It’s hard to believe, but Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone will turn 25 next year. Feeling old yet? To mark the milestone, Warner Bros. is preparing a global theatrical re-release of the film that started it all. Details are being kept under wraps for now, but according to Deadline, the Harry Potter re-release will feature a specially designed 25th Anniversary logo with a silvery Patronus glow. This will be showcased across all new and existing product lines.
The report states that there will be “special edition products, retail promotions and digital and and in-person activations aligned with key franchise moments, including Butterbeer Season (March–May), Harry Potter’s Birthday (July), Back to Hogwarts (August–September), and Christmas in the wizarding world.“
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (also known as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the U.S.) was released on November 16, 2001. It was an enormous success, becoming the highest-grossing film of the year and launching the Harry Potter franchise. Seven sequels followed, as well as three films in the Fantastic Beasts series, video games, theme park attractions, and even a stage play.
Next will be the Harry Potter TV series, which is currently in production. Each season of the series will cover one of J.K. Rowling’s novels, for a total of seven seasons. While the movies were able to fit quite a lot in, there were plenty of moments cut from the novels that the TV series will finally be able to bring to life. Last year, the studio released a statement saying, “Each season will be authentic to the original books and bring Harry Potter and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world, while the original, classic and beloved films will remain at the core of the franchise and available to watch globally.“
A brand-new cast will bring J.K. Rowling’s stories to life for a new generation, including Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabelle Stanton as Hermione Granger, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Papa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, and much more. Since the release of the original novels and films, Rowling has become a somewhat controversial presence on social media. She is involved in the TV series as an executive producer and has been described as “very involved” in its development.
Would you head back to the theater for the Harry Potter re-release?
