Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone at 25: A Record Opening

On November 16, 2001, Warner Bros. released Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in the United Kingdom and the United States. It had premiered at Odeon Leicester Square in London on 4 November 2001. In the US, India and the Philippines it was titled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The film set opening-weekend records in both countries and was the year’s biggest box office hit.

Who Made Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Chris Columbus directed the 2001 fantasy film from a screenplay by Steve Kloves, adapting the 1997 novel by J.K. Rowling. David Heyman produced it. Heyday Films and 1492 Pictures were the studios behind it, and the running time is 152 minutes.

The story follows Harry’s first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he learns he is a famous wizard and starts his formal training in magic. Rowling insisted on an all-British and Irish cast, and the three leads were chosen in August 2000 after open casting calls.

The Cast and Their Characters

Daniel Radcliffe and newcomers Rupert Grint and Emma Watson were cast on August 21, 2000, as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The film was the screen debut for both Grint and Watson.

The supporting cast includes Robbie Coltrane as Rubeus Hagrid, Richard Harris as Albus Dumbledore, Alan Rickman as Severus Snape, Maggie Smith as Minerva McGonagall, Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy and Ian Hart as Professor Quirrell. Richard Griffiths, Fiona Shaw and Harry Melling play the Dursleys: Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and their son, Dudley. John Cleese, Warwick Davis, John Hurt and Julie Walters also appear.

How It Performed at the Box Office

British audiences got an early look. Preview screenings ran in the UK on November 10 and 11, 2001, on 1,137 screens in 491 theatres. The official opening on November 16 covered 1,168 screens at 507 theatres in the UK and Ireland, plus 3,672 theatres in the US and Canada.

The UK opening weekend took £16,335,627, including £6,735,259 from previews. That beat the previous opening-weekend record of £9.5 million, held by Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. In North America, its $90.3 million first weekend beat the all-time opening record set by The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997). It stayed at No. 1 in the US for three straight weekends until Ocean’s Eleven took the top spot.

Its first theatrical run earned $974 million worldwide: $317 million in the US and $657 million in other markets. At the time, only one film in history had earned more, and no 2001 release earned more. With later re-releases the total passed $1 billion, on a budget of $125 million. It crossed the $1 billion mark during a 2020 re-release. The film sold an estimated 55.9 million tickets in the US and Canada.

Oscar and BAFTA Nominations

The film earned three Academy Award nominations: Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score for John Williams. It also received seven BAFTA nominations. One of them was Best British Film, at the ceremony held on February 24, 2002.

The young cast was recognized as well. Radcliffe received a Broadcast Film Critics Association nomination for Best Child Performance, and the Empire Awards nominated Radcliffe, Grint and Watson together for Best Debut.

What Came Next for the Series

Seven sequels followed, starting with Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in 2002 and ending with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 in 2011. The first film was the series’ top earner until Deathly Hallows – Part 2 overtook it in 2011. It is still the second-highest-grossing Harry Potter film.

FAQ

– Why does the film have two titles?

The US, India and the Philippines used the title Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Everywhere else, the film kept the original title of Rowling’s novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

– Did the film win an Oscar?

No. It was nominated for three Academy Awards, for art direction, costume design and John Williams’s original score.

The header image is an AI-generated illustration, not an actual photo or film still.