It's time to bring out your wands and unleash your inner Hogwarts house pride, everyone! In honor of the 20th-year anniversary of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the original cast of the Harry Potter series reunited for a retrospective show aired on HBO Max on January 1st of 2022.
The trailer, which included snippets from numerous Harry Potter films, was released exactly 20 years after the US premiere of the first film in the series, promising that "the iconic cast" will “return to where the magic began."
Fans everywhere are able to revisit the “Wizarding World” as they watch Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson joined by director Christopher Columbus in discussing the films and their experiences while making them.
Aside from the golden trio, you can also expect to see other familiar faces such as Tom Felton, James and Oliver Phelps, Bonnie Wright, Matthew Lewis, Evanna Lynch, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, among many others. Together, they took a trip down memory lane and celebrated the legacy that the movies have left behind.
The special invited fans “on a magical first-person journey through one of the most beloved film franchises of all time”, according to HBO Max.
The first novel in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, sold 3.8 million copies during its opening week in 1998. By the series' end, the final novel, Deathly Hallows, sold 15 million copies in its first 24 hours on the shelves alone. Today, more than 500 million copies of the eight books have been sold worldwide, making it the best-selling series of novels in history.
In 2001, the story of the boy who lived was brought to life on the big screen, signaling the start of an octology that would span over the course of a decade and become the highest-grossing film series of all time.
With 1,084,170 words, 198 chapters, 7 novels, 8 movies, 3 theme parks, 1 play, and a billion-dollar franchise, Harry Potter has without a doubt become a worldwide sensation. Throughout the two decades that have passed since its debut, the franchise has done nothing but grow, and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon.
When looking at Harry Potter’s immense success, one may wonder why people are so enthusiastic about this so-called “childlike fantasy”. The answer lies not in genius marketing and business endeavors, but rather in the impact it has on those who allow themselves to be lost in the magic. The Harry Potter series is more than just a story about three friends on a magical adventure. The story emphasizes the power of love, friendship, and sacrifice, all while showing the perpetual battle between good and evil. We are told that "It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." The story is filled with life lessons that are guaranteed to leave a lasting impression.
As a result of the unforgettable characters and immersive plot, generations of young people have discovered the joy of reading. The books and films have instilled in their fans a feeling of moral responsibility that will stay with them throughout their entire lives.
As the author J.K. Rowling said at the premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, the final movie, "Whether you come back page by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home."
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