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Hes the devil
{{Three other uses|the ''Harry Potter'' series of novels|the character|Harry Potter (character)|the films|Harry Potter film series|other uses|Harry Potter (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox Book
| name = Harry Potter
| image = ]
| image_caption = <span style="font-size: 8pt">The success of the Harry Potter franchise has led to a set of stamps being commissioned by ], which feature the British children's covers of the seven books.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200705/s1929389.htm|title=Special stamps to mark Potter book release|publisher=]|date=2007-22-05|accessdate = 2007-06-06}}</ref></span>
| author = ]
| country = ]
| language = ]
| genre = ], ], ]
| publisher = {{flagicon|UK}} ]<br />{{flagicon|USA}} ]<br />{{flagicon|Canada}} ] <br />{{flagicon|Australia}}{{flagicon|New Zealand}} ]
| release_date = ] ] – ] ]
| media_type = Print (] & ]) and <br>]
| pages = {{flagicon|UK}} 3407 (in total) <br /> {{flagicon|USA}} 4100 (in total)
}}
'''''Harry Potter''''' is a ] ]s written by ] author ]. The books chronicle the adventures of the ] adolescent wizard ], together with ] and ], his best friends. The story is mostly set at ], an academy for young ]. The central ] concerns Harry's struggle against the evil wizard ], who killed Harry's parents in his quest to conquer the ].

Since the release of the first novel '']'' in 1997, which was retitled ''Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone'' in the ], the books have gained immense popularity, critical acclaim and commercial success worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2996578.stm|title=Potter's place in the literary canon|publisher=]|last=Allsobrook |first=Dr. Marian|date=2003-06-18|accessdate=2007-10-15}}</ref> The series has spawned films, video games and Potter-themed merchandise. As of April 2007, the first six books in the seven book series have sold more than 400 million copies<ref>{{cite web|title=J.K. Rowling publishes Harry Potter spin-off|author= Jenny Booth|work=Times UK|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article2784397.ece|year=2007|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> and have been translated into more than 64 languages.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jkrowling.com/en/|first=JK|last=Rowling|title=J.K.Rowling Official Site - Harry Potter and more: Acknowledgements|accessdate=2007-07-30}}</ref> The seventh and last book in the series, '']'', was released on ] ].<ref name="releasedate">{{cite news|url=http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/news_view.cfm?id=97|title= Publication Date for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows|accessdate = 2007-06-26|publisher=]}}</ref> Publishers announced a record-breaking 12 million copies for the first print run in the U.S. alone.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article1521607.ece|title=Harry Potter's final adventure to get record print run|publisher=]|last=McLaren|first=Elsa|date=2007-03-15|accessdate = 2007-03-27}}</ref>

The success of the novels has made Rowling the highest-earning novelist in history.<ref><span class="plainlinks"> Watson, Julie and Kellner, Tomas. . , ] ]. Accessed ] ].</span></ref> English language versions of the books are published by ] in the ], ] in the ], ] in ] and ] in ].

Thus far, the first five books have been made into ] by ] The sixth, '']'', began filming in September 2007, with a scheduled release of ] ].<ref name="release-date-hbp-film">{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0417741/|title=Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (IMdB)}}</ref> The series also originated much ] ], making the Harry Potter brand worth $15 billion. <ref name="brand"/>

==Overview==
===Plot summary===
The story opens with the conspicuous celebration of a normally secretive ]; for many years, it has been terrorised by the evil wizard, ]. On the previous night, ], Voldemort discovered the Potter family's hidden refuge, killing ]. However, when he attempted to murder their toddler son, ], the '']'' killing curse he cast rebounded upon him. Voldemort's body was destroyed, but his spirit survived: he is neither dead nor alive. Meanwhile, the orphaned Harry is left with a distinctive lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead, the only physical sign of Voldemort's curse. Harry is the only known survivor of the curse, and Voldemort's mysterious defeat causes the wizarding community to dub Harry "The Boy Who Lived".

On ], ], a 'half-giant', delivers Harry to his only living relatives, the cruel and magic-phobic ], comprising Uncle Vernon, a bad-tempered uncle, Aunt Petunia, a woman who appears to absolutely loathe Harry, and Dudley, their spoiled and overweight son. They attempt in vain to rid him of his magical powers, hide his magical heritage, and severely punish him after any strange occurrences.

However, as his eleventh birthday approaches, Harry has his first contact with the magical world when he begins receiving letters from ], which are delivered by ]. Unfortunately, his uncle confiscates the letters before he can read them. Much to the Dursley's chagrin, Hogwarts is aware that Harry is not receiving his letter and send a representative of the school to meet with him and explain his heritage. At the stroke of midnight on Harry's eleventh birthday, Rubeus Hagrid, Hogwarts' gamekeeper, appears and informs Harry that he is a wizard and has been invited to attend the school. Each book chronicles one year in Harry's life, which is mostly spent at Hogwarts. There he learns to use ] and brew ]. Harry also learns to overcome many magical, social, and emotional hurdles as he struggles through his adolescence, Voldemort's second rise to power, and the ]'s corruption and incompetence. After facing many obstacles, forging lasting friendships, and losing countless loved ones, Harry Potter confronts the Dark Lord for the last time.

For a detailed synopsis of the novels, see the relevant article for ].

===Universe===
{{main|Harry Potter universe}}
]]] The ] in which Harry finds himself is both completely separate from and yet intimately connected to our own world. While the fantasy world of ] is an alternative universe and the '']''’ ] a mythic past, the wizarding world of ''Harry Potter'' exists alongside that of the real world and contains magical elements similar to things in the non-magical world. Many of its institutions and locations are in towns and cities, including London for example, which are recognisable in the real world. It possesses a fragmented collection of hidden streets, overlooked and ancient pubs, lonely country manors and secluded castles that remain invisible to the non-magical population (known as "]s"; e.g. The Dursleys). Wizard ability is inborn, rather than learned, although one must attend schools such as Hogwarts in order to master and control it. However, it is possible for wizard parents to have children who are born with little or no magical ability at all (known as "]"; e.g., ], ]). Since one is either born a wizard or not, most wizards are unfamiliar with the Muggle world. The ] and its many fantastic elements are depicted in a matter-of-fact way. This juxtaposition of the magical and the mundane is one of the principal motifs in the novels; the characters in the stories live normal lives with normal problems, for all their magical surroundings.

