Giant animatronic dragon from Harry Potter roams London streets
This dramatic display was part of the celebrations for the launch of 'Triwizard Tournament – Making of Champions', a new exhibit at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, marking the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire.
Weighing in at a hefty 1.3 tonnes, the Hungarian Horntail recreates the memorable scene from the much-loved film where Harry faces off against the daunting dragon during the first task of the 'Triwizard Tournament'.
The lifelike creature, designed by Harry Potter filmmaker and animatronic designer Joe Scott, boasts moving head, mouth and eyes, along with sound effects.
Constructed over 750 hours, this masterpiece features a 3D printed head, 25kg of fibreglass, and 119 individually attached spikes. Its jaws are fitted with 38 resin teeth, meticulously designed to replicate the film's terrifying appearance in detail.
Scott consulted original drawings, CGI drafts, and scans of the actual film prop to inform his design strategy. Reflecting on the project, he commented: "Revisiting the creation of the Hungarian Horntail 20 years on from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire has been magical."
He continued: "Creating the dragons for the Triwizard Tournament was no mean feat, with engineers, animatronics, designers and the special effects teams all working together to bring them to life.
"It's fantastic to see the craftsmanship that went into this on display at the new feature - inspiring visitors with the magic of our filmmaking secrets."
'The Triwizard Tournament – Making of Champions' exhibit is set to run from 15 May to 8 September 2025 at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter.
Fans will be able to step behind the scenes of the iconic Triwizard Tournament, discovering how the thrilling magical challenges were realised.
The Studio Tour's latest summer feature offers guests a chance to step onto the all-new Backlot Stage to delve into the Secrets of Special Effects. This dedicated indoor area features a digital screen, tiered seating and live demonstrations that unveil how filmmakers conjured the magic.
Key attractions include a reimagined arrival of the Beauxbaton and Durmstrang students, complete with costumes and choreography. Visitors can also learn about the techniques used to depict Harry holding his breath underwater during the second task.
Geoff Spooner, senior vice president at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, expressed: "We're excited to launch our brand-new summer feature, Triwizard Tournament – Making of Champions, where visitors can learn behind-the-scenes secrets of the fourth Harry Potter film.
"To celebrate and bring the magic of Warner Bros. Studio Tour London to the streets of the capital, we recreated the iconic moment of the escaped Hungarian Horntail dragon 20 years on from 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times
23 minutes ago
- Times
19 books to read this summer before they hit your screens
Anyone who was forced to read the whole Harry Potter series before they were allowed to watch the films with their friends might roll their eyes, but knowing a book before sitting down with the film or television version is hard to beat. There's the chance to build an imaginative world of your own — and then see how the screen version shapes up, what it includes and, equally vital, what gets left out. Here, then are some of the key releases to swot up on this summer. Interested in 1066 and all that? Head for this drama starring the uncannily Bayeux Tapestry-faced James Norton as Harold Godwinson and the Games of Thrones star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as William. Strictly speaking this is not a literary adaptation, but you can prepare by reading Marc Morris's zippy chronicle The Norman Conquest or William the Conqueror by David Bates, a biography as weighty as its corpulent subject. Meanwhile, readers who prefer fiction — Norman People, maybe — can try Julian Rathbone's superior historical novel The Last English King. So ubiquitous was Richard Osman's 2020 cosy crime novel that a recommendation to read it is probably only useful to three UK residents. Still, catch up on the intriguing happenings at Cooper's Chase retirement village before Chris Columbus's film and its high-end cast — Helen Mirren, Celia Imrie, Ben Kingsley, Pierce Brosnan — fix the image of the charming but poignant crime-fighting pensioners in stone. • The 60 best Netflix series to watch in July 2025 'Team Laura or Team Cherry?' could be this autumn's water-cooler question thanks to this six-part adaptation of Michelle Frances's gripping debut novel from 2018. 'The most marvellous psychological thriller,' according to Jilly Cooper, The Girlfriend hinges on Laura, whose luxurious life starts to unravel after her well-meaning 23-year-old son, Daniel, takes up with a smart, ambitious new partner. Robin Wright stars and directs; Laurie Davidson and Olivia Cooke complete the Mumsnet-worthy mother–son–daughter-in-law triangle. 