Harry Potter – Young Adult Or Occult? | THE REAL! | Great! Free Movies & Shows – Documentary

Harry Potter. Every child in our world knows his name. The story of the young wizard has touched hearts and minds for three decades. 7 books, 8 films, and one theatre show later, there is not a franchise on the planet which has rivalled the magic of Harry Potter. J K Rowling’s fantastical wizarding world continues to reach all corners of the globe and create life-changing memories for fans. But, underneath the gleaming success, there is another side to the story. The series’ occult themes stirred up a storm in a teacup. But, just what is so controversial about the fantasy magical world? This is The Real! Harry Potter Young Adult or Occult?

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(crowd chattering) (slides flipping) (dramatic music) (crowd cheering) – [Narrator] This is, "The real Harry Potter, Young Adult or Occult." (lightning crackling) (train chugging) (dramatic music) – [Crowd] Five. – Five. – [Crowd] Four. (fan screaming) – [Crowd] Three. – Hip, hip Harry. – [Crowd] Two. (fans cheering) – [Crowd] One. (cameras shuttering) – [Narrator] Harry Potter, every child in our world knows his name. – It’s mad. I think it is a time when, if I wanted to start my own dictatorship, tonight would be the night that I would choose to do it ’cause I do think I have like 2,000 people here that would just go, yes, follow him. – [Narrator] Seven books, eight films, and one theater show later, there is not a franchise on the planet, which has rivaled the magic of Harry Potter. – [Announcer] Being met with thousands of screaming fans would be quite a test for anyone, let alone a teenager. – [Narrator] JK Rowling’s fantastical wizarding world continues to reach all corners of the globe and create life changing memories for fans. But underneath the gleaning success, there is another side to the story. The stories’ occult themes stirred up a storm in a teacup throughout religious circles. But just what is so controversial about the fantasy magical world? (dramatic music) – God is angry with our witchcraft film. (dramatic music) – [Interviewer] How hard work is it? I mean, it’s arguably not hard work at all. – Well, in some ways it’s not hard work at all because it’s the thing I love most of all. And it’s a dream to wake up in the morning and think, what am I doing today? I’m writing and I’m getting paid for it. You know, this is the dream of my life. But I make it hard work for myself. I rewrite endlessly. Sometimes, you know, you I spend, I don’t know about everyone, but I spend an entire day staring at a piece of paper and you come away with three lines of writing. Other days, I can write 2,000 words, 3,000 words and be happy with most of it. Probably the most difficult part of it is you never can tell when inspiration’s gonna strike, so. (gentle music) – [Narrator] Joanne Kathleen Rowling, the mind behind the biggest selling book series of all time. While on a delayed train from Manchester to London in 1990, the young Rowling conceived the idea for Harry Potter, an epiphany which would change not only her life, but the lives of many young readers for years to come. (crowd chattering) The seven year period that followed saw the death of her mother, the birth of her first child, divorce from her husband and relative poverty. But Rowling refused to give up. She tucked herself away in the warmth of an Edinburgh cafe, drank endless cups of coffee and scribbled down her dream. Rowling, completed "Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone" in June, 1995. The initial draft included a hand drawn illustration of Harry by a fireplace showing a lightning shaped scar on his forehead. However, finishing the book was only the beginning. The young author now had a novel, but she desperately needed a publisher. A total of 12 publishing houses rejected Rowling’s hit first book, a fact at which many fans cannot even fathom now. In the end, it was Barry Cunningham, who ran Bloomsbury Children’s Literature Department, who took a chance on the story, all because the head of the company, Nigel Newton, saw his eight-year-old daughter finish one chapter and want to keep reading. (crowd chattering) – [Reporter] Have you ever done a tele interview? – Yeah, I think so. Came to me on a train in 1990. I was sitting, just staring out the window and the idea just fell out of nowhere. It was the purest stroke of inspiration I’ve ever had in my life. And I’ve been writing about him ever since. Literally, I’ve boxes loads of stuff on him. (gentle music) (crowd chattering) – [Narrator] Joanne Kathleen Rowling’s life changed forever from this moment onwards. – All right, okay. – Bye. – Oh, there he is. – [Speaker] Jo, do you wanna come down this way then lean out the window? – Yeah. – [Speaker 2] Are you all right? I’m not sure you like all this publicity thing do you? – Are you not, do I like it? It depends, I’m always slightly amused to see the word reclusive attached to my name in the papers. And it deeply amuses friends of mine. I’m not reclusive. What people definitely forget is I actually still am a lone parent, that wasn’t a publicity stunt. And I want to bring up my daughter myself. And