===Chronology===
{{main|Chronology of the Harry Potter stories}}
The books mainly avoid setting the story in a particular real year; however, there are a few references, which allow the books, and various past events mentioned in them to be assigned corresponding real years. The time line is sufficiently set in ''Chamber of Secrets'', in which Nearly-Headless Nick remarks that it is the five-hundredth anniversary of his death on ], ]; thus, ''Chamber of Secrets'' takes place from 1992 to 1993. This chronology was again reiterated in ''Deathly Hallows'', in which the date of death on James and Lily Potter's gravestone is ], ]. Thus, as Harry was a year old at the time of his parents' murders, his year of birth is 1980 and the main action of the story takes place from 1991 (the second chapter of ''Philosopher's Stone'') to 1998 (the end of ''Deathly Hallows''). Interviewed for an ITV documentary broadcast in December 2007, Rowling stated that the final battle with Voldemort's forces takes place on ] ], however, this would seem to be a mistake, and that the actual date should be ] ], in fitting with the dates given in ''Chamber of Secrets'' and ''Deathly Hallows''.

==Series==
#'']'' (] ]) (titled ''Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone'' in the ])
#'']'' (] ])
#'']'' (] ])
#'']'' (] ])
#'']'' (] ])
#'']'' (] ])
#'']'' (] ])

*All seven books in the series have been released in the ] as ]s. The UK editions are performed by ], while the American versions by ].

'''Supplementary books'''
*'']'' (2001)
*'']'' (2001)
*'']'' (2007)

===Origins and publishing history===
]
In 1990, J. K. Rowling was on a crowded train from ] to ] when the idea for Harry suddenly formed in her mind. Rowling gives an account of the experience on her website saying:<ref name="Harry falls into author's head">{{cite web|publisher=JKRowling.com| url=http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/biography.cfm| title=Biography| first= J.K.| last=Rowling| accessdate = 2006-05-21}}</ref>

{{Cquote|I had been writing almost continuously since the age of six but I had never been so excited about an idea before. I simply sat and thought, for four (delayed train) hours, and all the details bubbled up in my brain, and this scrawny, black-haired, bespectacled boy who didn't know he was a wizard became more and more real to me.|}}

In 1995, ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' was completed and the ] was sent off to prospective ]. The second agent she tried, Christopher Little, offered to represent her and sent the manuscript to Bloomsbury. After eight other publishers had rejected ''Philosopher's Stone'', Bloomsbury offered Rowling a £2,500 advance for its publication.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=BusinessWeek Online| url=http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_22/b3935414.htm| title=Nigel Newton | first=John| last=Lawless| accessdate = 2006-09-09}}</ref>

Despite Rowling's statement that she did not have any particular age group in mind when she began to write the ''Harry Potter'' books, the publishers initially targeted them at children age nine to eleven.<ref></ref> On the eve of publishing, Joanne Rowling was asked by her publishers to adopt a more gender-neutral ], in order to appeal to the male members of this age group, fearing that they would not be interested in reading a novel they knew to be written by a woman. She elected to use J. K. Rowling (Joanne Kathleen Rowling), using her grandmother's name as her second name, because she has no middle name.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=The Daily Telegraph| url=http://www.quick-quote-quill.org/articles/2000/0700-savill-telegraph.html| title=Harry Potter and the mystery of J K's lost initial| first=Richard| last=Savill| accessdate = 2006-09-09}}</ref>

The first ''Harry Potter'' book was published in the ] by Bloomsbury in July 1997 and in the ] by ] in September of 1998, but not before Rowling had received $105,000 for the American rights – an unprecedented amount for a children's book by a then unknown author.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/21/business/web21interview.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1|title=A Brief Walk Through Time at Scholastic|last=Rozhon|first=Tracie|work=]|date=]|accessdate = 2007-04-21|page=C3}}</ref> Fearing that American readers would not associate the word "philosopher" with a magical theme (as a ] is alchemy-related), Scholastic insisted that the book be given the title ''Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone'' for the American market.

Rowling's publishers were able to capitalise on this buzz by the rapid, successive releases of the first four books that allowed neither Rowling's audience's excitement nor interest to wane while she took a break from writing between the release of '']'' and '']'', and also quickly solidified a loyal readership.<ref name="Books' Hero Wins Young Minds">{{cite news
|publisher=New York Times
|title=Books' Hero Wins Young Minds
|date=] ]
}}</ref> The series has also gathered adult fans, leading to two editions of each ''Harry Potter'' book being released (in markets other than the United States), identical in text but with one edition's cover artwork aimed at children and the other aimed at adults.

===Completion of the series===
In December 2005, Rowling stated on her web site, "2006 will be the year when I write the final book in the ''Harry Potter'' series." Updates have since followed in her online diary chronicling the progress of '']'', with the release date of ] ].

The book itself was finished on ] ] in the ], ], where she scrawled a message on the back of a bust of Hermes. It read: “JK Rowling finished writing ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' in this room (652) on ] ].”<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6324289.stm|title=Potter author signs off in style|publisher=]|date=2007-02-02}}</ref>

Rowling herself has stated that the last chapter of the seventh book (in fact, the epilogue) was completed "in something like 1990".<ref name="last chapter">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5119836.stm|title="Rowling to kill two in final book"|publisher=]|date=]|accessdate=2007-07-25}}</ref><ref name="last chapter means epilogue">{{cite news|url=http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2001/1201-bbc-hpandme.htm|title="Harry Potter and Me"|date=]|accessdate=2007-09-12}}</ref>

In June 2006, Rowling, on an appearance on the British talk show '']'', announced that the chapter had been modified as one character "got a reprieve" and two others who previously survived the story had in fact been killed. She also said she could see the logic in killing off Harry to stop other writers from writing books about Harry's life after Hogwarts.<ref></ref>

On ], ], the cover art for the Bloomsbury Adult and Child versions and the Scholastic version were released.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/gallery/dh|title=Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Cover Art|accessdate = 2007-04-02}}</ref>