'A place of yellows and greys,' is how Mick Herron describes the MI5 outpost Slough House, an epically dingy milieu superbly recreated across four Apple TV+ seasons. Book five in the series, London Rules, arrives on screen soon and, while Gary Oldman's portrayal of the disreputable agent Jackson Lamb is as indelible as the stains on his mac, viewers should do themselves a favour by hitting the source material. Start with the knife-edge first book Slow Horses to see the kebab-shop le Carré build his world of espionage from the ground up. And if you've watched the series already, don't be put off the books — they bring another dimension to the Slough House renegades. Paul Thomas Anderson has form with Thomas Pynchon: in 2014 the director orchestrated the first film of the elusive author's work with an adaptation of the 2009 psychedelic gumshoe ramble Inherent Vice. Headed by Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another is loosely based on Pynchon's 1990 novel Vineland, a timely trip through a divided America. Stephen King has long been a gift to book-lovers — how many new readers have been forged between the pages of It, Carrie or Salem's Lot? But he's also become such an essential creative wellspring for film-makers that the industry would shrivel without him. After The Life of Chuck with Tom Hiddleston (cinemas, Aug 22), two of his dystopian stories finding their natural place in 2025. The Shaun of the Dead director Edgar Wright has remodelled The Running Man, originally filmed with Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1987, while Francis Lawrence's take on the 1979 novel The Long Walk (like The Running Man, published under King's Richard Bachman alias) is Squid Game x Speed. This is a name-changed take on Max Porter's 2023 novella Shy, the story of a troubled young offender sent to a special boarding school ominously called Last Chance. While the excellent cast — Simbi 'Little Simz' Ajikawo, Emily Watson, Tracey Ullman and, as the headteacher Steve, Cillian Murphy — are likely to be up to the storytelling task, Porter's lyrically tangled, psychologically astute writing demands to be read on the page. • The best films of 2025 so far The last novel by the young adult/romance writer Colleen Hoover to be made into a film was It Ends with Us, a production that incubated the legal feud between Blake Lively and her co-star and director Justin Baldoni. Here's hoping this adaptation of Hoover's 2019 novel ran smoother, with Allison Williams (Get Out, Girls) and Mckenna Grace portraying a complicated mother-daughter relationship. Fans of Gilmore Girls-style family intrigue will regret nothing. Robert Grainier — an itinerant labourer and the protagonist of Denis Johnson's time-skipping Great American novella — returns home one day in 1920 to discover his wife and child have vanished after a fire 'stronger than God' rips through their Idaho valley. Catching the book's signs, wonders and spectacular landscapes, Clint Bentley's film adaptation casts Joel Edgerton, William H Macy and Felicity Jones in Johnson's profound meditation on the shape and meaning of a life. Mary Shelley's 1818 novel has long galvanised film-makers, the idea of a bolt-necked monster now a pop-culture staple. Read the original to experience the violent gothic sweep of the 18-year-old author's imagination — and to earn the right to reprimand anyone calling the creature 'Frankenstein'. The Pan's Labyrinth director Guillermo del Toro has been promising his version of the man-v-God meltdown for nearly 20 years; this autumn, it will jolt off the slab, with Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein and Jacob Elordi as his creation. Set in 1975 on the outskirts of Belfast, Louise Kennedy's slow-burning but highly acclaimed 2022 debut novel tells the story of Cushla Lavery, a 24-year-old Catholic primary school teacher and part-time barmaid who starts an affair with a married Protestant lawyer. Lola Petticrew will play Cushla and Tom Cullen her dangerous love interest Michael, but the starriest presence is Gillian Anderson, who will take on the role of Cushla's chaotic alcoholic mother, Gina. The dank second novel by Nick Cave is no beach read, but if you're spending the holidays in an upsettingly grimy motel room somewhere in southern England, it could be a perfect match. Digest its strong meat — think David Peace writing for Robin Askwith — then watch the six-part adaptation starring Matt Smith as a sex-obsessed cosmetics salesman who takes his son on an ungodly Fiat Punto road trip. Lindsay Duncan, Robert Glenister and David Threlfall join Cave's grotesque odyssey. A sequel to the BBC's 2016 version of John le Carré's 1993 novel has long been in the ether, with the writer open to an all-new storyline before his death in 2020. Season two is now imminent, featuring a reprise of Tom Hiddleston's star-making turn as Jonathan Pine. Refamiliarise yourself with the novel's tangled geopolitical web, or descend into le Carré's classic Cold War labyrinth with Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, the source of the BBC's immaculate 1979 adaptation with Alec Guinness. William Golding's pre-pubescent Apocalypse Now thrums with postwar visions of evil. When a band of boys are stranded on a tropical island, Piggy and Ralph attempt to establish an egalitarian society, but brutal Jack has different ideas. Peter Brook's ominous 1963 adaptation was brilliantly pastiched in The Simpsons episode Das Bus; this version, scored by Hans Zimmer and scripted by the TV powerhouse Jack Thorne (Adolescence), will introduce a new generation to the power of the conch. • The best films to watch on BBC iPlayer The pseudonymous physician Freida McFadden has become a thriller-writing sensation since self-publishing her debut in 2013. The Housemaid was the brain specialist's breakthrough, though; lurid psychological catnip for Gone Girl fans. The story of a former convict turned maid and her