Peepli Live, is a home production from actor-filmmaker Aamir Khan, and will be released worldwide through 600 screens in India and 100 screens abroad.

Aamir Khan says that the overwhelming response from the public to the trailers and promos of the film, prompted the company to scrap initial plans to open at 200 screens and go for a bigger debut. The promos have been character driven – in some instances using Aamir’s character from Lagaan for mileage. For the music release, there were performances by folk singers and also a glimpse of Aamir playing the drums with Indian music band Indian Ocean.

The film has been produced by Aamir Khan and is co-produced and distributed by UTV Motion Pictures. The company has already recovered the Rs.10 crore it took to make the movie – having sold the satellite broadcasting rights to the Colors channel for Rs.10 crore and music rights to T-Series for Rs.4 crore.

The movie is satire about farmers’ suicides and the subsequent media and political response to the issue, set in a village called Peepli – a novel approach, since there are hundreds of villages scattered across India that have this name. Aamir Khan has reportedly received hundreds of letters and postcards from various Peeplis, expressing their thanks for making their village famous. Reports say that the actor was quite touched and overwhelmed to get so many postcards from so many different places that bore the same name. The Peepli in the film is set in Madhya Pradesh, but the name was chosen to represent all the Peeplis in the country. Letters have been pouring in from Peeplis in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan among others.

The film has been written and directed by Anusha Rizvi and is the first ever Indian movie to compete in the Sundance Film Festival. The UK release is scheduled for September 24.

Sonam Kapoor Verve photo

Usually it was the big names in Indian fashion and occasionally some of the middle rung fashion houses internationally that were associated with Bollywood. Now, the latest Sonam Kapoor starrer, Aisha, makes Bollywood – fashion history by tying up with top fashion houses Salvatore Ferragamo and Christian Dior. Related: Sonam Kapoor’s I Hate Luv Storys

The movie revolves around a fashionista, played by Sonam Kapoor, who is known for her fashionable tastes in real life too. According to sources at Christian Dior, there will be around sixty Dior dresses used in the film – by Sonam and other female artistes. This is the first instance of fashion’s brand integration taking the movies a step away from mass market products and closer to high end fashion.

Aisha, budgeted at 20 crore rupees also features other brands like DLF Emporio, L’Oreal Paris and Portico. But sources say that the Dior association is visibly the strongest. Sonam will be seen throughout the movie with a lady Dior purse. The male lead for the movie is Abhay Deol, and Dior’s presence will be seen on him as well – with the dapper young star clad in Dior suits. According to sources at portico, about ten or twelve new designs will be introduced by Portico to tentatively coincide with the movie’s release.

Sources say that the tie ups with the fashion brands took almost six months to work out before and during the scripting stage. Both Portico and L’Oreal have a number of TV commercials lined up that uses imaging from the film to promote their products.

Aisha, which is co-produced by PVR Pictures and Anil Kapoor Films Co. Pvt. Ltd, and directed by Rajshree Ojha is set for release on August 6. India and especially Bollywood has been the focus of intense global interest, especially in the areas of dance and music. This move by fashion houses could be a statement of the fact that Bollywood has a far wider impact and reach than anticipated before.

Photo: Omi Vaidya

Fresh from a fun time of hosting the India International Film Awards in Sri Lanka, Bollywood actor Omi Vaidya is all set to do a longer stint of hosting a show. This time, it’s a TV show on Star Plus.

Best known for his portrayal of a nerd trying to outdo the hero in 3 Idiots, Omi is savoring the success that the hit movie has brought him. The show is set to begin on the 24th of July in the 9 p.m. slot on weekends. Omi Vaidya is reportedly excited about bring on a platform that brings music and children together.

Omi’s highlight in the movie was his difficulty with the Hindi language, but the actor has no qualms about being the anchor of a show that is predominantly in Hindi. He says that far from being paranoid about polishing up his Hindi speaking abilities, he will be keen on bringing his own brand of Hindi to the small screen. Although he does admit that he is getting better at it daily.

Omi is relishing the thrill of being ‘live’ that a reality show brings. He is eagerly anticipating the unexpectedness of events, and children’s as well as judges responses. And getting a live audience response is also part of the thrill of the experience.

Always clear that performing was his forte, Omi took to comedy because he clearly lacked singing and dancing skills. Next in line with him in Bollywood are films with Madhur Bhandarkar and Abbas-Mustan.