===After ''Deathly Hallows''===
Rowling spent seventeen years writing the seven Harry Potter books. In a 2000 interview through ], her American publisher, Rowling stated that there is not a university after Hogwarts. Concerning the series continuing past book seven, she stated, "I won't say ''never'', but I have no plans to write an eighth book."<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/author/transcript1.htm
|title=Transcript of JKR's live interview on Scholastic.com
|date=2000-02-03}}</ref> She has since said that if she does write an eighth book Harry Potter will not be the central character, as his story has been told, and that she would not begin such a project for at least ten years.<ref>{{Citation |last= |first= |title=JK Rowling hints at eighth Potter |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7164884.stm |publisher=''BBC'' |date=2007-12-30 |accessdate=2008-01-11}}</ref>

When asked about writing other Harry Potter-related books similar to '']'' and '']'', she has said that she might consider doing this with proceeds donated to charity, as was the case with those two books. Another suggestion is an encyclopaedia-style tome containing information that never made it into the series, also for charity.<ref name="new_chapter">{{cite web |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;?xml=/news/2007/05/13/npotter13.xml|title=A new chapter for Harry Potter and JK|publisher=]|accessdate=2007-06-15|date=]}}</ref> She has revealed she is currently penning two books, one for children and one not for children.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6918723.stm|publisher=BBC News|title=Potter author 'penning two books'|date=]|accessdate=2007-07-30}}</ref>

In February 2007 Rowling issued a statement on her website about finishing the final book, in which she compared her mixed feelings of "mourning" and "incredible sense of achievement" to those expressed by ] in the preface of the 1850 edition of '']'', "a two-years' imaginative task." "To which," she added, "I can only sigh, try seventeen years, Charles…"

On ], ], Rowling announced in an interview that she "probably will" write an encyclopaedia of the ''Harry Potter'' world, which would include background information cut from the narrative as well as post-''Deathly Hallows'' information, including details of what happens to the other characters, who the new Hogwarts headmaster is, and more.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/19935372/|title=Stop your sobbing! More Potter to come|publisher=]|date=2007-07-24|accessdate=2007-07-27}}</ref> Rowling refers to the encyclopedia as the "Scottish Book", a take on the ].<ref>{{Citation |last=Rowling |first=Joanne |title=Why 'The Scottish Book'? |url=http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/faq_view.cfm?id=123 |publisher=''http://www.jkrowling.com'' |date= |accessdate=2008-01-11}}</ref>

In a 90-minute live Web chat, Rowling revealed<ref>{{cite news|url=http://entertainment.msn.com/news/article.aspx?news=270634&GT1=10150&mpc=1|title=Rowling Answers Fans' Final Questions|publisher=]|date=2007-07-30|accessdate=2007-07-31}}</ref> what several of the characters did in the years between the conclusion of the book and the epilogue.

===Translations===
] translation of the first book, jointly published by De Harmonie and Standaard.]]
{{main|Harry Potter in translation}}
The series has been translated into 65 languages,<ref>{{cite web|title=What now for Harry Potter fans?|url=http://www.news.com.au/sundaytelegraph/story/0,,22103790-5001026,00.html|work=Daily Telegraph|author=Alyssa Braithwaite|year=2007|accessdate=2007-07-21}}</ref> placing Rowling among the most translated authors in history.<ref>{{cite web|title=Guinness World Records: L. Ron Hubbard Is the Most Translated Author|author=KMaul|work=thebookstandard.com|url=http://www.thebookstandard.com/bookstandard/news/author/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001476331|year=2005|accessdate=2007-07-19}}</ref> The first translation was into ], as many words and concepts used by the characters in the novels would have been misleading to a young American audience. Subsequently the books have seen translations in languages as diverse as ], ], ], ], ] and ]. The first volume has been translated into ] and even ],<ref><span class="plainlinks"> . Accessed ] ]. </span></ref> making it the longest published work in that language since the novels of ] in the 3rd century AD.<ref><span class="plainlinks"> Accessed ] ]. </span></ref>

The high profile and huge public demand for a decent local translation means that a great deal of care is often taken in the task. In some countries such as Italy, the first book was revised by the publishers and issued in an updated edition, in response to feedback from readers. In countries such as China and Portugal, the translation is conducted by a group of translators working together to save time. Some of the translators hired to work on the books were quite well known prior to their work on Harry Potter, such as Viktor Golyshev, who oversaw the ] translation of the series' fifth book. Golyshev was previously best known for translating ] and ];<ref>{{cite web|title=Translating Harry—Part I: The Language of Magic|author=Steven Goldstein|url=http://www.globalbydesign.com/resources/articles/translating_harry_potter_part1.html|work=GlobalByDesign|year=2004|accessdate = 2007-05-09}}</ref> his tendency to snub the Harry Potter books in interviews and refer to them as inferior literature may be the reason he did not return to work on later books in the series. The ] translation of books two to seven was undertaken by ], a popular literary critic and cultural commentator.<ref>{{cite web|title=Not lost in translation: Harry Potter in Turkish|author=EMRAH GÜLER|url=http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=29054|year=2005|accessdate = 2007-05-09}}</ref> For reasons of secrecy, translation can only start when the books are released in English; thus there is a lag of several months before the translations are available. This has led to more and more copies of the English editions being sold to impatient fans in non-English speaking countries. Such was the clamour to read the fifth book that its ] edition became the first English-language book ever to top the bestseller list in ].<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/world/newsid_3036000/3036350.stm
|publisher=BBC
|title=OOTP is best seller in France—in English!
|date=] ]}}</ref>

==Literary analysis==
===Structure and genre===
{{seealso|Harry Potter influences and analogues}}
The novels are very much in the ] genre; in many respects they are also ]s, coming of age novels. The stories are predominantly set in Hogwarts, a British boarding school for wizards, where the curriculum includes the use of ]. In this sense they are "in a direct line of descent from ]'s '']'' and other Victorian and Edwardian novels of British public school life".<ref>"J. K. Rowling" by Leslie Ellen Jones, ''NoveList/EBSCO Publishing'', 2003, retrieved ] ]</ref> They are also, in the words of ], "shrewd mystery tale",<ref name="Wild About Harry">{{cite news|publisher=New York Times|title="Wild About Harry"|date=] ]}}</ref> and each book is constructed in the manner of a ]-style ] adventure; the books leave a number of clues hidden in the narrative, while the characters pursue a number of suspects through various exotic locations, leading to a twist ending that often reverses what the characters had been led to believe. The stories are told from a ] point of view; with very few exceptions (such as the opening chapters of '']'' and '']'' and the first two chapters of '']''), the reader learns the secrets of the story when Harry does. The thoughts and plans of other characters, even central ones such as Hermione and Ron, are kept hidden until revealed to Harry.

