Hey, all you cool witches and wizards! I know that a lot of you Magical Pandas are huge fans of the Harry Potter movies. If you’re like me, you can’t wait for someone to mention The Boy Who Lived because it’s the perfect moment to share all of your in-depth Wizarding World knowledge (yeah, I’m a geeky Ravenclaw—what gave it away?).
There are tons of delightful details, exquisite Easter Eggs, and interesting inside jokes hidden throughout the HP movies. We’re pretty sure that you might know a few of these, dear Readers, but some of the details we found honestly blew our minds.
So cast Descendium to scroll down and Wingardium Leviosa to upvote your fave Harry Potter details collected by our keen-eyed Bored Panda Aurors. Let us know in the comments what other hidden movie details you’ve found! Oh and when you’re done with this list, check out our post about an artist who drew several powerful scenes from the books that were missing from the movies.
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When Harry Reveals That He's Alive In Deathly Hallows Part 2, George Turns To Excitedly Tell Fred, Who's Normally Always Next To Him
Snape's First Encounter With Harry And His Secret Message
"One of the questions Snape asks is if Harry knows what would result in adding the powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood. Harry doesn't know the answer, but that's not the important part.
This is actually a coded comment that would be lost on all viewers that don't have an extensive knowledge of Victorian-era flower symbolism. Asphodel is a lily, which means demise under the Victorian flower code, while wormwood reflects loss and absence. Snape is actually referencing Harry's mother Lily with this comment"
In The Harry Potter Films, Voldemort’s Robes Faded In Colour Every Time A Horcrux Was Destroyed, To Give The Impression He Was Slowly Fading Away
Small details like the Cheeri-Owls cereal and how the Beauxbatons students are dancing the Macarena were completely new to me. Though I knew some of the other bits of trivia from having watched dozens of YouTube videos about HP theories, things people might have missed, and unusual interpretations of the source material. (Don’t go down that rabbit hole if you plan on doing anything productive today. Trust me.)
Fun fact, the scene where a wizard’s reading Stephen Hawking’s ‘A Brief History of Time’ in The Prisoner of Azkaban inspired a very popular piece of fanfic, Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, about an ultra-logical and super geeky version of the Boy Who Lived.
In Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone (2001), You Can See A Portrait Of Anne Boleyn Hanging In The Staircase. Anne, A Wife Of Henry Viii, Was Accused Of Being A Witch, And Subsequently Executed
"Henry Viii" would probably behead the author of that autocorrect algorithm :D
Harry Potter Intros Become Darker Every Year, Just Like The Movies
I always loved this about the movies in general. The entire color palette changes from one movie to the next.
The End Credits Of 'Goblet Of Fire' Feature This Magical Disclaimer: 'No Dragons Were Harmed In The Making Of This Movie'
Now I have to read through all the credits, searching for 'dragøns trained by', and see if anyone got fired for it :)
Even though the Fantastic Beasts movies are [ahem] not as Stupefying as the originals, they’re still fun to watch. The 3rd FB film should come out in November 2021. We’re still unsure about the plot but we do know that at least some of the action will take part in Brazil.
I don’t know about you, but I like to binge-watch all of the HP movies at least once a year. And with everything that’s going on this year, I think it’s about time for some magical escapism and to Accio ourselves some popcorn. It might be the 100th time we’re watching the movies but this time, we’ll keep an eye out for hidden details. You’d better watch out, You Know Who!
In 'The Sorcerer's Stone' Scene Where Neville Gets A Remembrall, He Can't Remember What He's Forgotten — But It's Probably His Robe, As He's The Only One Not Wearing One
In 'The Sorcerer's Stone,' You Can See Mcgonagall's Name On The Quidditch Trophy Right Next To James Potter
That's not HER though, I thought the same at first, but the age doesn't match this is from the HP Fandom wiki page: "M. G. McGonagall was a Gryffindor student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the early 1970s. They played on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, winning an award for it in 1971, which was displayed at Hogwarts on a plaque that also bore the names of James Potter and R. J. H. King. McGonagall may have been related to Transfiguration teacher Minerva McGonagall. It is possible that M. G. McGonagall is one of her nephews or nieces from her two brothers, Robert Jr and Malcolm. "
HER NAME'S PROBABLY ON THERE BECAUSE SHE'S THE FRICKIN GRYFFINDOR HEAD
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You're right about the dates, the first Wizarding war started in 1970, at which point McGonagall was already a professor at Hogwarts so she couldn't have won the Quidditch Cup as a student in 1971
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OH MY GOD DID YOU EVEN WATCH THE MOVIES! This is the 3rd blatant error in your list! She was a teacher in 1971, not on the damn quiditch team
I had noticed that one but had questions as to whether it meant (Professor) Minerva McGonagall, a relative, or another unrelated person entirely.
that cant be minerva mcgonagall becuase she wouldve been like 70 years old
Miscast then - she’s clearly an old lady whereas James Potter looks mid-40s at the oldest. No way they were at Hogwarts at the same time!
That could be the year she took over as House Quidditch teacher.
