She has no business here… or does she? Harry Potter fans are buzzing for Dolores Umbridge’s return, but all is not as it seems.
The Harry Potter movies are a rite of passage for any film lover, but for many muggles, the spirit of Hogwarts lives on.
Alongside spinoffs including The Cursed Child and Fantastic Beasts – and the arrival of Hogwarts Legacy – a new Harry Potter TV series is also in the works.
So when fans spotted Order of the Phoenix villain Dolores Umbridge allegedly on set, they unsurprisingly lost it. However, there’s a bit of bad news… it’s all to do with the wizarding world at Universal Studios Orlando.
Facebook page Harry Potter fans posted, “Confirmed: Imelda Staunton returns for her role as Umbridge in #HarryPotter for the Orlando Resort theme park.”
Staunton has been back on set as her notorious villain, first introduced in the fifth Harry Potter movie. Umbridge takes over from Dumbledore, much to everyone’s dismay, and it’s not long before fireworks are being aimed up her butt (IYKYK).
New scenes have been filmed for the Battle at the Ministry ride, which takes muggles through the British Ministry of Magic for Umbridge’s trial. Obviously that doesn’t go quite to plan, leaving Umbridge trying to escape and cause chaos for those responsible.
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“I’m so glad she came back to reprise the role. Loathe the character but adore the actress. Even in The Crown,” one fan responded, with a second agreeing, “Order of the Phoenix movie was 17 years ago and she looks exactly the same, marvelous.”
Assistant director Anisha Vyas Burgos said Staunton was “absolutely brilliant,” but aside from a few green screen snaps, we don’t yet know what her new scenes will look like.
Staunton previously shared that she “didn’t think” she’d ever return to the role, but the prospect of more witchcraft and wizardry clearly convinced her.
The Universal ride isn’t set to open until 2025… so if you want to see what she’s been up to, you might want to book some tickets.
For more magic, check out all maps and locations in the Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions, why Voldemort killed Harry’s parents, and how many pages there are in the books. You can also check out new movies streaming this month.