Our apologies for the constant

Our apologies for the constant change in details regarding Toy Fair news but as different sources report more information, we blog them as they come in. IGN’s FilmForce has some of the best details (with detailed pictures) of the Harry Potter games so far, confirming what we read in the previous Reuters report. Fair-goers were apparently also treated to the first known Harry Potter teaser trailer that included actual movie footage.

“Unfortunately, it was a little early for many of the Harry Potter toys to be displayed, but the treat of Toy Fair was a viewing of the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone movie teaser. Mostly done in CGI, the animated short teaser opens with a voice over welcoming us into the world of Harry Potter, while the visual is a shot of a glass display case. As the camera closes in, we can see that the display case holds the Harry Potter script, with a fully readable first page. As the case opens, the script pages begin to fly out in a whirlwind, and it is here that we get out first glimpse of the characters, in still photos interspersed with the script pages. (Unfortunately, unlike the script’s title page, these pages are never stationary or clear enough to read.) One photo of note is the famous scene in the book in which Hagrid takes Harry to Gringott’s, the Goblin Bank. Harry, Hagrid, and a goblin guard are shown, and in this shot, whatever additional work necessary to make Robbie Coltrane appear with Hagrid formidable size has already been completed. Hagrid is large, menacing, and exactly as I would have expected him to look like, based both on the character descriptions in the novels and in the novel’s illustrations. At this stage it is difficult to tell who is portraying the goblin guard, but it could be Warwick Davis. If it is, he is completely unrecognizable, and every bit as real as Hagrid. Other still shots included among the script pages are introductions to Harry’s friends Hermione and Ron, and Harry’s nemesis, Draco Malfoy. The teaser ends with a live action shot of the Harry and Hedwig the Owl photo recently released. In this, Harry is crossing what appears to be a courtyard perhaps, while Hedwig flies in to land on his arm. If the movie has the energy and look of the teaser while staying true to the novels, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is sure to be the blockbuster of the year. Thankfully, the Mattel representative didn’t think me strange as I picked my jaw off the floor when it was over.”

“Harry Potter toys offered by Mattel and specifically described by the Mattel representative as movie-related included Roarin’ Snorin’ Norbert, the Hogwart’s 3-D (September release), and Casting Stones Starter (May release) games. My favorite was Norbert. This item from the creator of Furby will fly off the shelves (and hopefully at least one will land in my hands). In Mattel press materials, Norbert is described: “Harry Potter’s favorite baby dragon, Roarin’ Snorin’ Norbert, is truly a child’s ultimate pet dragon. He ‘comes to life’ with his realistic life-like movement as he moves his tail and head from side-to-side and flaps his magical wings up and down. When baby Norbert is sleeping, kids can wake him up by their gentle touch to feed him as he nibbles on their finger or make him laugh with hilarious roarin’ laughter. Kids will love petting his unique plush ‘skin’ which is embossed to stimulate real dragon scales. But watch out, don’t get too close! When Norbert sneezes it’s as if he is breathing fire.” Suggested retail on Norbert is $39.99 and he is scheduled to be available in November.”