Skip to content

MuggleNet

  • Site
    • Contact Us & FAQ
    • History
    • Meet the Team
    • MuggleNet Live!
    • Press
    • Publications
    • Special Projects
    • Volunteer with Us!
    • Year in Review
  • Podcasts
    • Alohomora!
    • Full Circle
    • LITHAPPENS
    • Potterversity
    • Promptly Potter
    • SpeakBeasty
  • Harry Potter
    • Book Quotes
    • Book Series
    • Coloring Books
    • Film Companions
    • Film Series
    • Hogwarts Library
    • Little Things
    • Music
    • Video Games
  • Fantastic Beasts
    • Book
    • Coloring Books
    • Film Companions
    • Fantastic Beasts Film Quotes
    • Film Series
    • Little Things
    • Music
    • Video Games
  • The Quibbler
    • Owl Post
    • Bathilda’s Notebook
    • The Department of MYTHteries
    • The Dirigible Plum
    • Into the Floo
    • Muggle Studies
    • The Pensieve Papers
    • The Three Broomsticks
    • April Fools’
    • The Quibbler Vault
  • The Daily Prophet
    • Book Trolley
    • Editorials
    • Event Reports
    • Exclusive Interviews
    • Features
    • Giveaways
    • Listicles
    • Merchandise Reviews
    • Movie Reviews
    • Television Reviews
    • Theater Reviews
    • Wizolympics
  • Muggle World
    • Charity
    • Exhibitions
    • J.K. Rowling
    • MinaLima
    • Quadball
    • Studio Tours
    • Theatrical Play
    • Theme Parks
    • Wizarding World Digital
  • Fans & Fun
    • Crazy Caption Contest
    • Fan Focus
    • Fandom
    • Fandom Sortings
    • Fandom Timeline
    • Fun Lists
    • Games and Trivia
    • GNOMEs
    • Potter DIY
    • Potter Weddings
    • #PotterItForward
    • Rosmerta’s Recipes
    • Song Parodies
    • Wizard Rock
    • Wizarding Wordle
  • Site
    • Contact Us & FAQ
    • History
    • Meet the Team
    • MuggleNet Live!
    • Press
    • Publications
    • Special Projects
    • Volunteer with Us!
    • Year in Review
  • Podcasts
    • Alohomora!
    • Full Circle
    • LITHAPPENS
    • Potterversity
    • Promptly Potter
    • SpeakBeasty
  • Harry Potter
    • Book Quotes
    • Book Series
    • Coloring Books
    • Film Companions
    • Film Series
    • Hogwarts Library
    • Little Things
    • Music
    • Video Games
  • Fantastic Beasts
    • Book
    • Coloring Books
    • Film Companions
    • Fantastic Beasts Film Quotes
    • Film Series
    • Little Things
    • Music
    • Video Games
  • The Quibbler
    • Owl Post
    • Bathilda’s Notebook
    • The Department of MYTHteries
    • The Dirigible Plum
    • Into the Floo
    • Muggle Studies
    • The Pensieve Papers
    • The Three Broomsticks
    • April Fools’
    • The Quibbler Vault
  • The Daily Prophet
    • Book Trolley
    • Editorials
    • Event Reports
    • Exclusive Interviews
    • Features
    • Giveaways
    • Listicles
    • Merchandise Reviews
    • Movie Reviews
    • Television Reviews
    • Theater Reviews
    • Wizolympics
  • Muggle World
    • Charity
    • Exhibitions
    • J.K. Rowling
    • MinaLima
    • Quadball
    • Studio Tours
    • Theatrical Play
    • Theme Parks
    • Wizarding World Digital
  • Fans & Fun
    • Crazy Caption Contest
    • Fan Focus
    • Fandom
    • Fandom Sortings
    • Fandom Timeline
    • Fun Lists
    • Games and Trivia
    • GNOMEs
    • Potter DIY
    • Potter Weddings
    • #PotterItForward
    • Rosmerta’s Recipes
    • Song Parodies
    • Wizard Rock
    • Wizarding Wordle
  • J.K. Rowling / News / Theme Park

Universal Creative VP reveals details about Escape from Gringotts, which characters will be included

by Callum Lloyd Thomas · May 18, 2014

This article contains possible spoilers regarding the upcoming ride at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts.