dysfunctional employers, it was made for a sun lounger and a tall drink, so get ahead of the twists before Paul Feig's adaptation — starring Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney — hits cinemas on Boxing Day. John Steinbeck's biblically inclined 1952 family saga relocates the story of Cain and Abel to First World War-era California. James Dean's brooding portrayal of Cal Trask in Elia Kazan's potently distilled 1955 film was generation-defining for the sensitive young men of its time. This reimagining, written and produced by Kazan's granddaughter Zoe Kazan, will re-spin the tale by focusing on Cal's absentee mother, Cathy Ames (Florence Pugh). If you missed the rite of passage that was passing Jilly Cooper's Rivals around a form room — the dog-eared copy suspiciously falling open at certain erotic pages — there's no better use of a summer holiday than initiating yourself into Rutshire mores. Series one of Disney+'s excellent adaptation managed to navigate the less 2025-friendly aspects of the book without losing the sexy, silly thrust of the whole enterprise. Armour yourself in stilettos and hairspray ready for series two. • Read more TV reviews, guides about what to watch and interviews Despite being announced in 2022, the BBC's adaptation of Douglas Stuart's 2020 debut still appears to be in limbo. There's still time, then, to read the Booker-winning novel if you haven't already: no matter when the show emerges, Stuart's harrowing tale of the Glaswegian teenager Shuggie Bain, his alcoholic mother, Agnes, and their lives in the cab ranks and council flats of the 1980s 'real Glasgow' will not quickly leave your memory. As her husband and fellow academic faces charges of sexual misconduct, the nameless protagonist of Julia May Jonas's sharply modern 2022 campus novel becomes obsessed with a new professor 15 years her junior. Sex, power, female appetite, 'morality in art': the twists in the book's Nabokovian ethical maze are elegantly signposted by Jonas. Executive produced by Sharon Horgan, it will star Rachel Weisz, with 28-year-old Leo Woodall as the title character. Which TV show, based on a book, are you most looking forward to watching? Let us know in the comments below Love TV? Discover the best shows on Netflix, the best Prime Video TV shows, the best Disney+ shows , the best Apple TV+ shows, the best shows on BBC iPlayer , the best shows on Sky and Now, the best shows on ITVX, the best shows on Channel 4 streaming, the best shows on Paramount+ and our favourite hidden gem TV shows. Don't forget to check our critics' choices to what to watch this week and browse our comprehensive TV guide
Daily Mirror
7 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Love Island's Helena breaks silence as she reveals plans for date with unlikely Islander
Dumped Love Island star Helena Ford has said she's looking forward to a double date with a very unlikely contestant after her whirlwind journey in the villa Love Island contestant Helena Ford has spoken for the first time since being dumped from the villa, confirming she intends to remain friends with former partner Harry Cooksley and has even made plans for a double date with him, Meg and Dejon once filming is over. Helena was eliminated on Thursday night alongside Blu, with whom she was in a friendship couple. The exit followed a turbulent few weeks in which she and Harry went exclusive before he ended their relationship to pursue fellow Islander Shakira Khan. Despite the breakup, Helena said she wanted to maintain a friendship with Harry. It comes after there was even more chaos in the villa as another couple was dumped just moments after a romantic final date. 'I don't regret saying we would be friends because I was accepting of the situation and starting to move on from it,' she said in her exit interview. 'The main thing for me wasn't losing the relationship, it was losing our friendship as we had such a great connection. I wanted to still be around him and not avoid him.' Helena explained she believed the dynamic between them would improve away from the pressures of the villa. 'Without the pressure of being in the Villa and seeing each other on the outside, we will be friends. Me, Meg, D and him had already made plans to do things as a four. We have so many similarities, which was why we got on in the first place.' She also addressed the backlash Harry has faced from viewers over his handling of the situation. 'Actions will always have consequences but I would still back him in some situations as he is remorseful,' she said. 'I don't think he is a bad person, I just don't think he knows how to handle certain things.' Helena's softer side was highlighted during her on‑screen exit when, after hugging her fellow Islanders, she offered Harry a short but notable parting message. 'Look after Shakira,' she told him. The gesture came despite previous tensions between Helena and Shakira, as well as an ongoing feud between Shakira and Helena's friend Meg, which has been described as one of the 'biggest feuds in Love Island history.' Harry had admitted to still having feelings for Shakira even while exclusive with Helena, which contributed to the breakdown of their relationship inside the villa. Helena's comment was praised by some viewers on social media for showing grace in a difficult moment. 'Whatever you think of Helena, her walking out by saying to Harry 'be good to Shakira' is lovely. She's not the mean girl a lot of people try to make her out to be,' one fan wrote on X.
