When Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 comes out, it will mark the end of the biggest film franchise in Hollywood history. J.K. Rowling’s epic tale of good versus evil has sold millions of copies worldwide; the films thus far have earned a staggering six billion dollars at the box office and, all of this started with an eleven-year old wizard. With seven novels, three companion novels, and an enchanting theme park, this magical adventure which has been ten years in the making will come to a bittersweet close on July 15th.
Many fans will be teary eyed when the final scene ends myself included. I was eleven years old when the first film came out, twelve when I read the first book and will be almost twenty one when Hallows is released. For many, the release of the final film is just as exciting as it is sad.
However fans of the series do have something new to look forward to in the coming months. Rowling has announced an interactive website to launch in October called Pottermore. The site will combine social networking elements with a game-like atmosphere, but only a lucky few will be allowed to access the site early. The “follow the owl” on the site refers to a challenge that will begin on July 31 (Harry’s b day), and the first million fans to complete it will be granted early entrance.
The entire world saw Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson), grow up on the screen from young children to full-fledged actors with respect to their name. So what’s next for this trio? Radcliffe can currently be seen in the musical revival of Howto Succeed in Business Without really Trying and a new film, The Woman in Black, due out next year. Grint will next star in the anti-war film Comrade. As for Watson, she is filming another movie-book adaptation, The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
Image credit: Jaap Buitendijk