For questions about J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter or the related franchise, consisting of the original book series, expanded books, feature length films, plays, Pottermore, video games and more (including fan fiction). For questions about the Fantastic Beasts series also tag with [fantastic-beasts].
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling (Joanne Kathleen Rowling). The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry Potter is the highest-earning book series of all time, earning at least $400 million (not including movies and other merchandise).
From Harry Potter on Wikipedia:
The main story arc features Harry's quest to overcome the evil wizard Lord Voldemort, whose aim is to conquer the wizarding world and subjugate non-magical people, and who seeks to destroy all those who stand in his way. Lord Voldemort killed Harry's parents when Harry was only a year old, and he also tried, but failed, to kill Harry as well, leaving Harry with a distinctive lightning-shaped scar on his forehead, a very mysterious past, and the enigmatic moniker of "The Boy Who Lived."
Since the 30 June 1997 release of the first novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, (retitled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in the United States) the books have gained immense popularity, critical acclaim and commercial success worldwide. The series has also had its share of criticism, including concern for its increasingly dark themes. As of June 2011, the book series has sold more than 450 million copies and has been translated into 67 languages. The last four books have consecutively set records as the fastest-selling books in history.
A series of many genres, including fantasy, adventure and coming-of-age, Harry Potter also embraces multiculturalism and encourages tolerance. According to Rowling, the main theme is death, although it is primarily considered to be a work of children's literature. There are also many other themes in the series, such as love and prejudice.
English-language versions of the books are published by Bloomsbury in the United Kingdom, Scholastic Press in the United States, Allen & Unwin in Australia, and Raincoast Books in Canada. By 2011, all seven books had been made into eight¹ films by Warner Brothers; the Harry Potter franchise is the highest grossing film series of all time. The series is licensed for select tie-in merchandise, making the Harry Potter brand worth $24 billion.
¹The seventh book was broken into two films, which were released in November 2010 and July 2011 respectively
The book titles, usually referred to by initials, and the year it was published on United Kingdom:
- PS - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (1997)
- CoS - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1998)
- PoA - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (1999)
- GoF - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000)
- OotP - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2003)
- HBP - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005)
- DH - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007)
There are also three other books, Quidditch Through the Ages, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and The Tales of Beedle the Bard, which are mentioned in the series and later written as real books by JK Rowling.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was adapted as a movie in 2016, with Newt Scamander as the main character. The series is expected to have 5 movies. See the fantastic-beasts tag. The films in the series are:
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (fantastic-beasts-where-to-find-them)
- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (the-crimes-of-grindelwald)
