Stars from the beloved Harry Potter franchise have reunited to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the very first film in the wizarding saga.
Actors Bonnie Wright, James Phelps, Oliver Phelps and Mark Williams — who famously played members of the Weasley family — returned to the iconic sets at Warner Bros Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter in Leavesden, near Watford, on Wednesday.
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The cast members portrayed Ginny Weasley, twins Fred and George Weasley, and family patriarch Arthur Weasley across all eight blockbuster films released between 2001 and 2011.
Rupert Grint brought Ronald Weasley to life as one of Harry's main sidekick with over 211 minutes of screentime over the 8 films - that's over 3 hours. He did not attend the Weasley reunion.
The reunion marks a major milestone for the franchise, with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone celebrating 25 years since its original cinema release.
When it debuted in 2001, the film became a global phenomenon and ended the year as the highest-grossing movie worldwide, launching one of the most successful film franchises in history.
The cast reunion also comes as new research revealed that one of fans’ favourite scenes from the original film remains Harry meeting the Weasley family on the way to Platform 9¾ — a moment many viewers consider the emotional beginning of Harry finding his true home and family.
Reflecting on returning to the wizarding world, Mark Williams, now 66, said: “I love coming back to the wizarding world.”
Meanwhile, Oliver Phelps, 40, described the reunion as surreal.
“Being back on the set reunited with Bonnie and Mark has been absolutely superb – it’s like coming into a time warp, like no time has passed at all since we were last together,” he said.
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The celebration also launches a brand-new studio attraction titled First Year At Hogwarts – Where The Filmmaking Magic Began, which opens this summer at the studio tour.
The special feature allows fans to revisit some of the most iconic moments from the first movie, including Harry’s arrival at Hogwarts and the famous Sorting Hat ceremony.
Visitors will also get the chance to see recreated scenes including Hermione Granger casting the Petrificus Totalus spell on Neville Longbottom inside the Gryffindor common room.
The experience will run for four months beginning on 7 May.
Alongside the cast, several behind-the-scenes filmmakers and creatives involved in the original movies also took part in the anniversary reunion.
Geoff Spooner, Senior Vice President of WBD Global Experiences EMEA, said the anniversary celebrates the enduring legacy of the franchise for generations of fans.
“This summer, we’re celebrating 25 years since Harry Potter first began his journey at Hogwarts, a story that has enchanted generations,” he said.
“Our new summer feature invites fans right back into the very heart of that magic.”
He added that reuniting the Weasley stars on the original film sets made the anniversary especially meaningful.
“Reuniting Bonnie, James, Oliver, and Mark to the original authentic film sets for this milestone makes it all the more special, as they step back into those unforgettable moments and reminisce about the film that started it all.”
Even decades after the first film’s release, the Harry Potter franchise continues to remain one of the most influential and commercially successful fantasy series ever made, with new generations of fans still discovering the magical world created by J.K. Rowling.