Scottish Sun
15 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Who is in the Love Island 2025 final?
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IT has been the year of the bombshell on Love Island 2025, with more crashing down on the famous villa than ever before. Since kicking off in June, there have been too many turned heads and recouplings to keep up with — but these are the remaining couples heading into the final week. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 8 The islanders have been dropping like flies heading towards the grand finale Credit: Eroteme 8 Blu and Helena faced the chop on July 31 Credit: ITV The Sun exclusively revealed that there will at least one more dramatic dumping before we reach the Love Island 2025 showpiece on Monday, August 4, 2025. While we don't want to ruin the surprise and are keeping the identities of the axed islanders close to our chest, we can share that they're a OG pairing. A source told us: 'The countdown to the £50k is on and the dumpings are now coming thick and fast. 'This couple were really loved by their fellow islanders so will be missed. 'But only the best connections should make it to the final, and viewers had doubts about these two as well as the other islanders.' So while it's soon going to down to five, there are currently six couples still standing on Love Island 2025. Meg & Dejon 8 Meg and Dijon appear to have found a genuine connection Credit: ITV Meg Moore and Dejon Noel-Williams have built up a genuine connection throughout the series, showcasing open communication and mutual respect. They navigated villa challenges calmly, establishing themselves as one of the more stable couples of the season. Their relationship was highlighted by warmth and teamwork, earning them a solid place heading into the final. Shakira & Harry 8 Things haven't been easy for Harry and Shakira, but they'er still going strong Credit: ITV Shakira Khan and Harry Cooksley's relationship has been a central source of drama on Love Island 2025. Harry's betrayals — including a secret kiss with Rheo — and the love triangle involving Helena have challenged their connection. Despite tension and emotional ups and downs, they have attempted to reconcile and make it work in the show's latter stages. Toni & Cach 8 Toni and Cach have enjoyed plenty of playful banter Credit: ITV Toni Laites and Cach Mercer have often engaged each other in playful banter, while also showing sincere support for one another. They have overcome several disagreements, managing to maintain respect and emotional depth in their relationship. Their dynamic balanced Toni's outgoing personality with Cach's steadiness, making them extra strong as a couple. Yasmin & Jamie 8 Jamie and Yasmin's relationship has got stronger as the show has progressed Credit: ITV The romance between Yasmin Pettet and Jamie Rhodes developed quietly but steadily on the show, emphasising trust and maturity amid the villa's dramatic atmosphere. They avoided major conflicts and positioned themselves as a calming influence within the group. Their consistent and grounded approach has made them a stronger couple as the show has progressed. Angel & Ty 8 Angel and Ty enjoy a strong physical connection Credit: ITV Angel Swift and Ty Isherwood have shared a whirlwind romance so far on this year's show. It has been characterised by spontaneous adventures, strong physical chemistry and occasional disagreements. Both showed have moments of vulnerability, opening up about their hopes and fears, adding depth to their relationship. Megan & Conor 8 Meg and Conor have benefitted from clear and honest communication Credit: ITV Megan Forte Clarke and Conor Phillips' relationship has evolved steadily throughout the season. Their clear and honest communication has helped them overcome the villa's challenges relatively unscathed. They have demonstrated genuine affection and patience, which has strengthened their bond despite the endless ups and downs of life on Love Island. Love Island continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.