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Woah I can totally see McGonagall beating everyone's asses at Quidditch lol
wow! what was she on the team maybe a keeper? or a bluder one that would explain why she is her!
But, how can she be on the time at that time, when she was a teacher at Hogwarts around 1927 as per the Fantastic beasts movies? Major Plothole
I can't be through, in 1996 Harry was in fifth year, mcgonagall said she was teaching for 39 years to umbridge, 1996-39 is 1957 so Mcgonagall was teaching in 1971?
But it can’t of been her, couldn’t it? McGonagall was a teacher in 1971.
It can’t possibly be that she was on the team with him. He was one of her students. She’s a bit older than Tom Riddle - born in the 30s, I think? (Fantastic Beasts movie made this even more confusing by having her as a professor in 1915). Best explanation is she took over as head of Gryffindor House from whoever RJH King is while James was a Seeker.
In an interview, J.K. Rowling said that James Potter was a chaser on the Gryffindor team.
considering that she was already a teacher in the 1920s, this seems unlikely to be prof. mc gonagall ... maybe it was a mistake and they meant 1871? ... or she had a great(great?)offspring at school
That’s the name of the head of the house, which she was even back then? Not sure what 1969 and 1971 indicate.
also, anoher reason: mcgonagall had a quidditch injury when she was younger, and never played quidditch again.
wasnt McGonagal her married name? so wouldnt that have been her child/niece/nephew/cousin?
I noticed this too upon watching the movies recently, but searching for this info I found that the dates are wrong: https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/16912/was-professor-mcgonagall-a-seeker-quidditch-player-at-school
The Ways Harry, Ron, And Hermione Wear Their Scarves And Ties Reflect Their Personalities
In Sorcerer's Stone, Hermione's scarf is tied neatly and completely around her neck, Harry's is loosely thrown over his shoulder, and Ron's is just laying flat and open and not wrapped at all. Often with their ties, Hermione's is tied perfectly and tucked in, Harry's is loose but tucked in like he's been messing with it, and Ron's is completely untied.
In Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets (2002) Before Harry Gets Sucked Into Tom Riddles Diary, He’s In A Candle Lit Room. When He’s In The Diary, Everything Is In Black And White Yet, We Can Still See The Candle Light Flickering On His Body
In 'The Goblet Of Fire,' A Reflection Of Nagini Slithering Can Be Seen In The Warner Bros. Logo
In Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix (2007), Harry Wears Button Down Sweaters At Da Meetings Similar To What Professor Lupin Would Wear. This Was Daniel Radcliffe's Idea As He Thought Harry Would Want To Emulate His Favorite Dada Teacher
And also Lupin was probably the only real father figure he actually had. Sirius was good to him but only really wanted a James replacement.
The Title Of The Second Film In The Fantastic Beasts Franchise, “The Crimes Of Grindelwald” Contain The Deathly Hallows
In The Background Of The Cafe In Deathly Hallows Part I, There’s A Poster For The Play “Equus” — A Real Play That Starred Daniel Radcliffe And Richard Griffiths
In 'Prisoner Of Azkaban,' Newt Scamander Appears On The Marauder's Map
In Snape’s Death Scene, There's A Gryffindor Scarf Hanging Up In The Background, A Reference To His Bravery And Dumbledore Saying He “Sometimes Thinks They Sort Too Soon” In The Books
Hermione's Hair Grows Throughout Deathly Hallows Part 1 To Show How Long She, Ron, And Harry Have Been Traveling In Search Of Horcruxes
In 'Prisoner Of Azkaban,' A Wizard — Played By Stone Roses Frontman Ian Brown — Is Reading Stephen Hawking's 'A Brief History Of Time'
In 'Order Of The Phoenix,' There's A Wizarding World Version Of Cheerios Called Cheeri-Owls
I want these. They probably taste like rubbish though as food in the wizarding world is very limited. It’s either made of pumpkin, sugar or copious amounts of meat. Yuk.
In 'The Half-Blood Prince,' When We See Tom Riddle's Childhood Bedroom There Are Seven Rocks On The Windowsill In That Bedroom, Foreshadowing Riddle Splitting His Soul Into Seven Horcruxes
my tablet does not have the mind blown emoji. picture it here➡
In Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2, Snape Is Still Helping The Order Of The Phoenix When He Re-Directs Mcgonagall's Spells To His Fellow Death Eaters
Never noticed that! Poor snape when I first read book 7 I felt so bad for hating on him :(
When Oliver Wood Releases The Snitch While Teaching Harry How To Play Quidditch, He Immediately Loses Sight Of It, But Harry Keeps His Eye On The Snitch, Highlighting His Future Talent As A Seeker
Chamber Of Secrets Has A Post-Credits Scene That Reveals The Fate Of Gilderoy Lockhart
In 'The Sorcerer's Stone,' The Actor Who Played Lord Voldemort Is Credited As 'He Who Must Not Be Named'
In The Deathly Hallows Part 2, You Can Spy Lucius Malfoy's Azkaban Prisoner Number Tattooed On His Neck
In The Chamber Of Secrets, You Can Spot Gilderoy Lockhart's Second Wig On His Desk
In Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban (2004), A Courtyard Fountain Has Statues Of An Eagle Eating A Snake. This Is A Reference To The Mexican Flag. Director Alfonso Cuaron Wanted To Pay Tribute To His Mexican Heritage.
