Harry Potter (film series)

Beginning in 2001, Warner Bros. Pictures began releasing adaptations of the Harry Potter books. These films have proven to be very popular, and in less than a decade the Harry Potter film series has become the highest-grossing motion picture series in history, surpassing the world-famous James Bond franchise.

To date, seven films have been released:

(released in the U.S. as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone).
 * Chris Columbus' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)
 * Chris Columbus' Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
 * Alfonso Cuaron's Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
 * Mike Newell's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
 * David Yates' Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
 * David Yates' Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
 * David Yates' Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)

The final adaptation, Deathly Hallows, has been was split two parts, the first of which was released in November 2010, with the final part slated for release in July 2011.

The final day of filming on the Harry Potter film series was completed on Saturday 12 June 2010. However, members of the cast were recalled for re-shoots of the Epilogue scene.

Cast
See List of Harry Potter cast members

Only twelve characters appear in all eight films, they are:
 * Harry Potter, portrayed by Daniel Radcliffe;
 * Ron Weasley, portrayed by Rupert Grint;
 * Hermione Granger, portrayed by Emma Watson;
 * Albus Dumbledore, portrayed by Richard Harris in the first two movies and by Michael Gambon in the others;
 * Rubeus Hagrid, portrayed by Robbie Coltrane;
 * Severus Snape, portrayed by Alan Rickman;
 * Ginny Weasley, portrayed by Bonnie Wright;
 * Neville Longbottom, portrayed by Matthew Lewis;
 * Draco Malfoy, portrayed by Tom Felton;
 * Fred Weasley, portrayed by James Phelps;
 * George Weasley, portrayed by Oliver Phelps;
 * Seamus Finnigan, portrayed by Devon Murray.

Significance
Besides their record-breaking popularity, the Harry Potter film series, currently and once completed, are significant in several areas:
 * The close involvement of its author, J. K. Rowling, in many aspects of production, including story consultation and casting.
 * The fact that, with the exception of Albus Dumbledore, whose actor needed to be recast due to the death of the original, all major ongoing characters will have been played by the same actors for the entire series. A few supporting players have been recast over the years, however.
 * The conclusion of the series will mark the first time a book series of this length, involving an ongoing story arc, has been adapted for film in its entirety, and without profound changes being made to the original storyline.
 * The book series and film series were released over a 10 year period. The Philosopher's Stone was first published in the UK in 1997, with the final book The Deathly Hallows published in 2007. Likewise the first film was released in 2001 and the series will conclude in 2011 with the second half of the final film.

Logo history
The logos in the two films directed by Chris Columbus are golden and have some sort of light around them. The other films, however, which were directed by Alfonso Cuarón, Mike Newell and David Yates respectively, had silver logos which are darker than the first ones, and seem "scratched", probably as a representation of the darkening tone of the franchise's storyline.

WB Variation Logos
Like most of the major anticipated films, the production logo of Warner Brothers will be different to fit the theme of the Harry Potter films (except Philosopher's Stone though it has Hedwig's Theme), in the first films the logo have a colour and the extraordinary thing is in the beginning of Deathly Hallows: Part 1 the variant WB logo appears to be rusting with the Hedwig Theme faintly corrupts itself to stop. This is like the Harry Potter logo to show the darker tone, and because it had been there for seven years, nobody cares about it enough to protect it from rust.