Chotte Ustad will have 10 children each from Indian and Pakistan participating and vying for the top honors.  The new twist is that children from the two countries will be paired up to compete with similar duos. The judges for the show are celebrities Sonu Nigam and Rahet Fateh Ali Khan. The show was first aired in 2007, with singers Pritam, Kunal Ganjawala and Shreya Ghoshal as judges. The format is that the participants will be mentored by music experts and will have singing face offs during every weekend.

Photo: Ranbir Kapoor with Katrina Kaif in Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani

Ranbir Kapoor’s on a roll. After a rocking 2009 – he had the coming-of-age Wake Up, Sid, love caper Ajab Prem ki Ghazab Kahaani, and the acclaimed Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year, the Kapoor scion is hoping to repeat the magic with his line-up this year. What’s on his list? Prakash Jha’s Rajneeti, Siddharth Anand’s Anjaana Anjaani and Imitiaz Ali’s Rockstar.

Born into a family of film stars, stardom didn’t come very easy to Ranbir Kapoor. After a stint at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York, Ranbir Kapoor returned to India and worked as an assistant to director Sanjay Leela Bhansali on the 2005 film Black. He made his debut in 2007 with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Saawariya opposite Sonam Kapoor. The film tanked, and for a long time, Ranbir – though appreciated by critics – found that the big roles weren’t coming his way. All that changed with his 2008 film, Siddharth Anand’s Bachna Ae Haseeno which cast him opposite Bipasha Basu, Deepika Padukone and Minissha Lamba as a playboy who falls in love.

Then came 2009 – his turn as spoiled, selfish and rich Mumbai brat Sid opposite Konkona Sen Sharma’s Aisha in Wake Up, Sid earned him rave reviews. His chemistry with Katrina Kaif in Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani lit up the screens and the box office. In Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year, as the truthful, caught-in-the-wrong-job salesman Harpreet, he shone through with a quiet, sensitive performance of the underdog who triumphs. His performances in Wake Up, Sid and Rocket Singh also earned him the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance in 2009.

This year promises to set him on the road to stardom, big time. Coming up first is Prakash Jha’s Rajneeti, a family drama that focuses on the politics that members of families play. One of the most awaited films of the year, Rajneeti features an impressive ensemble cast with actors such as Katrina Kaif, Nana Patekar, Manoj Bajpai, Arjun Rampal, Naseeruddin Shah and Ajay Devgn. Rajneeti, courting controversy because of a reported similarity between the character that Katrina Kaif plays and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, is scheduled for a June 4, 2010, release.

Prakash Jha, who last directed Apharan in 2005 and Gangajal in 2003, says Rajneeti is his most complete film. “This is a film about politics and tries to cover most aspects involved in politics – personal, family, social, state, national. Basically, the film tries to showcase what happens in politics. And I would say this is my most complete film,” he has said.

Ranbir Kapoor, who plays a suave politico, seems quite kicked about his part and said he was not apprehensive in the least about the fact that he was working with actors who had for so long been part of realistic cinema. Rajneeti, he says, was a huge learning experience.

Slated for a Sept. 4, 2010, release is Siddharth Anand’s Anjaana Anjaani. Ranbir Kapoor is cast opposite Priyanka Chopra (who is currently also working on Vishal Bhardwaj’s Saat Khoon Maaf) for the first time in this romcom. Siddharth Anand, who has films like Bachna Ae Haseeno and Salaam Namaste to his credit, was reportedly keen to cast Katrina Kaif, but chose Priyanka Chopra. Anjaana Anjaani, which also stars Zayed Khan, will be shot in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. Anjaana Anjaani is being produced by Sajid Nadiadwala’s Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, and will have music by Vishal-Shekhar.

Late 2010 or early 2011 will see the release of Imitiaz Ali’s Rockstar. Shri Ashtavinayak Cine Vision and Eros International Media Ltd will jointly produce Rockstar. Imitiaz Ali, the director of Jab We Met and Love Aaj Kal, looked at the possibility of casting Katrina Kaif, Sonam Kapoor and Anushka Sharma as a Kashmiri girl opposite Ranbir Kapoor, but has finally zeroed in on model Diana Penty (she has appeared in the Maybelline, Garnier and Virgin Mobile ads) as his female lead.