The books tend to follow a very strict formula. Set over the course of consecutive years, they each begin with Harry at home with the Dursleys in the ] world, enduring their ill treatment. Subsequently, Harry goes to a specific magical location (], the ] or ]) for a period before beginning school, which he commences by boarding the ] at Platform 9¾. Once at school, new or redefined characters take shape, and Harry overcomes new everyday school issues, such as difficult essays, awkward crushes, and unsympathetic teachers. The stories reach their climax near or just after final exams, when Harry confronts either Voldemort or one of his ]. In the aftermath, he learns important lessons through exposition and discussions with ]. This formula was completely broken in the final novel, '']'', in which Harry and his friends spend most of their time away from Hogwarts, and only return there to face Voldemort at the climax.{{HP7}}

In addition, Harry is present in some manner (physically, via a dream or via a vision) during every scene in the first four novels, other than the opening pages of ''Philosopher's Stone''. In the later books, he is present for the majority of scenes. This structure allows the reader to unravel each mystery as he does, receiving clues only when he does.

===Themes===
According to Rowling, a major theme in the series is the theme of ]. She says:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/01/10/nrowl110.xml|title='There would be so much to tell her…'|accessdate = 2007-04-04}}</ref>

{{cquote|My books are largely about death. They open with the death of Harry's parents. There is Voldemort's obsession with conquering death and his quest for ] at any price, the goal of anyone with magic. I so understand why Voldemort wants to conquer death. We're all frightened of it.}}

Rowling has stated that the books comprise "a prolonged argument for tolerance, a prolonged plea for an end to ]" and that also pass on a message to "question authority and… not assume that the establishment or the press tells you all of the truth".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2007/10/20/j-k-rowling-at-carnegie-hall-reveals-dumbledore-is-gay-neville-marries-hannah-abbott-and-scores-more|title=J. K. Rowling at Carnegie Hall|work=The Leaky Cauldron|accessdate=2007-10-21}}</ref> <ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7053982.stm|title=JK Rowling outs Dumbledore as gay|accessdate=2007-10-21|date=2007-10-21|work=BBC News|publisher=]}}</ref>

While the books could be said to comprise many other themes, such as power/abuse of power, love, prejudice, and choice, they are, as J.K. Rowling states, "deeply entrenched in the whole plot"; the writer prefers to let themes "grow organically", rather than sitting down and consciously attempting to impart such ideas to her readers.<ref name="Mzimba, Lizo, moderator. Interview with Steve Kloves and J.K. Rowling">{{cite news
|url=http://www.quick-quote-quill.org/articles/2003/0302-newsround-mzimba.htm
|publisher= Quick Quotes Quill
|title=Mzimba, Lizo, moderator. Interview with Steve Kloves and J.K. Rowling
|date=February 2003}}</ref> Along the same lines is the ever-present theme of adolescence, in whose depiction Rowling has been purposeful in acknowledging her characters' sexualities and not leaving Harry, as she put it, "stuck in a state of permanent pre-pubescence".<ref name="Favorite chapter">{{cite news
|url=http://www.quick-quote-quill.org/articles/1999/0299-guardian-carey.htm
|publisher=Scholastic.com
|title=About the Books: transcript of J.K. Rowling's live interview on Scholastic.com
|date=] ]}}</ref>

Rowling said that, to her, the moral significance of the tales seems "blindingly obvious." The key for her was the choice between what is right and what is easy, "because that, that is how ] is started, with people being ] and taking the easy route and suddenly finding themselves in deep trouble."<ref></ref>

==Achievements==
===Cultural impact===
{{details|Harry Potter fandom}}
Since the publishing of ''Philosopher's Stone'' a number of societal trends have been attributed to the series.

The most notable trend attributed to ''Harry Potter'' has been an increase in literacy among the young. ] suggesting such an increase was seemingly confirmed in 2006 when the Kids and Family Reading Report (in conjunction with Scholastic) released a survey finding that 51% of ''Harry Potter'' readers ages 5–17 said that while they did not read books for fun before they started reading ''Harry Potter'', they now did. The study further reported that according to 65% of children and 76% of parents, they or their children's performance in school improved since they started reading the series.<ref name="New Study Finds That the Harry Potter Series Has a Positive Impact on Kids' Reading and Their School Work">{{cite news
|url=http://www.scholastic.com/aboutscholastic/news/press_07252006_CP.htm
|publisher= Scholastic
|title=New Study Finds That the Harry Potter Series Has a Positive Impact on Kids' Reading and Their School Work
|date= 2006-25-07
|accessdate = 2007-02-10}}</ref> Charlie Griffiths, director of the National Literacy Association, said "Anyone who can persuade children to read should be treasured and what given us in ''Harry Potter'' is little short of miraculous."<ref name="mcginty">{{Citation | last =Stephen | first =McGinty | title = The legacy of Harry: The JK ROwling Story—Part III | newspaper=The Scotsman | date=] | url =http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=3&id=669512003 | accessdate=2007-05-29}}</ref> British Prime Minister ], a long time fan, said, "I think JK Rowling has done more for literacy around the world than any single human being."<ref name="brownpraise">{{cite web | title =Chancellor praises Potter books | publisher = BBC News | date = ], ] | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/4683219.stm| accessdate = 2007-06-25}}</ref><ref name="land">{{cite web | last = Land | first = Jon | title =Harry Potter tops Godron Brown's summer reading list | publisher = 24dash.com | date = ], ] | url =http://www.24dash.com/education/21107.htm| accessdate = 2007-06-25}}</ref>

Indeed as the series progresses, each book gets progressively longer, developing along with the reader's literary abilities. A word-count comparison shows how each book, save the sixth, is longer than its predecessor, requiring greater concentration and longer attention spans to complete. This fact in itself can be seen as contributory to improved literary abilities in children who tackle the series.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.writinginstructor.com/penrod.html |title=Writinginstructor.com: The Trouble with Harry: A Reason for Teaching Media Literacy to Young Adults|accessdate=2007-11-25 }}</ref>

