Helen Mirren to Host "Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses"
(Burbank, CA) – Academy Award®-winning actress Dame Helen Mirren is set to host Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses, the official title of the upcoming competition series that will showcase ultimate fan glory on a never-before-seen scale. This special four-part event will unveil Wizarding World fans willing to put their Harry Potter knowledge to the test for the ultimate honor to be named House Cup champion.
“I knew someday I’d get a Harry Potter role, and I’m so pleased to take part in the 20-year film celebration,” said Mirren. “The films inspired such enchantment and wonder for so many of us, and it will be such a treat to reignite that magic for the countless fans who continue to revel in this spellbinding world.”
Tom Ascheim, President, Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics added: “We’re creating an arena for the leagues of Harry Potter film fans to flex their knowledge of the Wizarding World, and there’s no one better than Dame Helen Mirren to add some British grandeur to this event that will debut across our WarnerMedia brands and platforms.”
In celebration of the 20-year anniversary of the film Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the special is set to tape later this month and premiere later this year as a simulcast event on Cartoon Network’s ACME Night and TBS, followed by its premiere on HBO Max. Warner Bros. Unscripted Television, in association with Warner Horizon and Robin Ashbrook and Yasmin Shackleton of theoldschool, will bring the magic of Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses alive.
Mirren is also set to star as DC Super-Villain Hespera in New Line and DC’s upcoming Shazam! sequel, Shazam! Fury of the Gods for WarnerMedia. She is the first and only person to achieve the “triple crown of acting” in both the US and the UK and has also won a BAFTA Film Award, and an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance as Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen. Mirren also has a Tony Award and an Olivier Award for the same role in The Audience, three BAFTA Television Awards for her performance as DCI Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect, and four Primetime Emmy Awards, including two for the same role in Prime Suspect.
Nearly two decades since the global critical and box office hit of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses will continue the spirit of the Wizarding World. Featuring hundreds of trivia questions and special guest surprises, this unforgettable event of a lifetime will unveil which fans know the vast, intricately detailed universe like the back of their hand. A play-along component will allow viewers to don their own Hogwarts robes and swish and flick their wands from home.
About WarnerMedia Kids & Family
WarnerMedia Kids & Family is the united group within the WarnerMedia enterprise that offers an expansive content slate on HBO Max and Cartoon Network. As the umbrella brand for all kids and family content, Cartoon Network reenergized its brand promise through its new tagline Redraw Your World, which empowers individuality and aims to be the place where kids are free to be themselves. With hundreds of hours of original series, specials and acquisitions, the WarnerMedia Kids & Family portfolio features its Cartoonito preschool programming block; a roster of upcoming animation and live-action originals that appeal to kids of all ages; and ACME Night, a weekend entertainment destination for families to enjoy a line-up of library favorites and blockbuster hits as well as new originals that will include Batman: Caped Crusader, Gremlins, Unicorn: Warriors Eternal, and more. A marquee collection of powerhouse brands and expertise marks WarnerMedia Kids & Family as a global leader wherever its brands live and engage with audiences all over the world.
About HBO Max
HBO Max™ is WarnerMedia’s direct-to-consumer platform, offering best in class quality entertainment. HBO Max features the greatest array of storytelling for all audiences from the iconic brands of HBO, Warner Bros., DC, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and much more. The streaming platform launched in the United States in May 2020 and introduced an advertising-supported subscription tier in June 2021. HBO Max recently began its global roll out launching in 39 markets across Latin America and the Caribbean and will be followed by the replacement of HBO-branded streaming services in Europe later this year.
TBS, a WarnerMedia brand, is a top-rated destination for television among young adults and known for escapist, lean-in entertainment, featuring smart, imaginative stories with heart and comedic edge. From scripted comedy series to late-night shows, game shows, and animated programming, TBS’ Originals slate is comprised of some of the most popular shows on cable — “Miracle Workers,” “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee,” “The Last O.G.,” “American Dad!” and “Chad.” The network’s slate of premium unscripted series includes “The Misery Index,” “Go-Big Show,” “Wipeout,” “Friday Night Vibes,” and “The Cube,” along with the upcoming series “The Big D”. TBS’ lineup also includes comedy hits like “Family Guy” and “The Big Bang Theory,” classic sitcom favorites “Friends” and “Seinfeld,” blockbuster movies, and live event coverage of Major League Baseball, the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship and “ELEAGUE,” WarnerMedia's eSports gaming competition. tbs.com
About Warner Bros. Unscripted Television
Warner Bros. Unscripted Television is the leading unscripted studio in America with over 50 series totaling nearly 2,500 hours of programming annually across broadcast, cable, streaming, digital, first-run syndication and podcasts. Led by studio president Mike Darnell, the division’s leading franchises include ABC’s “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette”; NBC’s multi-Emmy®-winning blockbuster “The Voice”; NBC’s returning Emmy® winner “Who Do You Think You Are?” and “Family Game Fight”; Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of New York City”; E!’s “The Bradshaw Bunch”; “TMZ”; “Extra”; “The Real”; and the multi-Emmy®-winning “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” among others. After producing HBO Max’s highly-anticipated “Friends: The Reunion,” the unit’s upcoming projects include NBC’s “The Wheel” and “Home Sweet Home”; Peacock’s “Paris in Love” and “True Story”; and HBO Max’s “The Real Magic Mike,” to name a few.
About Wizarding World
In the years since Harry Potter was whisked from King’s Cross Station onto Platform nine and three quarters, his incredible adventures have left a unique and lasting mark on popular culture. Eight blockbuster Harry Potter films based on the original stories by J.K. Rowling have brought the magical stories to life and today, the Wizarding World is recognised as one of the world’s best-loved brands.
Representing a vast interconnected universe, it also includes two epic Fantastic Beasts films, (the third releasing in 2022), Harry Potter & The Cursed Child–the multi-award-winning stage-play, state-of-the-art video and mobile games from Portkey Games, innovative consumer products, thrilling live entertainment (including four theme park lands) and insightful exhibitions.
This expanding portfolio of Warner Bros. owned Wizarding World experiences also includes Harry Potter New York –a brand new flagship store, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London –The Making of Harry Potter, Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo, and the Platform 9 3⁄4 retail shops.
The Wizarding World continues to evolve to provide Harry Potter fans with fresh and exciting ways to engage. For the worldwide fan community, and for generations to come, it welcomes everyone in to explore and discover the magic for themselves.
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Contacts:
Jean Yoo
WarnerMedia Kids & Family
Jean.Yoo@warnermedia.com
Kristy Chan
Warner Bros. Unscripted Television
Kristy.Chan@warnermedia.com
Jori Arancio
TBS
Jori.Arancio@warnermedia.com