Harry Potter films turns 25 ahead of new TV series' release

On November 4, 2001, London's Leicester Square became a world of witches and wizards. The occasion was the world premiere of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" (released in the US and India as "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone").

"Thousands of excited fans, some dressed up in wizard hats and cloaks, gathered to catch a glimpse of arriving celebrities," the BBC reported at the time.

Daniel Radcliffe, who played Harry Potter, was just 12 years old and clearly impressed by the spectacle. The BBC quoted him as saying, "It is so cool. I have never heard my name shouted so much in an hour."

The crowds showed just how far Harry Potter fever had spread in only four years.

The first Harry Potter book was published by Britain's Bloomsbury in June 1997, with an initial print run of just 500 hardcover copies.

About 5,000 paperback copies were also released around the same time.

Today, first editions are prized collectors' items, with hardcover copies commanding high prices at auction. In mid-October, one sold for $400,000 through US auction house Heritage Auctions.

At first, the book's popularity grew largely by word of mouth among schoolchildren. Media attention followed when it won the prestigious Nestle Smarties Book Prize later that year.

With an estimated 120 million-plus copies sold worldwide, it is the best-selling book in the series and ranks among the best-selling novels of all time.

For years, J.K. Rowling's public image was defined by her extraordinary rise from a single mother on welfare to a billionaire.

But in recent years, debate over her views on gender and transgender identity has increasingly overshadowed that success. It's an issue Rowling herself frequently weighs in on.

In an essay published on her website on October 21, 2026, Rowling reiterated her opposition to what she calls the "current, dominant strain of trans activism." She argues that this movement "holds that a man who declares himself a woman is, literally, a woman, and is therefore entitled to be treated as a woman in all contexts." Rowling argues that allowing trans women into single-sex spaces poses a risk. She describes biological sex as an indisputable biological fact.

Such statements have led critics to accuse Rowling of transphobia, while others regard her stance as a defense of women's rights and safety.

The controversy has also divided her fans. Some stand by Rowling, while others try to draw a distinction between the books and their author.

Others have left Harry Potter behind altogether. One former fan is German YouTuber Coldmirror, known for her Harry Potter parodies. The media artist from the Bremen area, whose real name is Kathrin Fricke, told the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper: "I don't have any love left for Harry. I'm still somewhat interested, but I can no longer watch it in good conscience." She cited Rowling's campaigning against transgender people as the reason.

The "Harry Potter" film cast is divided as well. The three main stars — Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint — have publicly spoken out in support of transgender people. Meanwhile, Ralph Fiennes, who played Lord Voldemort, and Helena Bonham Carter, who portrayed Bellatrix Lestrange, have defended Rowling's right to express her views.

Despite the controversy surrounding Rowling, Warner Bros., which holds the Harry Potter film rights, is bringing the books back to the screen — this time as a series for HBO. The premiere is scheduled for December 25.

The eight-episode first season is an an adaption of the first book. Even though the episode lengths haven't been announced, the scope of a TV series gives each book much more room than the original films did. That means more time to explore subplots, character development and everyday life at Hogwarts. While many fans are looking forward to a more detailed adaptation, others remain skeptical. They find it hard to imagine the familiar characters being played by anyone else.

The new trio consists of Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley.

J.K. Rowling is an executive producer on the show. HBO says, however, that her views on gender identity won't be reflected in the storyline. Several people involved in the new production have publicly distanced themselves from her views. Paapa Essiedu, who has been cast as Severus Snape, signed an open letter supporting transgender people. Rowling subsequently said she had neither the power nor the desire to have him removed from the show because of it. John Lithgow, who plays Dumbledore, and Nick Frost, who portrays Hagrid, have also spoken out against Rowling's views.

Meanwhile, the Harry Potter merchandising machine is still going strong. On November 4, Britain's largest Harry Potter store to date is set to open in London. According to Warner Bros., the two-story shop covers more than 1,950 square meters.