The Ministry Of Magic's Access Code Is 6-2-4-4-2, Which Spells Out M-A-G-I-C
In 'The Sorcerer's Stone,' You Can See Aunt Petunia Dying Dudley's Old Clothes Gray For Harry's School Uniform, Which Was A Scene In The Books
There's a full deleted scene of this where Harry complains that he'll look like he's wearing bits of old elephant skin, right before he gets the post. It also explains why Dudley is wearing his ridiculous uniform in this scene.
In 'The Sorcerer's Stone,' Harry's Scar Burns Because Quirrell Has His Back To Him, Meaning Voldemort, On The Back Of Quirrell's Head, Is Facing Him
In 'Chamber Of Secrets,' One Of The Options On Molly Weasley's Magical Clock Is 'Prison'
In The Chamber Of Secrets, Sherbet Lemon Is The Password Into Dumbledore's Office. Then, In The Half-Blood Prince, The Candy Can Be Seen On Dumbledore's Desk
Because it's his favourite muggle sweet. He offers McGonagall one in the first chapter of the first book.
In 'Goblet Of Fire,' We Catch A Shot Of The Deathly Hallows Symbol Way Before We Even Knew What They Were
In Prisoner Of Azkaban, The Bartender Makes A Bottle Disappear
Also the guy in the bottom right stirring something with his finger is Ian Brown from The Stone Roses.
In The Sorcerer's Stone, School Children Wearing Green School Uniforms Walk By The Reptile Room. This Is A Nod To Slytherin's House Color Being Green And Their Symbol Being A Snake
Note: this post originally had 53 images. It’s been shortened to the top 35 images based on user votes.
Lots are interesting, but some are a bit of a stretch or already obvious from the books. Mixed enjoyment lol
I only have a casual appreciation of the series but much more appreciation for the writing and directing for the detail shown here. This is really clever world-building and I know this level of dedication to the fans really means so much to them! Great share, BP.
JK Rowling also did a LOT of foreshadowing in the books, which only becomes apparent when you re-read!
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please stop referring to the philosophers stone as the sorcerers stone. the sorcerers stone is not a thing. the philosophers stone turns base metal into gold and is the key to eternal life
Tell that to the millions of book covers with "The Sorcerer's Stone" on them. Yes, it was originally The Philosopher's Stone" but in America it's "Sorcerer's." You DO understand the concept of translation, right? TMNT are called "Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles" in the UK, too.
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Now I'm going to rewatch the movies to see what I've missed. Great thread!
yep..l foresee a movie marathon in my near future..chuckles..
Load More Replies... this kind of post should appear more often! really entertainign and interesting
I love the Harry Potter series! (Well, you can see it in my username, duh)
#Ravenclaw And Proud!!! What er your guys houses? Edit: Are not er
Ravenclaw!!! I also know my wand measurements, my patronus, and my favorite characters. :D
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What hasn't been noted is right in the rest of the world's face. The real title of the first Harry Potter book is 'HP & the Philosopher's Stone'. But the publishers decided to dumb down the title for the American market & call it the Sorcerer's Stone instead. It's difficult enough for a British book to break into the American public, they didn't want a big word like Philosopher to get in the way! No other country, just the US. So for those entitled Americans with a superiority complex, just remember that.
Lots are interesting, but some are a bit of a stretch or already obvious from the books. Mixed enjoyment lol
I only have a casual appreciation of the series but much more appreciation for the writing and directing for the detail shown here. This is really clever world-building and I know this level of dedication to the fans really means so much to them! Great share, BP.
JK Rowling also did a LOT of foreshadowing in the books, which only becomes apparent when you re-read!
Load More Replies... please stop referring to the philosophers stone as the sorcerers stone. the sorcerers stone is not a thing. the philosophers stone turns base metal into gold and is the key to eternal life
Tell that to the millions of book covers with "The Sorcerer's Stone" on them. Yes, it was originally The Philosopher's Stone" but in America it's "Sorcerer's." You DO understand the concept of translation, right? TMNT are called "Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles" in the UK, too.
Load More Replies... Now I'm going to rewatch the movies to see what I've missed. Great thread!
yep..l foresee a movie marathon in my near future..chuckles..
Load More Replies... this kind of post should appear more often! really entertainign and interesting
I love the Harry Potter series! (Well, you can see it in my username, duh)
#Ravenclaw And Proud!!! What er your guys houses? Edit: Are not er
Ravenclaw!!! I also know my wand measurements, my patronus, and my favorite characters. :D
Load More Replies... What hasn't been noted is right in the rest of the world's face. The real title of the first Harry Potter book is 'HP & the Philosopher's Stone'. But the publishers decided to dumb down the title for the American market & call it the Sorcerer's Stone instead. It's difficult enough for a British book to break into the American public, they didn't want a big word like Philosopher to get in the way! No other country, just the US. So for those entitled Americans with a superiority complex, just remember that.
