UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. -- Universal Studios Hollywood will soon venture into the darker side of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

A new projection show called the Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle is set to debut at the California theme park later this month.

The show will feature lights, special effects and a original score composed by John Williams. 

"Dementors, Death Eaters and other unspeakable creatures will cloak the castle with sinister images from the darker side of magic," Universal says of the show. Lord Voldemort will also appear, summoning his legions to swarm the castle until the powerful Patronus spell is cast.  

 And it appears that Universal will be using drones to create the Patronus effect. A video posted on Instagram captured testing of the show earlier this week. The short clip shows drones forming a stag, which is Harry Potter's Patronus.

The Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle will run at Universal Studios Hollywood on select nights April 13-28 and May 25-27. The projection show will eventually make its way to Universal Orlando later this year. Dates and times have not yet been released.

It's unknown if the Orlando version will also incorporate drones. 

Attractions Insider is your all-in-one source for everything you need to know about Florida's theme parks. Get news, deals, helpful tips and more in our Attractions Insider special section!

  • Download the Spectrum News app and turn on notifications to receive a weekly Attractions Briefing every Friday.