This story that combines the coming of age tale with the mystical world of wizardry has struck accord with children and adults alike.
Hi I'm Rebbeca Brayton and welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll be learning all about the ultra successful Harry Potter Franchise.
With it's first and summit release in 1997, the Harry Potter series is the best selling children’s book series in history. Selling well over 400 million copies worldwide to date. The series consist of seven books, with each installment chronically once school year in Harry Potter’s life. When JK Rowling originally pen the series, she was an unknown author. Rowling has said that the ideas for Harry Potter and his world came to her while on a train ride from Manchester to London in 1990. She sold the first Harry Potter manuscript in 1996 for an advance of about $4,000.00. She has since become the first billionaire author because of this series.
The group of books follows Harry Potter, as he goes from a young orphan boy to one of the most famous wizards in the wizard world. When Harry was one year old, his parents were murdered by the most evil wizard of all-time Lord Voldemort. Once a normal boy, named Tom Riddle, Voldemort or he who must not be named as he is referred to by most witches and wizards, was the source of violence and unrest in the wizardry community for much of two decades. The entire series revolves around Harry’s connection to this dark wizard.
The series popularity stems from it's blend of real life issues and the world of magic, themes of racism, persecution, war and especially death, are pervasive throughout the books and thus, speak to a wide audience.
The story of Harry Potter basically begins on Harry’s eleventh birthday, when he learns for the first time that he is a wizard. Harry is then invited to attend Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry, one of the most esteemed schools in the wizardry world. While at Hogwarts, Harry befriends Ron Weasley, a red headed and freckled boy and Hermione Granger, a know it all with bushy hair.
Ron comes from a large family of wizards and the Weaseley’s become a surrogate family for Harry over the years. Hermione’s parents are both muggles, otherwise known as non-magic folk. Hermione turns out to be one of the smartest witches in her year, disproving the thought that witches and wizards without magical ancestry are less powerful.
The series follows these three as they grow, get into trouble and ultimately, aim to save the wizardry world. Supporting characters in Harry’s world include Rubeus Hagrid, a half giant in charge of grounds keeping at Hogwarts and Severus Snape, the Hogwarts potions teacher and one of Harry’s main rival at school. Harry’s mentor is the Hogwarts head master Albus Dubledore who acts as a father-figure and adviser to Harry throughout his school career.
The final installment of the book series was released July 21, 2007 with both children and adults lining up at midnight to grab their copy. Long before the last book had even been finished, Rowling sold the movie rights to the first four books in the Harry Potter series to Warner Brothers in 1990. This film series is now seen as one of Hollywood’s major franchises and each of the movies is counted as one of the highest grossing films of all time.
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