Photo: 50 Cent's shocking photo of weight loss for Things Fall Apart movie

50 Cent’s pictures were posted first on his official website ThisIs50.com and are also featured in the latest issue of Us Magazine. The artist says that he went down from his earlier weight of 214 pounds to160 pounds for the movie. 50 Cent’s weight-loss process consisted of jogging on the treadmill for three hours per day for a period of nine weeks accompanied by a diet that comprised of liquids only. His efforts were praised by his friends and fellow rap artists including rapper Tony Yayo who revealed that 50 Cent had stayed away from parties and alcohol as well for losing weight.

The 34-year-old rapper underwent the weight-loss process for his role in “Things Fall Apart” in which he acts as a football star who is diagnosed with cancer. The movie is directed by Mario “Chip” Van Peebles who also co-stars with 50 Cent in the movie. 50 Cent was also involved in co-writing the script for the film, which is being co-produced by his own production house, Cheetah Vision Films, in association with Randall Emmett. Shooting for Things Fall Apart had begun in Michigan and was set to release in 2011.

50 Cent, whose actual name is Curtis Jackson, has admitted that he starving during the period of shooting and that he had also had the tattoos in arms removed for the role. He also revealed that he was required to shed 65 kilos for role and that the photos were taken when he had lost 54 pounds. 50 Cent had lost weight earlier in 2008 for a role in a movie titled “Microwave Park”, although he had only reduced his weight to 185 pounds for that role.

50 Cent has however, started to regain weight in preparation for his latest music tour called “The Invitation”, which is scheduled to start in Cleveland on Friday. A South Carolina-based local newspaper carried a picture of the rapper after he gained a few ponds, when he visited Edgefield county as part of the research for an episode of VH1’s “Rock Docs” series called “50’s Roots”.

Other actors have also lost their weight drastically in the past for certain roles in films. Some of the most remarkable among them include Tom Hanks who lost weight for the movie “Cast Away” and Christian Bale who consumed only coffee and apples to reduce weight for his role in the film “The Machinist”.

Post-shooting of Things Fall Apart, 50 Cent is now putting on weight. He wrote and financed the movie himself.

Photo: Leonardo Dicaprio in Christopher Nolan's Inception

Written, produced and directed by Christopher Nolan, the Inception movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Cillian Murphy, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Tom Berenger, Dileep Rao and Michael Caine. Inception will be released in both conventional and IMAX theaters. Related: Our older story about Christopher Nolan’s Inception

Photo: Leonardo DiCaprio and Marion Cotillard on the sets of Inception

Shot at a budget of US$160 million and shot in Morocco, France and four other countries, Inception is Christopher Nolan’s first foray into the realm of what can be called psychological fiction movies.

In Inception, Leonardo DiCaprio plays Dom Cobb, a skilled thief and a specialist in a new kind of corporate espionage. Cobb works in “subconscious security,” breaking into the minds of tycoons when they are asleep and extracting valuable secrets. How does he carry out this perfect, impossible-to-track heist? He drugs the business moguls, attaches them to a sci-fi contraption and steals secrets from deep within their subconscious during the dream state.

Photo: Leonardo DiCaprio in Inception

Cobb’s ability to catch dreams makes him a sought-after player for corporate espionage. No surprises then, that the spy games turn him into an international fugitive. Cobb has one shot at regaining his life – he needs to do his job in reverse: inception! Instead of a stealing an idea, Cobb and his team are hired to plant one. Can they do it? The world of dreams can be a dangerous and volatile one, they find.

Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures are selling Inception as a Matrix meets Mission Impossible kind of movie. This summer, your mind is the scene of the crime, says Inception’s tagline.

Inception promises a smorgasbord of special effects – think Matrix-style fly-fighting, Bond-style shooting, and a whole lot of chases.

The stylish Christopher Nolan has described Inception as being similar to films such as The Matrix, Dark City, The Thirteenth Floor, and his own Memento. The director rubbished the idea that Inception might make use of the “second-life” idea from movies like Avatar. He said writing Inception took him around 10 years and he relied on his experiences with lucid dreaming during moments between sleep and wakefulness.

Christopher Nolan plans to give 3D the go-by in favour of the combination of Imax footage and high-definition film – a combination he used successfully in The Dark Knight. Computer-generated imagery will also be used for a few sequences.

