“Yer a wizard, Harry.” It’s been over twenty years since these words were uttered to an impressionable, bewildered young boy whose world and all of ours would never be the same. Over two decades since terms like “muggle,” “Gryffindor,” and “Quidditch” would become so intrinsically rooted in pop culture society that it’s now impossible to imagine a time when they didn’t exist. Twenty years since children (and, let’s face it, many adults) dreamed of getting that coveted invitation to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that only exists in the world of Harry Potter.
In June 1997, a then-unknown J.K. Rowling released the first book in the seven-part series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (published in the U.S. the following year as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone). By 1999, it was at the top of the New York Times Bestseller list, remaining for the better part of the following two years. By the time filming began for the first movie adaptation in 2000, it had already garnered a fervent fanbase that would only continue to grow.
When Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson were cast in the roles of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, respectively, they were fresh-faced young actors who were new names to the world and, much like Harry Potter himself, about to have their lives forever changed. With director Chris Columbus at the helm, it grossed $974 million at the box office during its initial run. Since then, as an entity, it’s earned billions in subsequent novel and film releases, video game sales, merchandising, and theme park additions. It’s inarguably one of the most popular and universally loved pop culture franchises and one that isn’t going anywhere in millions of fans’ collective hearts and minds worldwide.
It’s easy to break down the success of the world of Harry Potter by the numbers, but what about it, exactly, touches on the emotions of so many? Though it’s clear there is a compelling story arc for the entirety of the series, with characters who deal with growth, loss, disadvantages, triumphs, and challenges, there’s something extra magical about that first film installment.
For starters, there’s the obvious fact that it takes place in a fantastical world that, although much like our own, has an element of surrealism that transports the audience into a realm where magic exists and is an integral part of everyday life. Hogwarts itself is enchanting and illustrious, a veritable playground for those fortunate enough to receive an owl-delivered invitation to leave their ordinary life behind and attend as a student living full-time on the grounds. Between sweeping shots of the castle and the captivating score by John Williams, audiences were transported to the world only previously known in their imaginations, and for many, it was an emotional experience.
So often, as readers, we allow ourselves to escape into the universe the author has created for us, but through the lens of our own minds. How one character may look in our heads could be slightly different than it is for another, even with detailed written descriptions provided. When a film adaptation is released, there is always the inevitable response from fandom on how accurate the portrayal is. The larger and more impassioned the fanbase, the higher the stakes. Fortunately for all involved, the film seemingly managed to get it right. It delivered an adaptation that was so loyal to the source material that audiences immediately fell in love.
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No matter what is happening in the world around us and our lives, we all need some form of escapism when times feel daunting and overwhelming. Something that, at any given moment, can transport us somewhere extraordinary, where we can forget what’s swirling around us in our everyday lives and just become absorbed in a place or time, not like our own. If we wanted to, we could be someone truly great and talented or even just immersed in a setting that is so spellbinding that we never want to leave. With characters who are accepting and supportive and everything we could ever hope for in an ally.
This is exactly what Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone represents for countless fans. Magic, fantasy, escapism, and a world so endearing that it has transported millions somewhere beyond anything their imaginations could ever have concocted. Twenty years later, that feeling hasn’t gone away, and the original set of fans who first discovered the world of Harry Potter are now witnessing new generations experiencing it for the first time.
It’s a legacy that will continue to live on, not affected by time but only enhanced by the love of so many who are still waiting for that letter from Hogwarts.