In 2005, doctors at the ] in ] reported that their research of the weekends of Saturday ]] and Saturday ] ] (the release dates of the ''Order of the Phoenix'' and the ''Half-Blood Prince'', respectively) found that only 36 children needed emergency medical assistance for injuries sustained in accidents, as opposed to other weekends' average of 67.<ref name="Reading 'cuts childhood injuries'">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/oxfordshire/4553110.stm |publisher= BBC News |title=Reading 'cuts childhood injuries' |date= ] ]}}</ref>
] in Newark, ] for the midnight release of '']'']]
Notable also is the development of a massive following of fans. So eager were these fans for the latest series release that bookstores around the world began holding events to coincide with the midnight release of the books, beginning with the 2000 publication of ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire''. The events, commonly featuring mock sorting, games, face painting, and other live entertainment have achieved popularity with Potter fans and have been incredibly successful at attracting fans and selling books with nearly nine million of the 10.8 million initial print copies of ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' sold in the first 24 hours.<ref name="Harry Potter casts spell at checkouts">{{cite news
|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,927-1698839,00.html
|publisher=Times Online
|title=Harry Potter casts spell at checkouts
|date=] ]
}}</ref><ref name="Potter book smashes sales records">{{cite news
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/4692093.stm
|publisher=BBC
|title=Potter book smashes sales records
|date=] ]
}}</ref> Among this large base of ]s are a minority of "super-fans", similar to the ]s of the '']'' ]. Besides meeting online through ]s, ]s, and ]s, ''Harry Potter'' super-fans can also meet at ''Harry Potter'' ]. These events draw people from around the world to attend lectures, discussions and a host of other ''Potter'' themed activities.

The ''Harry Potter'' books have inspired the "]" movement, where a number of bands were formed whose names, image and song lyrics relate to the ''Harry Potter'' world. Examples include ] and ].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.syracuse.com/articles/cny/index.ssf?/base/living-3/118492494174900.xml&coll=1|title=Wizard Rock|publisher=]|date=2007-07-20|accessdate=2007-10-21|last=Loftus|first=Meghan}}</ref>

''Harry Potter'' has also brought changes in the publishing world, one of the most noted being the reformation of the ]. The change came immediately preceding the release of ''Goblet of Fire'' in 2000 when publishers complained of the number of slots on the list being held by ''Harry Potter'' and other children's books. The Times subsequently created a separate children's list for ''Harry Potter'' and other children's literature.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=CNN| url=http://archives.cnn.com/2000/books/news/07/21/potter7_21.a.tm/|title=Why 'Harry Potter' did a Harry Houdini|date=] ]}}</ref>

The word ] has spread beyond its ''Harry Potter'' origins, used by many groups to indicate those who are not aware or are lacking in some skill. In 2003, "muggle", entered the ] with that definition.<ref>{{cite web|title='Muggle' Redux in the Oxford English Dictionary|author=Meg McCaffrey|url=http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA294413.html|year=2003|accessdate = 2007-05-01}}</ref>

There is an accredited course at ] devoted to the literature of Harry Potter titled "The World of Harry Potter."<ref>{{cite web|title=The World of Harry Potter|url=http://dolphin-diver.com/277HP.htm|accessdate=2007-07-14}}</ref>

The 2007 ] featured a statue of Harry Potter sculpted entirely out of butter. The sculpture was based on Harry's appearance in ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'', and featured sculptures of Harry's owl Hedwig and his school trunk as depicted at the beginning of the book.

===Awards and honours===
J.K. Rowling and the Harry Potter series have been the recipients of a host of awards since the initial publication of ''Philosopher's Stone'' including four Whitaker Platinum Book Awards (all of which were awarded in 2001), three ]s (1997–1999), two ] (1999 and 2001), the inaugural ], (1999), the ] (2006), among others. In 2000, '']'' was nominated for Best Novel in the ] while in 2001, '']'' won said award. Honours include a commendation for the ] (1997), a short listing for the Guardian Children's Award (1998), and numerous listings on the notable books, editors' Choices, and best books lists of the ], ], ], and ].<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Arthur A. Levine Books| url=http://www.arthuralevinebooks.com/awards.asp| title=Awards| first= Levine| last=Arthur| accessdate = 2006-05-21}}</ref>

===Commercial success===
In November 2007, the magazine '']'' estimated the total value of the ''Harry Potter'' brand at roughly $15 billion (£7 billion).<ref name="brand">. Business Week. Accessed ] ].</ref> The popularity of the ''Harry Potter'' series has translated into substantial financial success for Rowling, her publishers, and other ''Harry Potter'' related license holders. This success has made Rowling the first and thus far only ] author.<ref>{{Citation |last=Watson |first=Julie |title=J.K. Rowling And The Billion-Dollar Empire |url=http://www.forbes.com/2004/02/26/cx_jw_0226rowlingbill04.html |publisher=''Forbes'' |date=2004-02-26 |accessdate=2007-12-03}}</ref> The books have sold over 325 million copies worldwide and have also given rise to the popular film adaptations produced by ], all of which have been successful in their own right with the first, ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', ranking number four on the ] and the other four ''Harry Potter'' films each ranking in the top 20.<ref name="million">{{cite news
|url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2007-02-04-harry-potter_x.htm?csp=34
|publisher=USA Today
|title= Potter book sales top 400 million
|date=] ]
}}</ref> The films have in turn spawned five video games and have in conjunction with them led to the licensing of over 400 additional Harry Potter products (including an ]) that have, ], made the Harry Potter brand worth an estimated 4 billion US dollars and J.K. Rowling a ] ],<ref>. ]. ] ].</ref> making her, by some reports, richer than ].<ref name="J.K. Rowling Richer than the Queen">{{cite news
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2979033.stm
|publisher=BBC
|title=J.K. Rowling Richer than the Queen
|date=] ]
}}</ref><ref name="Harry Potter Brand Wizard">{{cite news
|url=http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/jul2005/di20050721_060250.htm
|publisher= Business Week
|title=Harry Potter Brand Wizard
|date= ] ]}}</ref>

On ] ], ] declared that ''Deathly Hallows'' has broken its pre-order record, with over 500,000 copies pre-ordered through its site.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/arts/2007/0413/potterh.html|title=New Harry Potter breaks pre-order record|date=2007-04-13|publisher=RTÉ.ie Entertainment|accessdate = 2007-04-23}}</ref>

