Everyone’s favorite bespectacled boy wizard is celebrating a notable anniversary.
“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (or, “Philosopher’s Stone,” if you’re British) turns 25 next year. To honor the milestone, Warner Bros. is deploying a year-long celebration across all divisions of the media company. Though some details remain under the cloak of invisibility, fans can expect a global theatrical re-release of the original film, special edition products and retail promotions. A newly designed 25th anniversary logo, which is meant to evoke the magical glow of a Patronus, will feature prominently across new and existing product lines and engaging retail activations, the company noted in a press release.
“This anniversary not only celebrates the legacy of the original film but also introduces the magic to a new generation,” Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products group said.
“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” which opened on Nov. 16, 2001, became an instant sensation, paving way for one of the most successful franchises in box office history and turning then-unknown stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint into household names. The sprawling Wizarding World continued with seven sequels as well as three “Fantastic Beasts” prequel spinoffs. There’s also a stage show, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” and theme parks in various parts of the world.
Now, a quarter-century after the first film and 15 years after the final chapter, “Deathly Hallows: Part 2,” the studio is returning to Hogwarts with the upcoming HBO television series. The show, which will revisit the popular books by author J.K. Rowling, is slated to premiere in 2027.