that means you spend time with your daughter. You don’t rush off for weeks on end promoting books and doing interviews. That is the reason why, this is okay. We’re sitting on a train, it’s fun. We just saw loads of children. Some of it’s not fun when people come and bang on your front door it’s not fun, no. – [Interviewer] Do they? – Not loads. No, I mean, compared to, I don’t know, true celebrities. No, I’ve had nothing, but I’ve had enough not to enjoy it. – [Narrator] "Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone" hit shelves on June 26th, 1997 to immediate success. Overnight the story of a young wizard catapulted Rowling from her small apartment in Edinburgh to worldwide recognition, children everywhere absorbed Harry’s first adventure, eagerly turning each page and delighting in the magic of Hogwarts, from owls and wands to ghosts and potions. The book contained a recipe for literary success. – [Announcer] Press reaction has been ecstatic and the books are now selling in adult editions as well. The same text, but for two pounds more a copy. – I think it’s for all age groups. It’s not especially for one age group. ‘Cause even my sister, she’s being read it and my mom and dad were both read it. – But I just find it’s really funny. Like, and I think that they’ve actually thought about how children feel at school. So like they’re sort of really adventurous like children are, but they put magic into it, so. – [Announcer] A magical formula that could see new battles at children’s bedtime, with parents and children fighting over the latest book in the Harry Potter saga. (people chattering) – [Narrator] In 1997, the UK edition won a national book award and a gold medal in the nine to 11 year olds category of the Nestle Smarties Book Prize. A prize which is voted for by children and made the novel well known within six months of publication while most children’s books have to wait years. (gentle music) The book exploded in the States a year later. But with some changes for American readers. the Scholastic Corporation persuaded Rowling to change the title to "Sorcerer’s Stone". She later said that she regretted this change and would’ve fought it if she had been in a stronger position at the time. To this date, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone" has sold over 120 million copies, topped the New York Times bestseller list and solidified its place in the Hall of Fame. (people chattering) To the delight of children and young adults across the world, JK Rowling’s success with Harry Potter was not just a one-off. The author made plans to extend her wizarding world into a whole series of books, and she wasted no time getting started. – Five, four, three, two, one! (people screaming) – [Announcer 2] Not scenes you’d normally expect at a book launch, but then this isn’t any ordinary book. This is the third and much hyped adventure of Harry Potter. The children’s publishing phenomenon of the decade. – [Narrator] The next three books were released in quick succession, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" in 1998, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" in 1999 and "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" in 2000. (upbeat music) (people shouting) each new release became a seminal event. Families excitedly, queued for hours outside bookshops, school pupils skipped class to get their hands on a copy. And avid fans stayed up under the covers at night, just to reach the ending faster. The Harry Potter craze changed the market exponentially and made the careers of many other authors possible. – Three, two, one, yeah. – With young adults clamoring for something to read in the long months and years between Rowling releases, publishers had a legitimate demand to reach. (camera snapping) The fantasy saga era soon exploded. – [Interviewer] How do you rate, I mean, it’s probably impossible question, because you’re not part distant enough, but in terms of, I remember talking to David Cairns and he liked the third book best. Given you just finished it, how do you rate it with its predecessors? – I mean, in some respects it is the best, honestly. And it was the hardest to write by far. – [Interviewer] Are they getting harder? – No, no. The easiest to write was number three. Number one was tough because of the circumstances in which I wrote it, but there were no expectations, so it was really all down to me. Two, I had a bit of a mental block with, because I panicked after the success of one. Three was really a dream to write. I really enjoyed writing Azkaban. Four has been nightmarish. I feel like some woman who’s given woman birth to three children and full piece of cake. And then on the fourth one really gets clobbered in the labor. And it was the worst labor by far. Biggest baby though. – [Narrator] You delivered this in February. Have you left Harry Potter alone for a few months? Take a break. – No comment, I’m boiled either way. If I said yes, I have, then I feel that people will say, oh, she’s giving up. And I feel if I say I haven’t, then I’m gonna have people banging on my front door again. – [Crowd] Five, four. (people screaming) Three, Harry. Two, one. (people screaming) – [Announcer 2] As the clock