Altered states and untrusted perception are themes that persist in Christopher Nolan’s films. Memento (2000) was about an amnesia victim; Insomnia (2002) was the story of a corrupt cop addled by lack of sleep; The Prestige (2006) was about rival illusionists; and the two Batman films (Batman Begins in 2005 and The Dark Knight in 2008) dealt with mind tricks.

Leonardo DiCaprio feels Christopher Nolan is the perfect director to helm Inception.

Describing the story as complex and ambiguous, Leonardo DiCaprio says Christopher Nolan has been able to pull off the film, which has complex narratives that work on a multitude of different layers.

Ellen Page, who plays one of Leonardo DiCaprio’s team members, says Inception is like reading a Haruki Murakami novel – “it’s fantasy, but instead of feeling like some strange surreal world it feels very honest.” The storyline is complicated, she says, but not confusing.

Christopher Nolan, the man’s who redefining film noir, admits that he tends to be drawn to the analogy of a maze. He says he pictures the story as a maze – he doesn’t want to watch his characters make the wrong choices; he wants to be in the maze with them.

Photo: Jake Gyllenhaal as Dastan from Prince of Persia: Sands of Time movie

The Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, is based on the popular video game of the same name.  This is the story of adventurous Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal), an urchin turned prince, who teams up with rival Princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton) to stop an angry ruler (Ben Kingsley) from unleashing a sandstorm that could destroy the world. On the way, Dastan gets his hands on the Dagger of Time, a powerful weapon that allows a person to travel backwards in time.

Directed by Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Donnie Brasco, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) and scripted by Boaz Yakin and Jordan Mechner (the creator of the Prince of Persia video game), the Disney adventure will be released in the United States on May 28, 2010.

The Prince of Persia seems to be following in the footsteps of producer Jerry Bruckheimer’s wildly successful Pirates of the Caribbean series.

The predominantly British cast, foreign locales, the inclusion of a “wacky miscreant with a heart of gold”  (Alfred Molina’s Sheik Amar mirrors Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow) and the fact that the Prince of Persia will be just the fourth PG-13 film in Walt Disney Studios’ history (the first three were the Pirates movies) indicate that Disney is keen to create another franchise.

Jake Gyllenhaal, who won an Oscar nomination for Brokeback Mountain (2005), and was seen in Zodiac and Rendition (2007) and Brothers (2009), seems to be shifting from indie films to franchise zone.

The 29-year-old actor, who is raving about The Prince of Persia’s dazzle and vintage-movie soul, shows off an amazingly buff bod in the film.

Jake Gyllenhaal said that he “over-prepared, wildly” for the sword-fighting, horse-riding, fist-fighting and rope-climbing and that filming for the film was a rollicking ride. Jake Gyllenhaal also trained in parkour (the sport of running, jumping and climbing over obstacles) to bulk up for the “physical role.”

“I actually jump out of a window and land on the back of my horse, just like in the old movie, Zorro-style,” he said, adding that it was fun to get paid to get tanned and in shape.

Co-star Gemma Arterton, who was recently seen in the Clash of the Titans, thinks her Prince of Persia is a ”fit and funny” man. The British beauty said Jake Gyllenhaal is very serious when it comes to his work and is a perfectionist.

Director Mike Newell, said Jake Gyllenhaal was the perfect fit for the Prince of Persia because he has an aura of effortless charm and a boyish sense of wonder. Jake puts a human heart in the middle of a movie that will absolutely need one to connect with the audience, Mike Newell said.

Jake Gyllenhaal will appear in two offbeat comedies this year: David O. Russell’s Nailed and Edward Zwick’s Love and Other Drugs. Gemma Arterton will next be seen in Tamara Drewe, which is based on Posy Simmonds’ comic strip inspired by Far From The Madding Crowd, in 2011. Tamara Drewe is the story of a newspaper columnist who wakes up a small English village with her flirtatious ways.

How to Train Your Dragon sequel release in 2013

The Glendale animation studio has plans to release a sequel in the second half of 2013 and is also planning a live arena show, a TV series and an online virtual world based on the Dragon film, reflecting the company’s plan to leverage its characters across multiple platforms.

Released on 26 March, 2010, the 3D How to Train Your Dragon had a weak opening, but the animated film has since then benefited from good reviews. It has notched up about $375 million in worldwide ticket sales to date. The box-office performance of How to Train Your Dragon heralds a strong start to 2010 for DreamWorks.

