangle Harry in the first movie. More PG-13 for kiddie scare factor than G or PG.

Snape. Good guy/bad guy debate on other HP message boards. After book 6 my mind is made up, but that's again for the other boards. He's so good at being bad.

Lord Voldemort. So many versions, so few sets available in a ride. There's the creepy face on the back of Quirrell's head (book 1). There's the young Tom Riddle controlling the Baselisk(book 2). Then there's the thing deposited into the cauldron, from whence springs Ralph Finnes (books 4 and 5, possibly 7). All versions trying to kill Harry.

O.K., all things considered, that particular theme isn't that far removed from the Brothers Grimm and other stories that Disney co-opted. The Wicked Queen's raison d'etre is to kill Snow White. Captain Hook wants to off Peter Pan. I'm sure if she had her way, Lady Tremaine would have preferred that Cinderella met with an unfortunate accident. I'm just curious what kind of balance WDI could make between the darker elements and the gee-whiz let's go to Hogwarts-and-learn-magic elements.

[dazyhill]

As great as this is , one would have thought Disney would develop rides and shows based on the Chronicles of Narnia since they have the rights to this property.
I'm surprised J.K. Rowling would even agree to this. The Harry Potter films have very few movie tie-in promotions (i.e. Fast Food toys) because Rowling ultimately wants the books to be the core focus.
Probably the best fit for a Harry Potter themed attraction would be an interactive one. I remember reading about this place on the east coast (sorry can't remember the attraction or the city.) that is an interactive castle. You purchase a magic wand for about $10 and you go through the castle completing various quests such as making potions or slaying dragons. It is quite popular and does a lot of repeat business. This model would easily be adaptable as a Hogwarts School.
Oh just an FYI to any WDI or Disney Marketing managment that are lurking on this site, I have a Bachelor of Science in Marketing Management with an emphasis in Creative Marketing. I also have a very active imagination and I am well versed in the Harry Potter books.

[lady ulrike]

Now, I just want to note that the report says, "a theme park related project." Honestly, that can be pretty much anything. Who knows, maybe Disney will do another park somewhere that is all/mostly Harry Potter themed. Maybe they're just going to have a show or some of the characters out and about, it may not be a ride. My only real general comment, though, is it's about time some takes this to theme parks, if I had the money, I would've been talking to J.K. years ago about a whole Harry themed amusement park, if they can have a Christian themed amusement park why not Potter?

[ThunderCat]

I don't know about DL but for WDW, I could see something done in the studios OR in the former 20K area. If there were rumors of a villains land there or something similar, why not a HP dark ride?

The rumor I heard involved a "Diagon Alley" area in the 20K area, with a HP-inspired dark ride in the old 20K Show Building. Mind you, this would not necessarily look like the film sets, but would be interpretations based on the books.

Of course, this rumor has been floating around for (literally) years.

Personally, I think we're more likely to see a HP-inspired stage show at the Disney/MGM Studios, or possibly a Character Meet-N-Greet Area.

[kurtisnelson]

As great as this is , one would have thought Disney would develop rides and shows based on the Chronicles of Narnia since they have the rights to this property.

What about the "attraction" at MGM that I WAITED 20 MINUTES FOR!!!!!

[Zazu]

The rumor I heard involved a "Diagon Alley" area in the 20K area, with a HP-inspired dark ride in the old 20K Show Building.

Um, just so you know....

The 20k Show Building is now just the north and east walls, and it's been backfilled with dirt to within eight feet of the top. There's no more "inside" there.

Would love to see the designs for a Diagon Alley though.

[bpgstudios]

Um, just so you know....

The 20k Show Building is now just the north and east walls, and it's been backfilled with dirt to within eight feet of the top. There's no more "inside" there.

Would love to see the designs for a Diagon Alley though.

Plenty O' Space there. 20K of Grass from Windows Live Local

[felinefan]

When I was a Train Conductor at Knott's, there would be kids who would ask, "Is this the Polar Express?" (after the movie came out); some would ask if it was Thomas the Tank Engine, and ranking third would be "It's the Hogwarts Express!" Before PE came out, it was mainly Thomas. I'm not a Rowlings fan, so I don't know what type of train the Hogwarts Express is; the Polar Express is a 1937 Baldwin, and the Denver and Rio Grande train is a 1881 Baldwin. Zazu, you're the train enthusiast; would you happen to know what kind of train the Hogwarts Express is, for the enlightenment of HP fans? I don't know if people ask if your trains are Thomas/Polar Express/Hogwarts Express, but if they do, what do you tell them? If someone asked if "my" train was the Polar Express, I'd tell them no, and furthermore, there would be no hot chocolate served on board, and the conductors do not do knee slides down the aisle! :D: