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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 trailer debuts

This is it, Potter fans, the end is nigh. It is a somewhat melancholy journey towards the final moments of what is arguably—maybe not even arguably—the most important franchise of the last decade. The stage is set, and the fate of Harry and his friends are sealed as the Harry Potter series comes to its long-awaited finale.

If you have not read the books and are trying to avoid spoilers, you may want to skip this trailer. Beyond the obvious plot details all trailers lay out, there are a few moments that may take you by surprise if you don’t know what to expect going in. If that doesn’t bother you, or if you have read the books, then check out the impressive-looking trailer below.

If you watched the last film and wondered where all the action went, the answer is right here. Part 1 followed the book fairly well, which was a mixed blessing. It translated a dense work, but the book was also back-end heavy, with the majority of the action taking place in the second half, making the first chapters more of a character study than an action/fantasy story. In a book, that is hardly noticeable, but when you have to wait months between parts, it is an issue. But the good news is, expect Part 2 to be a dense film, with multiple battles, as the characters you have followed since the mid-90s reach their conclusion.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 hits theaters in 2D, 3D and IMAX on July 15.


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Ryan Fleming
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ryan Fleming is the Gaming and Cinema Editor for Digital Trends. He joined the DT staff in 2009 after spending time covering…
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