Harry Potter Villain Returns in an Unexpected Role

It’s been over 14 years since Dolores Umbridge graced the screen in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.” Fans can rejoice as Imelda Staunton is set to reprise her role as the infamous character. Staunton will bring Umbridge back to life for Universal Epic Universe’s new Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic attraction, slated to open at Universal Orlando Resort next year. This exciting return was revealed in a promotional video, which also provided a sneak peek of the new ride and some behind-the-scenes footage of Staunton embodying the villain once again.

The official information about the attraction, as reported by Deadline, describes a thrilling experience. Visitors will “Travel by Metro-Floo from Paris to the British Ministry of Magic, where Dolores Umbridge is about to stand trial. Board a lift and join Harry, Ron, and Hermione on a journey through various departments of the Ministry. This adventure promises thrilling escapades, incredible beasts, and undiscovered mysteries in ‘Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry.'”

Anisha Vyas Burgos, assistant director of projects at Universal Creative, praised Staunton’s performance in the promotional video, saying, “She was absolutely brilliant in her performance. She got to take Umbridge to the extreme.”

Staunton’s return to the Harry Potter universe is somewhat unexpected. In a 2019 interview with Hello! magazine, she expressed doubts about reprising her role after “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.” However, she acknowledged the franchise’s enduring influence and the significance of her character, a former Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

“Of course, I can scare people,” Staunton said at the time. “I don’t get a lot of kids coming up to me, actually. It’s the grown-up kids – you want to say you are 35 – but they grew up with it. Harry Potter doesn’t stop, does it!”

While Staunton is set to rejoin the magical world, another Harry Potter star, Evanna Lynch, recently shared an amusing anecdote about forgetting her role in the franchise. Lynch, who played Luna Lovegood, revealed that she momentarily forgot she was part of the films while watching “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” with her partner. Despite not usually watching the films due to the emotional connection, Lynch found herself drawn in and briefly forgot she was already a part of that world.

“I don’t watch the films as it’s too emotional, but recently ‘Prisoner of Azkaban’ was on, and my partner and I started passively watching it,” Lynch said. “I had that strong feeling of, ‘I want to be part of that world,’ and then remembered, ‘Oh, I already am!’ The fans have kept that world very alive in my life. I continue to try to find that sense of belonging in other communities, but none have proved quite so profound a match yet. So yes, I’ll always be happy to see a familiar face in the Harry Potter world.”

Universal Orlando recently shared details about the new Harry Potter attraction. Guests will begin their journey from a Muggle park in Paris, entering the stunning 1920s Place Cachée, a hidden, bustling shopping district in wizarding Paris. The area features Haussmannian buildings, shops, sidewalk cafes, and historic Parisian domes in the distance. Visitors will be captivated by the grandeur and enchanting ambiance of the city, casting spells with interactive wands, encountering fantastic beasts at a traveling circus, and, for the first time in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, traveling across countries and time to 1990s London using the Metro-Floo for a thrilling adventure inside the British Ministry of Magic.

Source: Deadline, Hello!