Dark Arts

Discover the secrets behind enchanted floating pumpkins and Death Eater duels as well as filmmaking snot, blood and drool.

From Sunday 1st October – Sunday 12th November, fans of Death Eaters, daring duels and Hallowe'en feasts are invited to delve deeper than ever before into the Dark Arts as we host a special feature dedicated to the darker side of the Harry Potter film series.

New for 2017, the iconic Great Hall set will be decorated with over 100 floating pumpkins, just as seen on screen in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Created by Head Propmaker on all the Harry Potter films, Pierre Bohanna, the pumpkins are modelled on those found in Hagrid’s pumpkin patch in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and are hand-carved by the Prop Making Department so no two are alike. The Great Hall tables will also be laden with a Hallowe’en feast of red apples, pumpkins and cauldrons of lollipops.

After learning wand combat moves in an interactive experience with Wand Choreographer, Paul Harris, you are invited to take part in an exciting live duel with Death Eaters in the Studio Tour’s backlot. Demonstrating how a crowd scene like the Battle of Hogwarts would have been created during filming, you will test out your newly learned wand techniques as you are directed through a battle with Death Eaters who are storming the Hogwarts Bridge.

As part of the feature, the original Death Eater costumes from the film series will be on display allowing you to see up close the intricate details of the embroidered robes and hand-painted masks. During production, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's followers each wore a unique mask, handmade by the Prop Making Department that was designed to reflect their personality.