struck midnight, Harry Potter mania was unleashed across the nation. Fans burst into bookstores desperate to be first to experience the latest Potter magic. And after hours of waiting, some could barely contain their excitement. – Oh, I feel amazing, I just can’t believe it. – [Interviewer 2] How long have you been waiting? – In the queue I’ve been waiting eight hours and for the rest of the time I’ve been waiting for a year. (gentle music) – [Narrator] As readers grew older, alongside Harry, Hermione and Ron, JK Rowling wove darker themes and complex narratives into the storyline, the stakes grew higher, the challenges more daunting, and the dangers more palpable. Even the length of the books grew in size. The release of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" in 2003 and "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in 2005" both proved that the books were no longer innocent fantasy stories. Readers would encounter murder, prejudice and even questions about morality. (film whirring) – My highest ambition would be that long after everyone’s forgotten that I was a single mother and that I was poor and that I wrote in cafes, people are still reading about Harry Potter. That’s my highest ambition. I’m unashamed in wanting as many people as possible to read the books. I always wanted Harry to be wildly famous because that to me was a mark that loads of people had enjoyed the book. From almost from the start, I’d envisaged it as a seven book series, which would see him through Wizard School and then he’d be a fully qualified wizard at the end of it. That’s the sort of big story, how you qualify as a wizard, you see, and there is another bigger plot that’s going on that I can’t really talk about ’cause it will ruin it for people who will read all the books. But so yeah, all of them were plotted in quite a lot of detail already, which obviously made it easier in a way. It wasn’t as though I had to go back and sit down and think, right, what’s the next book about? I already knew. – [Narrator] JK Rowling bided her time with releasing the final installment, even though she had known the series ending for the whole time. On the 11th of January, 2007, she completed the story of Harry Potter while staying at The Balmoral hotel in Edinburgh. A testament to just how far she had come from writing in a cramped corner of a cafe. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" shattered sales records upon release on July 11th, 2007, the book surpassed all marks set by the previous titles of the series and still holds the Guinness World Record for most novels sold within 24 hours of release. 8.3 million in the US and 2.65 million in the UK. The Deathly hollows not only crowned the saga, but solidified Harry’s place in literary history. In 1999, Warner Brothers purchased film rights to the first two Harry Potter novels for a reported $1 million. Rowling accepted the offer with the provision that the studio only produced Harry Potter films based on the books she authored. While retaining the right to final script approval and some control over merchandising, JK Rowling had initial worries that the films would become Americanized and lose the book’s charm. With the power in her hands, she created one steadfast rule, no non British actors. – Doing really well with the movie. Be kind of nice to find Harry though. We all want a British Harry. – [Interviewer] And are we in danger of not having a British Harry? – I don’t know, honestly, I have no idea. I mean, I’m on the periphery of casting. I have no say whatsoever in casting, although I’m delighted to say that so far it looks like it’s going to be an all British cast. (people chattering) – Producer David Heyman loyally stuck by her requirement. The films ended up with one of the most high caliber British cast in history, including acting royalty like Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, and Julie Walters. – [Interviewer 3] I mean, you obviously enjoy doing, you obviously enjoy. – Oh yeah. Oh, what you couldn’t not enjoy Mrs. Weasley. She’s everybody’s mom isn’t she, and more. So no, it’s great fun, the Wesley’s are gorgeous and that set was gorgeous and everything, loved it. – [Interviewer 3] Hi. – Hello. – [Interviewer 3] What do you think of the film then? – It’s great. It’s always weird the first time, but I loved it. Yeah, very, very nice. – [Interviewer 3] Was it better than you thought it would be? – It’s kind of how I imagined it. I mean, it’s very dark, it’s very scary. I jumped loads and loads of times. – [Interviewer 3] Do you think it’s too scary for much younger children? – No, I think children love. I was with my pal’s daughter and she was whipping her up, loving being jumping and screaming and so. – I saw you before. – [Interviewer 3] So you finally seen it now. – It’s wonderful. I’m so proud of myself, that’s putting myself first. But it’s a lovely film. It’s very powerful, you know, it’s strong, strong stuff. (people cheering) – [Interviewer 4] You feel a responsibility to the fans to live up to these characters and to just really be the best. – Well, I’ve been in my best behavior ever since I got the first film. – Yeah. – Because you can’t be seen stumbling out some nightclub