Giant wands bring Harry Potter magic back on 20th anniversary of film release

Giant wand statues have been unveiled in London’s Leicester Square to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of the film Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone.

The wands are replicas of those used by characters in the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films, which are based on the books of JK Rowling.

Each of the nine wands is 15ft and they will be lit up every evening until October 25.

They will also form part of a light show every half-an-hour from 6pm on selected days to music from the films.

Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone premiere took place in Leicester Square on November 16 2001.

It is based on the first book in the series.

To mark the unveiling of the statues, wand choreographer Paul Harris, who worked on the Harry Potter films, gave a class for pupils from Park View School in West Green, north London, on how to use a wand.

Polly Cochrane, UK and Ireland country manager for Warner Bros, said: “It is so exciting to have the Wizarding World Wands brought back to London and we are thrilled to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone being released in UK cinemas.

“It is an honour to have the wands displayed in Leicester Square, considering its legacy of hosting premieres for the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films over two decades, and we hope the fans will love and enjoy the light shows as much as we do.”

The wands will later go on tour and will be displayed in Hull, Stoke, Reading and Birmingham.