Loosely based on the 2003 book of the same name, How to Train Your Dragon is set in a mythical Viking world where a young Viking teenager named Hiccup aspires to follow his tribe’s tradition of becoming a dragon slayer. When he captures his first dragon, getting a chance to gain acceptance from his tribe, he realizes that he no longer wants to slay the dragon. The rest of the film deals with how Hiccup befriends and then trains the dragon.

Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, T.J. Miller, Kristen Wiig, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse have dubbed for the animated film.

How to Train Your Dragon, which grossed $180 million in the United States, seems on track to equal the box-office performance of Kung Fu Panda, which made $215 million domestically. We hope the sequel matches up to and hopefully beats the original.

DreamWorks will release Shrek: Forever After, the fourth and reportedly last Shrek film, on May 21, 2010. The film brings back the voice cast of Mike Myers (Shrek), Cameron Diaz (Fiona), Eddie Murphy (Donkey) and Antonio Banderas (Puss in Boots).

Shrek: Forever After, the first in the film franchise to be released in 3D, opened the Tribeca Film Festival in New York a month ahead of its U.S. release. The first three Shrek movies raked in more than $2.2 billion at the worldwide box office.

DreamWorks also has great expectations from Megamind (starring Brad Pitt, Tina Fey and Will Ferrell) and feels the November 5, 2010, film will do for the superhero genre what Shrek did for fairy tales.

Poster of Raavan movie, that's Abhishek Bachchan. Ten heads not visible.

Mani Ratnam’s magnum opus – a modern take on the Ramayana – also stars Tamil actor Vikram and Govinda. The soundtrack for the film – also being made in Tamil – is composed by Academy Award-winner A.R.Rahman.

As the movie is being made in two languages, there is a bit of a problem when we write about it. The Hindi version’s name is spelt Raavan according to the trailer, but in some of the posters which were leaked, the name was spelt as Ravan.  The Tamil version is spelt Raavana in English.

Photo: Aishwarya Rai in Raavan - or is it Ravan, as you see in this poster?

Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan  have done quite a few movies together – Dhai Akshar Prem Ke, Kuch Naa Kaho, Umrao Jaan, Dhoom 2 (in which they were not paired) and Mani Ratnam’s Guru. Of these, only Dhoom 2 and Guru were successes. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan hasn’t had a very good couple of years. Her only releases were The Pink Panther 2 (ho-hum) in 2009 and Sarkar Raaj (hmm) and Jodhaa Akbar (hit) in 2008. Abhishek Bachchan had Sarkar Raaj (hmmm), Drona (big miss) and Dostana (hit) in 2008, following them up with Paa and Delhi-6 (both critically acclaimed, but not very big box office successes)

Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan must be hoping that Mani Ratnam’s upcoming movie Ravaana will turn the tide in their favour. The director’s earlier film, Guru, was lucky for Abhiash on the personal front – they announced their engagement after the film was premiered in Toronto.

As of now, the star couple isn’t staying in the shadows. Abhishek Bachchan and wife Aishwarya Rai are busy on the micro-blogging site Twitter. Aishwarya, in fact, seems to have taken it upon herself to convince mom-in-law Jaya to join Twitter.

“A big hello from maa, I am insisting her 2 join Twitter,” Aishwarya Rai Bachchan posted on her Twitter account recently. The Big B prefers to remain busy with his blog.

Back to Raavan. The film will reportedly be premiered at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in France this year. Mani Ratnam was thinking of premiering the bilingual film at IIFA in Seoul later this year, but seems to have decided on Cannes now – Raavan (the Hindi version) will be premiered at the festival on May 14. Raavan was originally set for release in 2009.

Believed to be an adaptation of the Hindu epic Ramayana, there’s a twist in the Raavana tale. Do not expect a full, modern version of the Ramayana here. From what we here, there are some similarities, but there is enough room for Mani Ratnam to claim innocence if anyone accuses him of denigrating Ramayana. The main female character played by Aishwarya Rai is abducted by Abhishek Bachchan (who is the ‘Raavan’ in the Hindi version of the movie. When Vikram, her husband, questions her chastity, she feels sympathetic towards the ‘Raavan’.

Is Mani Ratnam deliberately courting trouble?  Just consider the recent controversies over My Name is Khan starring Shahrukh Khan, or the anger in Mumbai over the use of the name Bombay in the movie Wake Up Sid are examples. Let’s hope Mani Ratnam knows what he is doing!

Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan are the lead pair in the Hindi version of Raavana. Abhishek is Raavana, Aishwarya plays Sita, Vikram is Rama and Govinda plays a character inspired by Hanuman. In the Tamil version of the movie titled Raavana, Vikram plays Raavana opposite Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Suhasini, Mani Ratnam’s wife, also makes her Bollywood debut with Raavana. Ravi Kissen plays Abhishek’s trusted aide whereas Nikhil Dwivedi plays a cop.

The movie has been produced by Mani Ratnam’s sister Sharda under Ratnam’s banner Madras Talkies. According to unofficial sources, composer A R Rahman has reused two songs he composed earlier – one for Aamir Khan’s shelved film Lajjo and a qawwali composed for Jodhaa Akbar.

Recent media reports suggested that Abhishek Bachchan’s character in Raavan is also based on Maoist leader Kobad Ghandy’s character. Sources said Mani Ratnam was keen to have a strong element of contemporary history in his film – something that’s been seen in earlier films like Roja (terrorism in Kashmir), Bombay (the communal riots in Mumbai), Yuva (college politics) and Guru (a biopic on Dhirubhai Ambani’s life).

However, Abhishek Bachchan has rubbished those reports. “Another piece of great reportage by our ever dependable media. My character in Raavana is NOT based on any Maoist,” he Tweeted recently.
Director Mani Ratnam is reportedly unsure about how to end his film. He is said to have shot four options in Malshej, but no one knows which one will be final. In the first alternative (which could be controversial), Raavan wins over Sita; in the second, she treads the conventional path and returns to Rama; in the third alternative, Raavan dies; and in the fourth, Rama dies.

Even unit members are not aware of which climax will finally make it to the silver screen. Will the Hindi Raavan and the Tamil version Raavana have the same climax? No one’s sure of that either.

Shooting schedules for the film were rigorous and the three principal actors suffered injuries and viral illnesses. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan proved to be the toughest among the three. Co-star Vikram said he had never seen any actress do the kind of stunts Aishwarya has done in Raavana. He added that he had never seen any actress look so beautiful in such difficult circumstances.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan also won over the production crew by dubbing her own lines in Tamil for the film. A Tamil tutor coached the actress during the shooting of Raavana, and she reportedly got the accent and tone pat.  Aishwarya will also be dubbing her own lines for another Tamil movie , Shankar’s Endhiran, co-starring Rajnikanth.

The recent Swami Nithyananda sex scandal has also brushed Raavana. Tamil film star Ranjitha, who was allegedly filmed in a compromising position with Swami Nithyananda, plays the role of Raavana’s sister-in-law in the Tamil version of the film.

Muggles rejoice! Universal Orlando Resort’s The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, on June 18, throws its doors open to non-wizarding folks, inviting them to meet Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and tempting them to spend a day in the village of Hogsmeade and at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

We do not have access to any photos of the theme park right now – apart from one which we think is a real photo of Hagrid’s Hut in the Wizarding World. We will be updating this page with photos, instead of the renderings we have here, as soon as we can.

Touted as an all-new adventure, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park combines a powerful storyline with dazzling new technology to leave you spellbound. Universal Orlando Resorts hopes that the 20-acre park will rival the attractions of Disney’s Magic Kingdom.

What can Muggles expect when they step foot into The Wizarding World of Harry Potter? Let us give you a sneak peek.

Hogsmeade

Photo: Hog's Head Pub in the Hogsmeade Village. Early rendering of Hog's Head courtesy Universal Orlando Resort.

Roofs laden with snow, the picture-perfect village of Hogsmeade – nestled in a lush forest – welcomes visitors. At the entrance, the Hogwarts Express – steaming but stationary – beckons. The towering parapets of Hogwarts Castle rise high above the village. The cobblestoned streets invite you to window shop – at Honeydukes (the window display’s bursting with sweets of all kind), at Zonko’s (remember where Fred and George Weasley got their tricks and toys) and at Ollivander’s (the makers of fine wands since 382 B.C.).

This is Harry Potter’s world brought to life. The involvement of J.K.Rowling, the creator of the Harry Potter universe, has been an integral part in the creation of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Related story: Plotholes in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Approvals were sought from J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros., which produces the Harry Potter movie franchise, for the ambience and feel of the theme park as well as the taste and look of the trademark Potter food (Butterbeer, chocolate frogs and Cauldron Cake).

