Break Open the Butterbeer!
If you’re a diehard Harry Potter fan, you know that July brings us three important birthdays to celebrate:
Franchise star Daniel Radcliffe’s on the 23rd,
Character Neville Longbottom’s (Matthew Lewis) on July 30, and
Title character Harry Potter’s on the 31st
In the books, Harry and Neville’s birthdays were the key to a mysterious prophecy about who might eventually be able to take down He Who Must Not Be Named, aka Lord Voldemort. While in a trance during her Hogwarts interview with Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), Professor Trelawney (Emma Thompson) foretold that a boy born near the end of July that year (1980)—whose parents had faced the Dark Lord and lived three times—would have the ability to kill Voldemort, though it was unclear if the boy would actually go on to do it. By trying to murder Baby Harry after learning part of Trelawney’s prophecy, Voldemort sealed Potter’s fate as The One.
Thankfully, now we know both Harry and Neville survived the events of the books and films and would therefore be turning 42 this month, whereas Radcliffe will be celebrating his 33rd trip around the sun. Our little boys are all growns up and they’re growns up and they’re growns up! (And no, those aren’t typos, it’s a quote from Swingers — Harry’s not the only one who’s old! But now I also have to say that I just realized the image we’re using for Swingers on redbox.com is actually from the “all growns up” scene. I feel like this means something deep … besides the fact that this is my favorite random tangent I’ve ever gone on.)
Anywhoooo… besides the July birthdays, the HP fandom also has a big anniversary to toast this month: July 11 marks the 15th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix! This is the book I’m on with my son right now, so we’ll soon be following our usual tradition of watching the adaptation after we’re done with the novel. I seriously cannot believe it was a decade and a half ago that we were introduced to the wicked new professor Delores Umbridge, played expertly by Imelda Staunton. There are few fictional characters I despise more, let me tell you. Also, writing about the Phoenix anniversary has just reminded me that I still need to watch the “Return to Hogwarts” 20-year anniversary special that premiered on HBO on New Year’s Day this year. So much Harry Potter goodness!
… and that’s not all! You can rent all three Fantastic Beast movies at the Box right now, and on July 12, you can stream the latest installment, Fantastic Beasts: The Secret of Dumbledore, through Redbox On Demand.
I dare say that it’s time to break out a cold butterbeer, kick back and have a wizarding world marathon!