J.K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter film reached cinemas in 2001.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone premiered in London on 4 November 2001 and was released theatrically in the United Kingdom and the United States later that month. The film was directed by Chris Columbus and starred Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson as Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
The movie adapted the first novel and established the visual version of Hogwarts, its students, and its magical institutions for a worldwide audience. It was produced by Warner Bros. and became a major commercial success.
In the United States, the film was titled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, matching the American title of the novel. The different title does not indicate a separate film; it is the same first Harry Potter movie released under regional naming conventions.