Alan Gilmore, the art director for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and the Harry Potter movies, said J.K.Rowling has been continually involved with the project, adding that the writer has a very clear vision of her world.

All that’s fine, but what does Butterbeer taste like? The drink reportedly tastes kind of like fudge – think cream soda spiked with butterscotch.

Harry Potter and the Forbidden journey at the Wizarding World theme park

According to Thierry Coup, creative director of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the main attraction of the World is Harry Potter and the Forbidden journey, a ride that will re-invent the theme park experience.

What does the Forbidden Journey involve? You enter the castle, meet the four founders of Hogwarts (Godric  Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin, for those who forgot their Potter history) and are greeted by the strict but “off his rocker” headmaster Albus Dumbledore in his office. Then, Harry, Ron and Hermione convince you to bunk a Defence Against the Dark Arts class and play a match of Quidditch. You sit on a magical bench, and your journey begins. You encounter a dragon and also have a close encounter with the Whomping Willow before you’re back on the ground.

Hogwarts

Photo: Rendering of Hogwarts in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park

The recreation of Hogwarts is immaculate. Just like the Hogwarts in the books, magical talking portraits line the walls of Hogwarts castle in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. J.K.Rowling reportedly wanted the 100 “moving” portraits in the gallery of Hogwarts just as she envisioned they should be. The Room of Requirement and the Gryffindor common room are also on the itinerary during the ride.

Rides at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Dragon Challenge and Flight of the Hippogriff

Photo: Rendering of the entrance to the Dragon Challenge at Harry Potter theme park, Orlando

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter  theme park has two other rides – the Dragon Challenge and the Flight of the Hippogriff.

The intense Dragon Challenge is based on the Tri-Wizard Tournament theme. What does one do? Choose your dragon – either the Hungarian Horntail (Harry drew the vicious dragon during the tournament in Book 4 of the series) or the Chinese Fireball. Climb aboard and watch the two dragons face-off. The dragons are high-speed roller-coasters, each promising a different ride experience.

Photo: Flight of the Hippogriff is a family-ride at the Potter theme park

Photo: Flight of the Hippogriff roller-coaster ride entry (rendering from Harry Potter theme park promos)

The Flight of the Hippogriff is being promoted as a “family” roller-coaster. Walk past Hagrid’s hut and learn the proper way to approach a hippogriff (the winged creature that helped Sirius Black make his escape in Book 3). Clamber on and watch the view as you soar above Hagrid’s hut and the pumpkin patch. You might also be interested in this story: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in 3D

Photo: Hagrid's hut from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park

Tired after those rides? Head to the Three Broomsticks. With its rustic, tavern-like atmosphere, it offers you a selection of goodies. Slurp down some Butterbeer or pumpkin juice, then decide between shepherd’s pie and Cornish pasties. You can round it off with strawberry and peanut butter ice cream. For those who like a drink or two, there’s also the Hog’s Head, where you can choose from a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Ollivander’s

You can’t leave The Wizarding World of Harry Potter without a round of shopping. At Ollivander’s, a small, dusty shop, you can -enact a scene from the first Harry Potter book, letting a wand “choose” you.  Or else, just pick up a replica of your favourite Harry Potter character’s wand. Related story: The Elder Wand: Debate and discussion

Check out Dervish and Banges for magical items such as sneakoscopes, spectrespecs, omniculars and the Monster Book of Monsters. Also available are golden snitches, brooms (Firebolt and Nimbus 2000), Hogwarts school uniforms and clothing like robes, scarves, ties, t-shirts, sweatshirts, journals and stationery items. You can purchase souvenirs like death eater masks, chess sets and magical toys at Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods.

Zonko’s offers you a variety of novelty items and jokes (extendable ears and screaming yo-yos). The sweets created by Fred and George Weasley for those wishing to cut classes – Puking Pastilles, Nosebleed Nougats and Fever Fudge – are also available here.  For the real thing when it comes to sweets, don’t miss Honeydukes. Choose from Acid Pops, exploding bonbons, Cauldron Cake, treacle fudge, Fizzing Whizbees, Chocolate Frogs (complete with a wizard trading card) and Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans.

That is all for now, folks. Remember to come back later and we will have a bunch of photos from the Wizarding World theme park ready for you here!