at three o’clock in the morning up. – No, you’ve gotta be a good boy. – Gotta be a good boy. – I get moved by children in the street. If they stop me, I really get moved by that. They’re so sweet. – That wee girl in the hotel yesterday. Eyes go like that. – Yeah, you get, they’re just, you know, gobsmacked and so you have to sign autographs and do nice things for. We signed a pair of shoes, didn’t we? – We did, didn’t we? – The girl had her shoes, her new shoes her daddy bought her, so we signed them. – One name in each one. – But it’s moving. – She was so cute, she was so. – Speechless wasn’t she, there’s big compensations for this. (people chattering) – [Narrator] In 2000, thousands of kids up and down the UK auditioned for the parts of Harry, Ron and Hermione. It took months for casting producers to find their perfect golden trio. But in the end, the opportunity landed in the hands of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, from then on their lives would change forever. – I am a tiny, tiny bit like Harry ’cause I’d like to have an owl. – I was really scared. Well, ’cause it’s my first ever film audition it was, so I was very nervous, but not as nervous I’ve been before this press conference. – I’m not top form goody two shoes no, but I’d like to be top of the form. – [Narrator] Home Alone director Christopher Columbus joined the first film. (people screaming) – [Interviewer 5] Different. – How is it different? Kids don’t really worry about the size of trailers and who’s getting paid what. They’re really there to do the work. And it’s a very exciting. – [Narrator] Alongside the renowned composer, John Williams, who created the iconic Harry Potter soundtrack, the film series became a perfect coming together of an extraordinary cast, spectacular scenery and impressive special effects. (object banging) "Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone" hit theaters in November, 2001. (upbeat music) The film grossed around $1 billion at the box office and set the precedent for the saga over the following 10 years. – Surreal, I’ve been using this word a lot lately and it’s just surreal. – [Interviewer 6] What was the most fun thing about the film? – Oh, everything, the acting, meeting new people. It was just fantastic. – [Interviewer 7] And what was more nerve wracking, doing the film or coming along here tonight? – Coming along here tonight, I’ll tell you. – [Interviewer 7] How much fun has it been getting ready and all the excitement. – Oh, it’s just, it was great. It was fun to get dressed up. – [Interviewer 7] And what do you think of the reaction here tonight? How does this compare to Premiers you’ve been to? – It’s staggering, isn’t it? Well, it’s more than only I’ve ever been to, I think, certainly in Lester Square. I don’t think I’ve seen Lester Square so electrified since the Beatles. – [Narrator] From then on, Premier Nights across the globe showcased the unbeatable loyalty of young fans with many dressed in Hogwarts robes and equipped with scars on foreheads. (film beeping) (people screaming) – [Announcer 2] Being met with thousands of screaming fans would be quite a test for anyone, let alone a teenager. But 14-year-old Daniel Radcliffe, AKA Harry Potter is the most famous teenager in the country. As well as being reputedly one of the richest, some fans had been waiting since five o’clock in the morning to greet him and his fellow teenage co-stars. It may be the third film in the Harry Potter series that the young stars seemed overwhelmed. – The moment when you get out the car and it’s, oh, I hate it because it’s just so tense and so nerve wracking. But I absolutely love it and wouldn’t swap it for anything in the world at the same token. – There is an insane number of people out there, it’s really flattering. Really flattering. (music beeping) (upbeat music) (people screaming) – Sorry, hello. – Is it still weird to know that you’re famous? – Oh yeah, it’s funny ’cause it’s weird ’cause they see somebody here that I don’t, it’s very strange. (people cheering) – Quite a way to make an entrance. It’s fantastic. It’s not raining, which is the main plus over London. And the fans just seem so dedicated. It’s so great to see them here. (upbeat music) – Amazing, the last premiere, I remember getting out the car and thinking this will never happen again. And it just happened again. So it makes me feel quite overcome actually, it’s still that strong. – Very, very sad to finish these movies, but at the same time, it will be exciting. There’s more stuff to move on to and yeah, no, I’m not purely depressed about finishing up, there will be things to be excited about too. (audience cheering) – We win. – [Speaker 3] These are dark times, there is no denying. (thunder crashing) – Tell me where he is. – [Speaker 2] Our world has faced no greater threat than it does today. (objects crashing) But you can’t fight this war on your own. Mr. Potter, he’s too strong. (objects whirring) (film whirring) – [Narrator] In 2011, the film series came to an end with "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part Two". (audience clapping) the climax grossed nearly $1.4 billion and smashed the record for the highest opening in American Box office