J.K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter film adaptation premiered in 2001.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, known in the United States as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, had its world premiere in London on 4 November 2001. Warner Bros. released it theatrically in the United Kingdom on 16 November 2001. Chris Columbus directed the film, and Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson played Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
The adaptation is based on Rowling’s first novel, published four years earlier. Rowling was closely involved with the film series and served as a producer on later entries. The movie introduced the visual version of Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, the Great Hall, and other locations to a mass cinema audience.
The film was a major commercial success and received three Academy Award nominations. Its release began an eight-film series, although the final novel was divided into two films: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Part 2.