The 2012 Olympics opening ceremony in London was destined to be a spectacle and that's exactly what the live and television audiences got. The production was conceived and directed by Academy Award-winning British director Danny Boyle and got just as strange as some of his films have over the years.
The Olympic Stadium initially depicted a lush English countryside, presided over by farmers and workers. The Victorian era then set in, yielding to the industrial revolution and constructing a massive factory set from the ground up, featuring towering smokestacks.
After that was the introduction of Queen Elizabeth, who supposedly made her way to the stadium via a helicopter parachute jump with Craig James-as-James Bond in an exceedingly silly moment.
It was then time for a celebration of children, which culminated in the rumored confrontation between Lord Voldemort and Mary Poppins.
For more on the 2012 London Olympic Games, make sure that you check out SB Nation's dedicated Olympics hub.