history, beating out "The Dark Night". (audience cheering) – It is kind of really is kinda the end of an era for us. And the last day was really, really sad. It kind of really, really hit me quite hard, kind of just realizing we’ll never been here and doing these films together is quite sad. – [Narrator] Fans had grown up alongside the characters. But for Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, it was time to say goodbye to the beloved wizarding world. (people chattering) – [Interviewer 8] Thank every fan here personally, what would you say to them? Some of these people have been camped out during rainstorms for the past few days. – Well, I think I am going to get a chance to get up on stage and actually speak to them directly at some point this evening. But I would say thank you for queuing all those in their thousands for the books, for camping overnight, for just being incredible. All the families who wrote to me and said they’d read every word to their children. I even met a honeymoon couple who said they read the books to each other in bed. Maybe a step too far. But listen, the whole thing has been incredible and will never be repeated by this author anyway. So it’s been extraordinary. (audience cheering) – On the surface, the story of Harry Potter’s success seems nothing short of magical, – Usually with these franchises, you know, the kind of the fan base diminishes rather than expands and we’ve had the latter. So it’s amazing. – [Narrator] But underneath the glamour, Rowling’s riches and the record breaking statistics lies a dark tail. (thunder crashing) (tense music) (film whirring) JK Rowling series showcases many references to Christianity. Harry can be deemed as a Christ-like figure. Dumbledore can be equated to a saint. The deathly hollow symbolizes the Holy Trinity and Voldemort’s horcruxes can even be seen as manifesting the seven deadly sins. There is no doubt that the Bible has heavily influenced her writing. However, at the heart of Harry Potter is something much more controversial, witchcraft. (music whirring) Religious sects in America didn’t receive the book well. With a long history of trials, the country has a deep fear of all things witchcraft. (gentle music) The history of witchcraft spans over 500 years. In the 16th and 17th centuries, suspicion was at its height. In England and other nations across Europe, there were trials and executions of suspected witches. Hundreds died in violent circumstances as a result. When James Sixth of Scotland became King of England in 1603, trials of witchcraft started in large numbers. He quickly made changes to the English Witchcraft Act that stirred up fear across the nation. Accusations increased, creating a cycle of paranoia and hysteria amongst the public. Neighbors turned on neighbors, friends turned on friends and men even turned on their own wives. The fear sweeping the nation also created the demand for a new profession to bring suspected witches to justice, witch hunters. (tense music) Matthew Hopkins was the most famous of these. He even became known as the Witch Finder General. He received significant payments from towns for bringing to trial all the witches in the area. Hopkins was ruthless, ordering the hanging of 19 suspected witches in Chelmsford in one day, his theory for finding a witch focused on locating a devil’s mark on the suspect’s body. He would claim anything from a mole to a flea bite was sign that they were a witch. (tense music) Women accused of witchcraft suffered horrific torture, often being forced into sleep deprivation and a state of hallucination. King James I even liked to supervise the torture himself to make sure suspected witches were brought to justice. Thousands died at the hands of persecutor and suffered violent ends by hanging, drowning or burning at the stake. (fire crackling) The trials were at their most intense during England’s Puritan era in the 1650s. (tense music) Imperialism also meant that English witchcraft laws were applied in other countries around the world. A famous example from the North American colonies is the Salem Witch trials. Despite events in Salem taking place over 400 years ago, fear of the occult and the supernatural still spread throughout society today. Demonization of those considered different is not uncommon. (gentle music) (film clicking) (gentle music) (gentle music) The United States’ national identity and patriotism has often been bound with the principles of Christianity and God. – My grateful thanks. Go out to each of you for your prayers. – This will be the day when all of God’s children be able to sing with new meaning. My country tears will be. – Knowing that here on earth, God’s work must truly be our own. – [Narrator] In the 1990s, Christian fundamentalism still held a strong place in American society. – Well, I’m looking at America being led as a Christian nation and the Christians rising up and gaining control of our nation. (people cheering) – No gays, no gays, no gays! ♪ Hosanna in the highest ♪ – [Narrator] The release of Harry Potter and the sorcerer stone in the US in 1998 was right on the heels of the Satanic panic. An era of false allegations of Satanic ritual child abuse by cults made mostly against