Harry Potter in Paris
An immersive exhibition, which opened Friday in Paris and continues until October 1, deals with the magical world of Harry Potter and the story of the birth of the famous novel and the films that have been adapted from it over the past twenty-five years.
A visitor to the Harry Potter exhibition in Paris on April 20, 2023
© Toma Samson
In the exhibition center in Porte de Versailles, visitors log in with a bracelet, and choose the house they would like to live in for a moment, whether fan favorite Gryffindor (the home of Harry Potter, Ron, and Hermione), Slytherin, Ravenclaw,w or Hufflepuff, then proceed to select their wand and pet Who protects them, or what is known as "Patrons", to become students at the "Hogwarts" School for Wizards.
The visitor also gets acquainted with the clothing industry and movie decorations.
- 'Magic in Paris' -
Holding the exhibition in France constitutes a stop in a global tour that included the United States and Austria. More than 175,000 tickets were sold on the eve of the opening, including "20,000 tickets on the first day of sale," according to Tom Zeller.
He explains that the organizers were keen to hold the exhibition in France, knowing that "there are many fans and it is not easy for them to go to the United States or London," where there are special parks for Harry Potter. "Travel is expensive, so we brought magic to Paris," he added.
The price of the entry card ranges between 19 euros for children under fifteen and 25 euros for those over this age. Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling's controversial stances on transgender issues are unlikely to affect the show's success.
Warner Bros., which owns the rights to the series, Philip Rukol, says Rowling's views are "her own." "We've been working with her for years, and her creative and narrative genius is unparalleled," he says.
He notes that Rowling "originally worked on this exhibition to make sure every detail was respected" in order not to "disappoint the visitors".
The series of Harry Potter books, which Rowling began issuing in 1997 and includes seven parts that were adapted from cinema, tells the story of the struggle of the young wizard Harry Potter with Lord Voldemort, the evil wizard who is looking for immortality.
The eight books and films have generated billions of dollars in sales. Philip Rokol believes that the passion for the novel and the films based on it "is passed on from one generation to the next."
The most recent example of this is that the video game "Hogwarts Legacy" has generated very large revenues since its launch last February, with 12 million copies sold, with revenues of $850 million in two weeks.
Harry Potter fans are looking forward to another Quidditch game, which is expected to be released "next year," according to Rockol.