It’s been almost 10 years since the last movie in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was released in theaters. Since then, the franchise has continued to grow, with J.K. Rowling’s bestselling books becoming even more popular and the films gaining a devoted following around the world.
While some fans may have moved on, other have kept the magic alive by discussing the series and its many developments on social media.
From the fan fiction that grew from Twitter to blogs and forums, the Harry Potter fandom has changed and evolved alongside social media.
The worldwide fan base may have been waiting for a new installment in the franchise, but it seems they had to settle for delights such as Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and Ralph Breaks the Internet.
So, for those still waiting for Harry Potter and the World’s Greatest Magician to return, perhaps these films will suffice.
The Ultimate Harry Potter Compendium
If you’ve been following the Harry Potter fandom for even a little while, you’ll know that there is a wealth of knowledge and content stored on the internet regarding the series. From video guides to artwork, from cosplay to character analysis, there is an abundance of material to discover and enjoy.
Now, with the upcoming Blu-Ray release of the entire series, it’s about time that content was brought together in one place and made accessible to all Harry Potter fans. With hundreds of hours of exclusive content including behind-the-scenes footage, bloopers, and more, this new film will bring together much of what’s available online in one convenient package.
While details are still emerging regarding the contents of this year’s Blu-Ray set, we know that it will contain all seven of the Harry Potter films along with a documentary, an interview with J.K. Rowling, and much more. For those who have already spent a fortune on magic crystals and wand repairs, this Blu-Ray set will finally provide the perfect excuse to watch the entire series from the very beginning.
For those who are yet to discover the magic of Harry Potter, the set will provide the perfect opportunity to do so. For those who are skeptical about the prospects of yet another Harry Potter movie, the set will provide enough evidence to disabuse them of such notions. Most importantly, for those who love the franchise and its many magical characters, the set will allow them to revisit these wonderful worlds and relive some of the greatest moments once again. If there’s one thing Harry Potter deserves, it’s that fans keep the magic alive.
The Making of Harry Potter
When J.K. Rowling released the first novel in August of 1997, she almost certainly never foresaw the phenomenon that the work would cause. Indeed, she may even have considered it a bit of a gimmick. In an effort to further her career as a children’s author, Rowling released two more books, but they were largely unnoticed and failed to make her a bestseller in the way that the Harry Potter series did.
Rowling’s genius was in capturing the hearts of readers with her unique combination of fantasy and realism, as well as the charm she exuded while doing so. The series was a success from the very beginning, and to this day, has continued to sell millions of copies around the world with each successive novel adding to the overall series total.
In the years since its initial publication, Rowling’s Harry Potter world has taken over our TVs and our computers, our smartphones and our tablets. It’s even made it into the real world with locations around the world reprising their roles as magical settings from the series.
When news of the series’ upcoming 10th anniversary reached us, we couldn’t resist rewinding back in time to revisit some of the greatest scenes from the first nine films. Thanks to the magic of cinema and a little bit of computer science, we have compiled a list of the 10 greatest Harry Potter scenes that every fan must see.
As much as we would like to believe that time somehow heals all wounds, the passing of nearly a decade has only served to make us more keen to relive our favorite scenes from the series. While there are of course many standout scenes from the first nine films, these scenes serve as a great reminder of why we love Harry Potter so much and of what made the series unique. In compiling this list, we have tried to avoid repeating scenes that are covered in much greater detail in other articles. Instead, we have focused on scenes that represent the various aspects of the series and its many hallmarks. If you’re a fan of the Harry Potter series, then these 10 scenes will undoubtedly hold a special place in your heart. As Harry Potter celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2022, let’s take a look at our list of the 10 greatest Harry Potter scenes.
The Buried Life
Even before she became famous as a children’s author, J.K. Rowling was an accomplished screenwriter with movie credits such as the Oscar-nominated Dead Poets’ Society, as well as a Golden Globe-winning screenwriter for the fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia. That latter series was a significant leap forward for Rowling, as it was her first attempt at scripting an entire feature film, and she collaborated with Christopher McQuarrie on the script.
The Harry Potter series was originally envisioned as a mini-movie franchise, with each installment being less than 10 minutes long. That allowed Rowling to take a relatively more artistic approach to the storytelling, as she could fit all of this within the confines of a Hollywood budget. This is particularly evident in the look of these early Harry Potter films, which was much more artsy and understated compared to the blockbusters that followed. It also helped that McQuarrie and Rowling were both Scottish, as they shared a common heritage with regards to storytelling and cinematography.
As the series progressed, so did the ambitions of the filmmakers, as each movie became an expanded effort. The creators even discussed ways they could make a feature-length version of the series, which they eventually did with 2018’s Harry Potter and the Avengers.
The Buried Life is one of the most iconic scenes from the Harry Potter series. At the end of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Dolores Umbridge has set a terrifying scenario in motion, with a horde of zombies flooding the Hogwarts grounds in an effort to consume human flesh. It is up to Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Newt Scamander to save their friends and fellow students as they flee for their lives, with no other option than to fight their way through the undead masses that threaten to overtake them.
The scene is both suspenseful and full of action, with Ron and Harry trading blows with zombie after zombie as they make their way to the Great Hall for help. As the pair fight their way through the undead hordes, Harry’s body is visible between the seats, with each thrust of the battle clearly visible onscreen. It’s a truly incredible sequence, with the fight choreography and special effects making for one of the most memorable scenes in the entire Harry Potter series.
The Borrowers
The entire Harry Potter series is essentially a battle of wits, with the young wizarding world’s foremost intelligence practitioner, Professor Severus Snape, going head-to-head with the young magical prodigy, Albus Dumbledore. The tension is palpable as the Dark Arts teacher dares to stand against the greatest wizard of modern times, with Dumbledore calling his master’s bluff in a scene that has arguably become one of the greatest teacher-student comebacks in cinematic history.
This masterful display of intellectual prowess on display in this particular scene is what first caught our attention. For those who have seen the series from the very beginning, it will be quite familiar to watch Snape defeat Dumbledore, as the series unfolds in a fairly conventional fashion. Yet, as we’ve grown to love, this is also one of the very few scenes in the entire series in which the adult wizards are not the antagonists. It’s a testament to the complexity of Rowling’s storytelling and the detail with which she weaves the web of lies that she conceals, even from her dearest friends, that this scene nonetheless has stuck with us even after all these years. It’s one of the few moments in which we actually root for Snape, as he tries to do his duty and protect the wizarding world despite his profound attachment to Dumbledore and the school he loves so much.