daycare centers during the 1980s spread across the states. Many of the claims were debunked during the nineties, but the memory of those accusations was still fresh in the minds of many conservative and fundamentalist Christians, particularly since it continued to be a feature of pop culture in TV shows, films and music. – I’m having a great time and I’ll have a great time in the next life too. It’s not short when you’re gonna live for eternity. – Honestly, dude, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t enjoy. – He died for you just like he died for. – Did for you. – Put you in chains. – You can’t answer the question but Jesus died on the cross for you. – Every shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. – [Speaker 4] You too man. (gentle music) – [Narrator] The arrival of Rowling’s witchcraft novel to the children’s literature market consequently saw huge backlash. (film whirring) Suspicion towards the Harry Potter’s book’s magic and the worry that it would attract children to the occult was the most influential source of opposition among conservative Christians. (people chattering) Certain critics slandered the books as downright demonic. Numerous parents banned their children from reading the story. And some pastors and evangelists even believed that the series would induct children into Satan worshiping cults or witchcraft practicing covens. Despite the story showing both good and evil magic, critics stood by their views that there are no dark and light sides when it comes to witchcraft. All magic is black as sin. (film whirring) A spade of book banning occurred across the US. Harry Potter entered the official rankings of American Library Association in 1999, and then made a quick ascent to take the dubious prize of the most banned book of the year. (people chattering) (tense music) All but three of the Harry Potter books were in the top 10 most banned books of the 1990s and continued to top the list in 2000, 2001 and 2002. Harry Potter also faced numerous legal challenges during this time with many conservative Christians arguing that Rowling’s texts violated the church’s teachings. Uproar however, was by no means a phenomenon solely confined to the US. (tense music) St. Mary’s Island Church of England School in Kent banned the books with the head teacher stating, "The Bible is very clear and consistent in its teachings that wizards, devils and demons exist and are very real, powerful and dangerous." (people chattering) (sirens whirring) – [Speaker] Here we go. – [Narrator] Rowling’s story Bewitched millions of readers, but Harry Potter, the world’s most famous schoolboy wizard, failed to win over a New Mexico Christ Community Church in 2002, which burned the books in protest of their demonic teachings as they hummed amazing grace. Other novels considered works of the devil were flung on the fire. While videos and CDs, including the Disney animated movie, "Snow White" and recordings by Eminem were consigned to a dust bin. But it was Harry Potter who proved the focal point, claiming that JK Rowling’s books taught children to turn to wizardry. The church’s pastor insisted Harry Potter is the devil and he is destroying people. Hundreds of residents clashed with the religious fundamentalists over their actions. Pro Harry Potter demonstrators even likened the church members to Nazis, who famously burned subversive or Jewish related books. (bombs banging) Two decades later, similar book burnings still crop up. In 2022, a controversial Tennessee pastor led a book burning to fight demonic influences with a crowd incinerating copies of Harry Potter and Stephenie Meyer’s Vampire series "Twilight". Parents and Pastors Alike ostracized a whole section of young adults from engaging with the Harry Potter series. In 2007, Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady’s documentary, "Jesus Camp" showcased just how far religious figures went in indoctrinating children and condemning Rowling’s books as demonic. – We’re trying to help you, we’re trying to warn you. (drums banging) And while I’m on the subject, let me say something about Harry Potter. Warlocks are enemies of God, and I don’t care what kind of hero they are. They’re an enemy of God. And had it been in the Old Testament, Harry Potter would’ve been put to death. (train engine whirring) (gentle music) (brakes squealing) – [Narrator] The story of a young wizard has touched hearts and minds everywhere. As the millennial Potter Heads grew up, the franchise provided an idealist escape to the less complicated world of childhood. (people cheering) – [Announcer 2] They’d been waiting years for book number five, a few more hours queuing was nothing to these young fans. – We’ve got Harry Potter books and we’ve got fanfictions. – We had to wait three years for this. And seven hours is not that long. – Not gonna make that much difference. – [Announcer 2] This is not the usual way books are launched in this country. Red carpets, photographers, tickets to a party to count the hours to midnight. – My name’s Robbie Wills, and I’m going to the party to the new Harry Potter book. – [Announcer 2] You must feel very lucky. – [Narrator] The Wizarding world became a safe place where magic was real