A ] bookseller said she had to sign a legal form stating that she wouldn't open the boxes of '']'' until their official release date at midnight, and that she would cover the boxes with blankets in her back room so they would not be seen.<ref name=Maine-today-hbp>{{cite news|url=http://news.mainetoday.com/stories/050714potter.shtml|title=Latest Rowling release? It'll be Harry|last=Routher|first=Ray|work=Maine Today|date=]|accessdate=2007-01-15}}</ref> For the release of ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'', extra security was added by limiting the number of librarians who handle the book prior to its release. Those who failed to comply with the written agreement, which employees were required to sign, would jeopardise those libraries' access to "future embargoed titles."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,264391,00.html|title=Libraries Must Follow Rules of Secrecy to Get New 'Potter' Book|date=]|accessdate=2007-04-05|work=]}}</ref> Prior to the release of ''Deathly Hallows'', the ] reported that some booksellers and libraries may have been tempted to break the embargo for publicity, as there were no future ''Potter'' books to be banned from selling.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6292128.stm|title=Potter embargo 'could be broken'|date=]|last=Savage|first=Mark|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2007-07-27}}</ref>

For the release of ''Goblet of Fire'', 9000 ] trucks were used with no other purpose than to deliver the book.<ref name=ew-gof-midnight>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,276735_2,00.html|title=Wild About Harry|date=]|accessdate=2007-03-04|work=]|last=Fierman|first=Daniel|quote=When I buy the books for my grandchildren, I have them all gift wrapped but one...that's for me. And I haven't been 12 for over 50 years.}}</ref> Together, Amazon.com and ] pre-sold more than 700,000 copies of the book.<ref name=ew-gof-midnight/> In the ], the book's initial printing run was 3.8 million copies.<ref name=ew-gof-midnight/> This record statistic was broken by '']'', with 8.5 million, which was then shattered by ''Half-Blood Prince'' with 10.8 million copies.<ref name=cnn-hbp>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/books/07/14/harry.potter/index.html|title=Harry Potter hits midnight frenzy|date=]|work=]|accessdate=2007-01-15}}</ref> 6.9 million copies of ''Prince'' were sold in the U.S. within the first 24 hours of its release; in the ] more than two million copies were sold on the first day.<ref name=bbc-hbp-record>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4700000/newsid_4701400/4701409.stm|title=Worksheet: Half-Blood Prince sets UK record|work=BBC Newsround|date=]|accessdate=2007-01-19}}</ref> The initial print run for ''Deathly Hallows'' was 12 million copies, and over a million were pre-ordered through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6452987.stm|title=Record print run for final Potter|work=BBC|date=]|accessdate=2007-05-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/65378.html|title=Final Potter book expected to shatter records|last=Turner|first=Sarah|date=]|accessdate=2007-05-22|work=]}}</ref>

Others have claimed that sales of the Harry Potter books have not been highly profitable for book retailers. Intense competition to offer the best price on the popular novels has whittled away expected revenue. The suggested retail for ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' was $35 but Amazon.com offered the book at a discounted price of $18, with other major chains following suit to remain competitive. Some hope that the frenzy associated with the book will create sales of other items when customers are drawn to bookstores. Other small, independent sellers have tried to protect revenues necessary to keep them in business by selling the book at the suggested cover price but offering other "add-on" items like Potter memorabilia or coupons towards other purchases.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.projo.com/business/content/BZ_HARRY_21_07-21-07_N86EGSK.266a0b5.html|title=Projo.com: Business: Sells Like A Charm|accessdate=2007-11-25 }}</ref>

==Criticism, praise, and controversy==
<!-- linked to from ]-->
===Literary critics===
Early in its history, ''Harry Potter'' received overwhelmingly positive reviews, which helped the series to quickly grow a large readership. Upon its publication, the first volume, ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', was greatly praised by most of Britain's major newspapers: the '']'' rated it as "the most imaginative debut since ]"; a view echoed by the '']'' ("comparisons to Dahl are, this time, justified"), while '']'' called it "a richly textured novel given lift-off by an inventive wit" and '']'' said it had "all the makings of a classic".<ref>{{cite book|title=Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets|author=JK Rowling|year=1998|pages=253|publisher=Bloomsbury}}</ref>

By the time of the release of the fifth volume, ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,'' the books began to receive strong criticism from a number of literary scholars. ] ], ] ] and ] ] raised pungent criticisms of the books' literary merits, saying, “Rowling's mind is so governed by clichés and dead metaphors that she has no other style of writing."<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Boston.com| url=http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2003/09/24/dumbing_down_american_readers/| title=Dumbing down American readers| first= Harold| last=Bloom| accessdate = 2006-06-20}}</ref> ] authored a '']'' op-ed article calling Rowling's universe a “], made up of intelligently patchworked derivative motifs from all sorts of ] … written for people whose imaginative lives are confined to TV cartoons, and the exaggerated (more exciting, not threatening) mirror-worlds of soaps, reality TV and celebrity gossip".<ref name="Harry Potter and the Childish Adult">{{cite news|publisher=New York Times|title=Harry Potter and the Childish Adult|date=] ]}}</ref>

The critic ] wrote in '']'' on his experience of judging '']'' for the ]. His overall view of the series was very negative—"the Potter saga was essentially patronising, very conservative, highly derivative, dispiritingly nostalgic for a bygone Britain," and he speaks of "pedestrian, ungrammatical prose style<ref>{{cite news|url=http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,6903,335923,00.html|publisher=The Observer|title=Why Harry Potter doesn't cast a spell over me|date=] ]}}</ref>."

