Harry Potter films turns 25 ahead of new TV series' release
In 2001, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" hit cinemas and took the world by storm. Today, anticipation for the new series is high, but its creator, J.K. Rowling, remains a controversial figure.
On November 4, 2001, London's Leicester Square transformed into a world of magic as the world premiere of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" took place. Thousands of fans, dressed in wizard attire, gathered to witness the arrival of celebrities in attendance. Daniel Radcliffe, the young actor who played Harry Potter, was just twelve years old and clearly delighted by the spectacle.
The BBC reported that his name was shouted a lot in just an hour. The crowds demonstrated the rapid spread of Harry Potter fever, which began four years prior. The first book in the series was published in June 1997 by Bloomsbury in Britain, with an initial print run of 500 hardcover copies and around 5,000 paperback copies. Today, first editions are highly sought-after collectors' items, with hardcover copies fetching high prices at auctions.
One such hardcover copy sold for $400,000 in mid-October through US auction house Heritage Auctions. The book's popularity grew initially through word of mouth among schoolchildren, followed by media attention after it won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize in late 1999. The series has sold an estimated 120 million copies worldwide and ranks among the best-selling novels of all time.
J.K. Rowling's image was initially defined by her extraordinary rise from a single mother on welfare to a billionaire. However, recent years have seen debate over her views on gender and transgender identity overshadow her success. In 2026, Rowling published an essay on her website where she reiterated her opposition to what she called the dominant strain of trans activism.
She argued that allowing trans women into single-sex spaces posed a risk, describing biological sex as an indisputable biological fact. Her stance has been criticized as transphobic by some, while others see it as a defense of women's rights and safety. This controversy has divided her fans, with some standing by her and others distancing themselves from her views.
The Harry Potter film cast is also divided, with the main stars supporting transgender people, while Ralph Fiennes and Helena Bonham Carter defended Rowling's right to express her views. Warner Bros., the owners of the film rights, is adapting the books into a series for HBO, premiering on December 25. The eight-episode first season will adapt the first book, giving characters more room for development and exploration of everyday life at Hogwarts.
Despite the controversy surrounding Rowling, HBO stated that her views on gender identity won't be reflected in the storyline. Several cast members, including John Lithgow, Paapa Essiedu, John Lithgow, and Nick Frost, have publicly distanced themselves from her views. Meanwhile, a new Harry Potter store in London is set to open on the same day as the premiere, covering over 1,950 square meters.
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