Harry Potter cast members reunite to shoot new scenes for Universal Orlando’s “Escape from Gringotts” thrill ride

Jim Hill

11 years ago

Let's cut to the chase here: "Harry Potter and the
Escape from Gringotts" (i.e. the feature attraction for Diagon Alley, that
new Harry Potter-themed land which will be opening at Universal Studios Florida
later this summer) isn't just a thrill ride. It's really "Harry Potter and
the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.1"

According to Thierry Coup, the Senior Vice President of
Universal Creative (i.e., the arm of Universal Parks & Resorts that designs
all of the rides, shows & attraction for the Universal theme parks), the
cast from the Harry Potter movies all really enjoyed returning to the Wizarding
World. Getting the chance to reprise the roles that they'd played over the
course of this eight part film series.

Thierry Coup makes a last minute camera check on before filming of some
new Wizarding World footage can get underway. Copyright Universal
Orlando. All rights reserved

"I actually got to direct those scenes for this new
Universal Orlando attraction in December of 2012. And it was obvious that the
cast members who came back to be part of the Gringotts shoot really enjoyed the
opportunity to revisit these characters," Coup said during a phone
interview yesterday. "I mean, these performers had spent so many years
working together on that acclaimed series of films. So it was clear that they really
appreciated this opportunity to revisit the world of Harry Potter. Getting the
chance to portray these iconic characters one more time."

Mind you, the adventure that Universal Orlando guests will
experience after they climb aboard this multi-dimensional, multi-sensory
attraction and then journey deep down into the caverns under Gringotts
Wizarding Bank won't exactly duplicate what Harry, Ron & Hermoine went
through in the final Potter book and/or the 2011 film which capped off this series.

HARRY POTTER, characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of
and
© Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights ©
JKR. (s14)
Universal elements and all related indicia TM & © 2014
Universal Studios.
© 2014 Universal Orlando. All rights reserved.

"J.K. Rowling actually gave us a lot of creative leeway
when it came to 'Escape from Gringotts.' You see, the story that we wanted to
tell with this Universal Orlando attraction kind of ran concurrently with the
events which occurred during 'Deathly Hallows,' " Coup explained.
"You see, our Guests just happen to be at Gringotts Wizarding Bank opening
a new account on the exact same day that Harry, Ron & Hermoine are trying
to break into Bellatrix Lestrange's vault to retrieve a horcrux."

Mind you, it isn't 'til their 20-passenger mine car is
actually making its way through that vast complex of caverns directly under
Gringotts (so that Universal Orlando visitors can then supposedly go inspect
their newly-purchased vault) that these people finally cross paths with Harry,
Ron & Hermoine. Their mine car is on a track which parallels the path of
Potter's just as Harry, Ron, Hermoine & Griphook the goblin pass through
Thief's Downfall. Which is this enchanted waterfall that Gringotts put in place
to wash away any concealment spells & enchantment charms that would-be
thieves might use in their attempt to break into one of the bank's vaults.

And once that happens, Gringotts immediately goes on high
alert. Thinking that they might be the would-be vault robbers, the Bank's
brutish security trolls will then menace these Universal Orlando visitors. But
that's nothing compared to what happens when Bellatrix Lestrange & He Who
Must Not Be Named, Lord Voldemort arrive on the scene and are determined to do
whatever they have to in order to protect that horcrux.

"Which I know is a departure from 'The Deathly Hallows
– Part 2' movie. J.K. Rowling certainly didn't mention Bellatrix &
Voldemort being on scene this early as part of the 'Deathly Hallows' book. But
given that this action is happening away from where Harry, Ron & Hermoine
are … Well, J.K. actually gave us permission to include these scenes as part
of our attraction because they could have possibly been going on while Harry,
Ron & Hermoine were in the Lastrange vault retrieving that horcux,"
Thierry stated.

What's genuinely intriguing about "Harry Potter and the
Escape from Gringotts" is Universal Creative used feedback that they got
on Islands of Adventure's "Forbidden Journey" to help tweak their
storytelling on Diagon Alley's centerpiece attraction.

"Don't get me wrong. Harry Potter fans really seem to
love 'Forbidden Journey.' But the one complaint which we kept getting from our
Guests about that Wizarding World attraction was that they weren't getting
enough time with their favorite characters. That — because 'Forbidden Journey'
is really kind of a Harry Potter highlight reel — we kept moving quickly from
character to character, from place to place," Coup continued. "Which
is why — with 'Escape from Gringotts' — we decided to confine this attraction
to one specific place. Give our Guests lots of face time with some of the most
famous characters from the Harry Potter world. Not to mention placing them
right in the middle of one of the more exciting moments from both the books &
the film series."

That means facing down the 60-foot long, fire-breathing
Ukrainian Ironbelly dragon which bars the way to the Lestrange family vault.
Which Hermoine then sets free in a last ditch effort to escape from all the
goblins & Deatheaters who are hurling curses at them (and Universal Orlando
theme park guests) in the caverns far below those polished marble floors high
above in the lobby in Gringotts Wizarding Bank.

And speaking of Gringotts' lobby … During the 35 minutes
that Universal Orlando visitors will spend wandering through the highly themed
queue of this new state-of-the-art thrill ride, they'll eventually come
face-to-face with a set of animatronic goblins.

HARRY POTTER, characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of
and ©
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights ©
JKR. (s14)
Universal elements and all related indicia TM & © 2014
Universal Studios.
© 2014 Universal Orlando. All rights reserved.

"Every lesson that we've ever learned from building
other attractions here at the Universal Orlando Resort — our award-winning
"The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man," "Transformers: The Ride
– 3D," even "Forbidden Journey" — has been applied to
"Escape from Gringotts." There's never ever been a theme park
attraction like this before. One that uses so much cutting-edge technology in
the service of telling this one really great story," Thierry concluded.
"Which is why I can't wait 'til late this Summer when Universal Orlando
Guests get the chance to enter Gringotts Wizarding Bank. Which is when they'll
get the chance to join Harry, Ron & Hermoine on the ultimate Harry Potter
adventure."

* – This story originally appeared in Jim Hill's blog on HuffingtonPost.com.