By contrast, author ], while admitting that the series is "not what the poets hoped for," nevertheless goes on to say, "but this is not poetry, it is readable, saleable, everyday, useful prose".<ref name="Rowling books 'for people with stunted imaginations'">{{cite news|url=http://books.guardian.co.uk/harrypotter/story/0,,996243,00.html|publisher=The Guardian|title=Rowling books 'for people with stunted imaginations' |date=] ]}}</ref> The literary critic A.N. Wilson praised the Harry Potter series in 'The Times', stating: "There are not many writers who have JK’s Dickensian ability to make us turn the pages, to weep – openly, with tears splashing – and a few pages later to laugh, at invariably good jokes…We have lived through a decade in which we have followed the publication of the liveliest, funniest, scariest and most moving children’s stories ever written." <ref>The Times, 29th July 2007, article title:'A Farewll To Charms'</ref> Charles Taylor of ], who is primarily a movie critic,<ref></ref> took issue with Byatt's criticisms in particular. While he conceded that she may have "a valid cultural point—a teeny one—about the impulses that drive us to reassuring pop trash and away from the troubling complexities of art", he rejected her claims that the series is lacking in serious literary merit and that it owes its success merely to the childhood reassurances it offers. Taylor stressed the progressively darker tone of the books, shown by the murder of a classmate and close friend and the psychological wounds and social isolation each causes. Taylor also pointed out that ''Philosopher's Stone'', said to be the most lighthearted of the seven published books, disrupts the childhood reassurances that Byatt claims spur the series' success: the book opens with news of a double murder, for example.<ref name="A.S. Byatt and the goblet of bile">{{cite news| title=www.purevolume.com/rendermn|url=http://archive.salon.com/books/feature/2003/07/08/byatt_rowling/index_np.html|publisher=Salon.com|title=A. S. Byatt and the goblet of bile|date=] ]}}</ref>

] called the series "a feat of which only a superior imagination is capable," and declared "Rowling's punning, one-eyebrow-cocked sense of humor" to be "remarkable." However, he wrote that despite the story being "a good one," he is "a little tired of discovering Harry at home with his horrible aunt and uncle," the formulaic beginning of all seven books.<ref name="Wild About Harry">{{cite news|publisher=New York Times|title="Wild About Harry"|date=] ]}}</ref> King has also joked that "'s never met an ] she didn't like!" He does however predict that Harry Potter "will indeed stand time's test and wind up on a shelf where only the best are kept; I think Harry will take his place with ], ], ], and ] and this is one series not just for the decade, but for the ages."<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Guardian Unlimited| url=http://observer.guardian.co.uk/7days/story/0,,1980741,00.html| title=JK Rowling:The mistress of all she surveys| first= Killian| last=Fox|date=2006-31-12|accessdate = 2007-02-10}}</ref> ] wrote a review of '']'' in which he said, "J.K. Rowling has created something that . . . deserves to last, to become a permanent classic of English literature, and not just as 'children's fiction.'"<ref></ref> Tina Jordan of '']'' called ''Deathly Hallows'' "stunningly beautiful" and predicted that "these books are going to be on my grandchildren's shelves, and my great-grandchildren's, and maybe even further down the line than that."<ref>Tina Jordan, "Enchanted,"|http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20047649,00.html</ref>
A '']'' review of ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' and of the series as a whole, observed that Rowling's success was entirely self-made and not due to hype of her books by the publishing world, which has instead followed in her wake.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml;?xml=/arts/2005/07/24/borow24.xml |title= It smacks of the dark arts | publisher = Telegraph.co.uk |accessdaymonth = ]|accessyear= ] | date=] ] }}</ref>

The books have also spawned studies investigating the saga's literary merit. One collaboration by a number of critics is ''The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter''. In this volume, Amanda Cockrell concludes, "Harry Potter is not the lightweight imitation of such serious high fantasy as ''A Wizard of Earthsea'' or ''The Lord of the Rings'', but a legitimate descendant of the darker and more complicated school story," and suggests that "we need to take a deeper look into Harry Potter, who is deeper than we think."<ref>Amanda Cockrell, “Harry Potter and the Secret Password: Finding Our Way in the Magical Genre,” in: Lana A. Whited (ed.), ''The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter: Perspectives on a Literary Phenomenon'' (Columbia, MI: University of Missouri Press, 2002), p. 18.</ref> She points to Rudyard Kipling, C.S. Lewis, Jill Murphy, Anthony Horowitz, Diana Wynne Jones, Thomas Hughes, Roald Dahl, and others as legitimate literary predecessors to the Harry Potter saga.<ref>Cockrell, in ''Ibid''.</ref> Lana A. Whithead, editor of the book, notes that Rowling "appears to be very seriously attempting a literary achievement."<ref>Lana A. Whithead, “Introduction: Harry Potter. From Craze to Classic?” in: Whited, ''The Ivory Tower'', p. 11.</ref> ], a conservative ] and English Literature professor at Peninsula College, writes that the "Harry Potter books are classics—and not just 'kid-lit' but as classics of world literature," and believes the books carry a "mother-lode" of deeper literary and symbolic meaning than meets the eye.<ref>], ''Looking for God in Harry Potter'' (Carol Stream, IL: SaltRiver, 2004), p. 50. Granger also states (page 53) that he is writing ''The English Major's Guide to Harry Potter''.</ref>

===Controversy===
{{main|Legal disputes over the Harry Potter series|Religious debates over the Harry Potter series|Politics of Harry Potter}}

The books have been the subject of a number of legal proceedings, largely stemming either from claims by the American religious groups that the magic in the books promotes witchcraft among children, or from various conflicts over copyright and trademark infringements.

The books' immense popularity and high market value has led Rowling, her publishers, and film distributor ] to take legal measures to protect their copyright, which have included banning the sale of ''Harry Potter'' imitations, targeting the owners of websites over the "Harry Potter" domain name, and suing author ] to counter her accusations that Rowling had plagiarised her work.<ref>{{cite web|title=SCHOLASTIC, INC., J.K. ROWLING, and TIME WARNER ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY, L.P., Plaintiffs/Counterclaim Defendants, -against- NANCY STOUFFER: UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK|url=http://www.eyrie.org/~robotech/stouffer.htm|year=2002|accessdate=2007-06-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Warner Brothers bullying ruins Field family Xmas|author=Kieren McCarthy|work=The Register|url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2000/12/21/warner_brothers_bullying_ruins_field/ |year=2000|accessdate=2007-05-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/2092661.stm|publisher=]|title=Fake Harry Potter novel hits China|date=2002-07-04|accessdate=2007-03-11}}</ref>

