Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone (film)

Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone (film)

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, released in the United States, India and Pakistan as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, is a 2001 fantasy film directed by Chris Columbus and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. The film is the first instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman. The story follows Harry Potter's first year at Hogwarts as he discovers that he is a famous wizard and begins his magical education. The film stars Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, with Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as Harry's best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. It is followed by seven sequels with the first being Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Warner Bros. bought the film rights to the book in 1999 for a reported £1 million. Production began in the UK in 2000, with Columbus being chosen to create the film from a short list of directors that included Steven Spielberg and Rob Reiner. J. K. Rowling insisted that the entire cast be British or Irish, in keeping with the cultural integrity of the book and the film. She also approved the screenplay, written by Steve Kloves. The film was shot at Leavesden Film Studios and historic buildings around the United Kingdom.

The film was released in the United Kingdom and United States in November 2001. It received positive critical reception, made more than $974 million at the worldwide box office, and was nominated for many awards, including the Academy Awards for Best Original Score, Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. As of September 2012, it is the 14th highest-grossing film of all time and the second highest grossing film in the Harry Potter series behind the concluding film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.