The senior vice president of Universal Creative, Thierry Coup, has revealed some new information about the upcoming Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts ride, including how he got author J.K. Rowling‘s permission to include Bellatrix and Voldemort in the attraction.

Coup talks about how the Potter cast enjoyed reuniting to film new footage:

I actually got to direct those scenes for this new Universal Orlando attraction in December of 2012. And it was obvious that the cast members who came back to be part of the Gringotts shoot really enjoyed the opportunity to revisit these characters.

I mean, these performers had spent so many years working together on that acclaimed series of films. So it was clear that they really appreciated this opportunity to revisit the world of Harry Potter, getting the chance to portray these iconic characters one more time.

The attraction will not exactly duplicate what the trio went through in the final book or Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2. As Coup explains,

J.K. Rowling actually gave us a lot of creative leeway when it came to Escape from Gringotts. You see, the story that we wanted to tell with this Universal Orlando attraction kind of ran concurrently with the events [that] occurred during Deathly Hallows.

You see, our guests just happen to be at Gringotts Wizarding Bank opening a new account on the exact same day that Harry, Ron and Hermione are trying to break into Bellatrix Lestrange’s vault to retrieve a Horcrux.

It’s not until their twelve-passenger mine car is making its way through the vast complex of caverns directly under Gringotts that guests will finally cross paths with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Their mine car is on a track that parallels the path of Potter’s just as Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Griphook pass through the Thief’s Downfall.

Following that, Gringotts immediately goes on high alert. Thinking that they might be the would-be vault robbers, the bank’s brutish security trolls will then menace these Universal Orlando visitors. But that’s nothing compared to what happens when Bellatrix Lestrange and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Lord Voldemort, arrive on the scene and are determined to do whatever they have to in order to protect the Horcrux.

Coup knows that this might come as somewhat of a surprise to guests:

Which I know is a departure from the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 movie. J.K. Rowling certainly didn’t mention Bellatrix and Voldemort being on scene this early as part of the Deathly Hallows book. But given that this action is happening away from where Harry, Ron & Hermione are … Well, J.K. actually gave us permission to include these scenes as part of our attraction because they could have possibly been going on while Harry, Ron and Hermione were in the Lestrange vault retrieving that Horcux.

He also explains that they used guest feedback from Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey to help enhance their storytelling for Escape from Gringotts:

Don’t get me wrong. Harry Potter fans really seem to love Forbidden Journey. But the one complaint [that] we kept getting from our guests about that Wizarding World attraction was that they weren’t getting enough time with their favorite characters, that — because Forbidden Journey is really kind of a Harry Potter highlight reel — we kept moving quickly from character to character, from place to place.

Which is why — with Escape from Gringotts — we decided to confine this attraction to one specific place, give our guests lots of face time with some of the most famous characters from the Harry Potter world. Not to mention placing them right in the middle of one of the more exciting moments from both the books and the film series.

Are you excited to experience this ride? What do you think about the inclusion of Bellatrix and Voldemort? Let us know your thoughts!

Social:

  • Next story “Potter” stars triumph at 2014 BAFTA TV Awards
  • Previous story “Potter” Twitter Roundup: A Seal of Approval

MuggleNet Archive

Important Dates

May 2025

Sat, May 24

Jim Broadbent's birthday
Recurs yearly

Horace Slughorn

Sun, May 25

In the early morning hours, Harry and Ron meet Aragog in Forbidden Forest
Recurs yearly

1993

Mon, May 26

Detention in the forest; Quirrell drinks unicorn blood
Recurs yearly

1992

Helena Bonham Carter's birthday
Recurs yearly

Bellatrix Lestrange

MuggleNet podcasts are sponsored in part by Secretlab.

Thanks to its research-backed ergonomic design, including a proprietary 4-way adaptive lumbar support system, the Secretlab TITAN Evo Harry Potter Edition will comfortably support you even when you’re up to no good.

Did You Know

Sycamore wands are known to combust if they grow bored from a lack of excitement.

Potter History

August 2, 2007 – Scholastic announced that Deathly Hallows sold 11.5 million copies in ten days.

Potter Quote

“Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!”

MuggleNet is an unofficial Harry Potter fansite.
Please email us if you have any questions or concerns.
© 1999–2025 MuggleNet.com. All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy | COPPA Policy | Terms of Use | Feedback


MuggleNet is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and Bookshop.org's affiliate program, affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com and bookshop.org.