and bravery, brains and friendship always won. (gentle music) (people screaming) The treasured series has now been lovingly passed along to the next generation, and there is no sign of Potter mania calming down anytime soon. Fans, both old and young, continue to turn up in droves and line the streets for new events, books and spinoff films. What started as one woman’s idea has turned into a worldwide business worth billions. (people chattering) (people screaming) – [Announcer 3] Can anything ever be as big as this? – No, of course not. Not in a million years. And I knew that back in about 97. When it started, it became quite big quite quickly. So I’ve always known this is the biggest thing I’ll ever do. And that’s fine. – [Narrator] Huge Harry Potter theme parks have opened up in Florida, Hollywood, Japan, and Beijing for fans to enjoy the delights of the wizarding world in real life. (people shouting) – [Announcer 4] Gentleman straight ahead, right there. Big smile. – JK Rowling created something that resonates with a great deal of people. Millions of fans throughout the world, and she created characters that we can relate to and she created a world that is just beyond our reach as muggles. But we all like to think there’s a little bit of magic just beyond our reach. And that believability in that I think is what is this enduring appeal, the idea that magic does exist and we all like to think it does. – [Narrator] The "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" Theater Show now holds a regular slot on London’s West End and New York’s Broadway. – The play opened a rave reviews and sellout crowds last July. There’s a lottery every Friday for just 40 tickets for the following week. But other than that, it’s completely sold out until next April. – The fans absolutely love it, the critics loved it. And now the award panel have shown that they have rewarded the artistry and the immense creativity that the show has brought to the West End. (people cheering) – It’s a really special night, and the actors are incredible and the movement’s beautiful and complicated, and the direction is great. And the magic is magical. – [Narrator] And the release of the Fantastic Beasts franchise has lured fans back to the cinema for more of the magical universe. – [Speaker 5] This film, you actually wrote the screenplay. – Yeah. – [Speaker 5] What was it like having that level of involvement? – Totally different, as you can imagine, it was a huge amount of work. At times it was terrifying, at times it was utterly exhilarating. And ultimately I’m really glad I did it. So, but there were times when I thought, what have I taken on, so different from novels, it’s totally different. (gentle music) – I think what I love about JK Rowling is, her films are filled with heart and warmth and whimsy, but at the same point, she is an artist and she’s reflecting what’s going on in the world. And certainly there are undertones of repression and segregation and the fear of the other, which kind of are woven through this film in a way that I think is intriguing and extraordinary given she wrote it, you know, a while back, – [Speaker 5] How did you react when you found out you’d got the part? – I was absolutely shocked and, yeah, stunned and then delighted and then totally terrified. (person laughing) Because it’s a huge responsibility. This is a very beloved world and I wanted to make sure that I did right by it, by Jo’s world and these characters, but mostly just joy. – [Speaker 5] What are you hoping that fans get out of the movie? – I mean there are so many things that we love about the Harry Potter films that are still a part of this. The light versus dark, the extraordinary friendships that come from outsiders, finding their tribe. But this the wonderful character of New York in the twenties. The animals, the beasts are extraordinary. I mean, there’s just, there’s a lot of heart in this and a lot of amazing messages that are quite needed nowadays. – Honestly, the best premieres in the world are the Lester Square premieres. They’re so much fun. And this one just, none can hold a candle to it. (gentle music) – [Narrator] The Harry Potter series has been well and truly immortalized, returning by screen or by page, generations of young adults can enjoy the saga for years and years to come. (gentle music) Whether the franchise encourages the occult or not, Rowling’s works have made a huge impact on young people across the world. (people cheering) Harry Potter has gifted memories to last a lifetime and will no doubt dominate the literary cannon for decades to come. – Three, two, one! (upbeat music) (pictures whirring) – [Speaker 3] What was your highest expectation? – My highest expectation? Well, not expectations. My most farfetched dream was a kind review in a decent newspaper and the idea that I would be able to maybe teach part-time and write part-time. And I thought that that, but to me it seemed like this huge hurdle even getting published, which indeed it is. It’s not that easy, so I didn’t really look much past that. So everything that’s happened since has been well beyond my wildest expectations. It really has. I still sometimes can’t quite believe it’s happened. (dramatic music)