Various religious conservatives have claimed that the books promote witchcraft and are therefore unsuitable for children,<ref>{{cite web|title=Opinion Roundup: Positive About Potter|author=Ted Olsen|url=http://www.cesnur.org/recens/potter_010.htm|accessdate=2007-07-06}}</ref> while a number of critics have criticised the books for promoting various political agendas.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tolkien's Timeless Tale|url=http://www.thenewamerican.com|author= Steve Bonta|work=The New American|year=2002|accessdate=2007-05-03}}</ref><ref>Liddle,Rod The Times, July 21, 2007
</ref> Her revelation that the character ] was a homosexual has increased the political controversies surrounding the series.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2007/10/rowling-outs-du.html |title=J.K. Rowling outs Dumbledore! |accessdate=2007-12-18 |format=HTML |work=Entertainment Weekly, October 2007 }}</ref>

==Other media==
===Films===
{{main|Harry Potter film series}}

In 1999, Rowling sold the film rights to the first four ''Harry Potter'' books to ] for a reported ]1 million (US$1,982,900).<ref name="WiGBPd About Harry">{{cite news |url=http://www.quick-quote-quill.org/articles/2000/0700-austfinrev-bagwell.html|publisher=Australian Financial Review|title=WiGBPd About Harry|date=2000-07-19|accessdate=2007-05-26}}</ref> A demand Rowling made was that the principal cast be kept strictly British, nonetheless allowing for the inclusion of many Irish actors such as the late ] as Dumbledore, and for casting of French and Eastern European actors in '']'' where characters from the book are specified as such.<ref name="Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone">{{cite news|url=http://film.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/Critic_Review/Guardian_Film_of_the_week/0,,595317,00.html|publisher=Guardian Unlimited|title=Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone|date=2001-11-16|accessdate=2007-05-26}}</ref> After considering many directors such as ], ], ], and ], on ], ], ] was appointed as director for '']'' (titled "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" in the United States), with Warner Bros. citing his work on other family films such as '']'' and '']'' as influences for their decision.<ref name=columbus>{{cite news|url=http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/034/034098p1.html|title=Chris Columbus to Direct Harry Potter|accessdate=2007-07-08|date=]|publisher=IGN|author=Bran Linder}}</ref> After ],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://movies.warnerbros.com/pub/movie/releases/harrycast.html|publisher=Warner Brothers|title=DANIEL RADCLIFFE, RUPERT GRINT AND EMMA WATSON BRING HARRY, RON AND HERMIONE TO LIFE FOR WARNER BROS. PICTURES'"HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE"|date=]|accessdate=2007-05-26}}</ref> filming began in October 2000 at ] and in ] itself, with production ending in July 2001.<ref name=greg>{{cite web|url=http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/preview/1808404331|title=Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)|accessdate=2007-05-30|author=Greg Dean Schmitz|publisher=]}}</ref> ''Philosopher's Stone'' was released on ], ].

Just three days after ''Philosopher's Stone's'' release, production for '']'', also directed by Columbus, began, finishing in Summer 2002.<ref name="yahoo"></ref> The film was released on ], ].

Chris Columbus declined to direct '']'', only acting as ]. ] director ] took over the job, and after shooting in 2003, the film was released on ], ]. Due to the fourth film beginning its production before the third's release, ] was chosen as the director for '']'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://movies.ign.com/articles/433/433108p1.html|title=Goblet Helmer Confirmed|publisher=]|date=2003-08-11|accessdate=2007-07-29}}</ref> released on ], ]. Newell declined to direct the next movie, and British TV director ] was chosen for '']'', which began production on January 2006,<ref>{{cite news|title='Phoenix' Rising|date=]|work=]|page=28|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20016352,00.html|last=Daly|first=Steve|accessdate=2007-04-01}}</ref> and was released on ], ]. Yates is confirmed to direct '']'',<ref name=yates-director-scifi>{{cite news|url=http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=41338|title=Yates Confirmed For Potter VI|date=]|work=Sci Fi Wire|accessdate=2007-05-03|last=Spelling|first=Ian}}</ref> for release on ], ].<ref name="release-date-hbp-film">{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0417741/|title=Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (IMdB)}}</ref> '']'' has its production confirmed with release set for 2010.

The ''Harry Potter'' films were huge ] hits, with all five on the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/world/|title=All Time Worldwide Box Office Grosses|publisher=]|accessdate=2007-07-29}}</ref>

===Games===
] has so far released five ]s movies based on the books and movies storylines, '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'', and '']''. EA also produced a ] simulation game, '']'', released in 2003.

===Theme park===
On ] ] ], ] and ] announced that a ''Harry Potter'' area will be built in ] at ].<ref name="wizardingworld"></ref> The announcement described "]" as "the world's first immersive Harry Potter themed environment." According to the Warner Bros. press release, the section is "Expected to open in late 2009. The new environment will feature immersive rides and interactive attractions, as well as experimental shops and restaurants;."<ref name="WB-Universal">{{cite web |url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070531/ts_nm/arts_potter_dc_2 |title=All aboard for the Harry Potter rollercoaster |publisher=Reuters |author=Majendie, Paul |date=2007-05-31 |accessdate = 2007-05-31}}</ref> In an online announcement it was revealed that plans have been in place for over a year and a half; with contributions from ] and ].<ref name="wizardingworld"/>

===Theatre===

A musical based on the series is currently being planned, tentatively scheduled for a 2008 run in ]. The ] reports that producers are hoping to have a "big-name composer" write the music. It has not yet been decided whether the production will tell the entire story, or focus on one particular subplot, though they do hope to include "spectacular flying scenes, live Quidditch and big showdowns with Voldemort".<ref>{{Citation |last=Hamilton |first=Sean |title=Harry Potter... The Musical |url=http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/sunday/2007/08/26/harry-potter-the-musical-98487-19689251/ |accessdate=08-27-2007}}</ref>

==See also==
*]—Theme park
*]
*]—The author
*]-Popular Japanese Manga that is stylistically inspired by the novels.{{Fact|date=February 2008}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==Harry Potter books==
{{HPref
| hp1 = yes
| hp2 = yes
| hp3 = yes
| hp4 = yes
| hp5 = yes
| hp6 = yes
| hp7 = yes
}}

==External links==
{{portal}}
{{wikiquote}}
{{commons|Category:Harry Potter|Harry Potter}}
<!-- Fan sites are covered within ]. No need to include them again here. -->
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{{Harrypotter}}

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Revision as of 16:16, 12 February 2008

Hes the devil