The first Harry Potter film, based on J.K. Rowling’s work, premiered in 2001.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was directed by Chris Columbus and released in the United Kingdom and the United States in November 2001. Daniel Radcliffe played Harry Potter, Rupert Grint played Ron Weasley, and Emma Watson played Hermione Granger. The film adapts the first novel in Rowling’s main series.
The American release used the title Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, matching the US title of the novel. This title difference can make the film’s identity seem less obvious, but both versions refer to the same production. The movie began an eight-film adaptation cycle because the final novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was split into two films.