Actors, musicians, and other creative types have long been attracted to the magical world of film and television because of the opportunities it provides for them to showcase their talents. Few could have foreseen that this love of cinema would lead to such iconic roles as Potter himself, Robert Pattinson’s first major acting engagement. The Twilight star has gone on to become one of the most iconic actors of our time, appearing in major motion pictures and franchises such as The Dark Knight and Waterstones. Here, we take a look back at his incredible journey and the pivotal role that Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone played in shaping his career.
Pattinson’s Early Life
Pattinson was born in London, England, on November 28, 1982. A graduate of the London School of Economics, he worked in marketing before landing the role of Edward Cullen in Twilight in 2008. The following year, he starred in the biopic Legend, followed by supporting roles in The Zookeeper and The Rum Diary. In 2012, Pattinson starred alongside Adam Scott in the romantic comedy Four Letters, which was followed by the sci-fi epic Ex Machina and 2016’s Pattinson-starring period drama, The London Heist.
From Harry Potter to the Big Four
In 2017, Pattinson will star in Gucci Mane’s ill-fated superhero movie, titled MCMXXXV. The film is said to be based on the criminal’s real-life experiences, albeit with some creative license. In 2018, he will star in the psychological thriller The Farewell, which will mark the English actor’s second collaboration with director Lenny Abrahamson (director of The Lights in the Sky). Other upcoming projects include the historical drama Victoria &_#039;is, starring Diane Kruger and Rupert Friend, and the period drama The Lola + Playlist.
Hollywood’s Most Wanted
Actors and singers are often linked with celebrity and fandom, and it’s true that many of Hollywood’s biggest stars got their start in entertainment. Below, we’re going to take a look at the major motion pictures that have propelled some of entertainment’s biggest stars onto the big screen.
The Wizarding World
It would be remiss not to mention Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, which continues to live up to its moniker as the most successful book-to-film adaptation of all time. The franchise has taken in hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office around the world and spawned countless imitators. Most recently, J.K. Rowling’s creation inspired the new Fantastic Beasts series, which premiered earlier this year.
The film’s defining scene features Robert Pattinson as the young wizard, posing for photographer Heather Kelly outside his aunt and uncle’s house. Pattinson’s performance as Harry, especially the sequence where he flashes his wand and performs the Patronus Charm, would go on to become one of the most iconic images in cinema history. In 2019, nearly 27 million people watched the trailer for the third Fantastic Beasts movie, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, which was released last month.
The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight is directed by Christopher Nolan and stars Christian Bale as a masked vigilante who hunts down criminals (and sometimes innocent people) in the city of Gotham. The movie is based on the popular comic book series of the same name by DC Comics, which was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. It was named after the most famous of the character’s outfits, which is black with yellowish-orange stripes. The Dark Knight broke many box office records upon its release in 2008, not the least of which was setting the all-time single-day box office record with its premiere on August 9, 2008. Since then, The Dark Knight has become one of the highest-grossing films of all time, raking in over $1 billion at the box office and winning numerous awards, including a Best Picture nomination from the Academy Awards. It also inspired numerous derivative works, including video games, anime, and a Broadway musical.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
During the height of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2014, fans finally got some new content to satisfy their craving for superhero movies. Specifically, they got to enjoy Josh Brolin’s intimidating performance as J.A.R.V.I.S., or, as he’s better known to fans, Jarvis. The movie’s titular character takes on a more human persona and teams up with the notorious Winter Soldier, portrayed by Sebastian Stan, to take down his former employer, the tyrannical President Nick Fury (played by Samuel L. Jackson). In the process, they uncover a sinister organization known as HYDRA, led by the terrifyingly evil Alexander Pierce (played by John Bradley).
X-Men: Apocalypse
X-Men: Apocalypse is both the sixteenth and seventeenth films in the X-Men film series and the first installment of director Bryan Singer’s “Apocalypse” trilogy. The film continues Marvel’s trend of teaming up with a famous musician and actor to score the soundtrack. This time, they collaborated with R&B singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes. Mendes’s mellow voice perfectly matches the movie’s moody feel as he provides the majority of the film’s music. The movie also features appearances by members of the U.S. military, including special forces soldiers and government officials. Apocalypse was released in 2016 and was met with widespread critical acclaim, grossing $745 million worldwide and becoming one of the top-earning films of all time. It also marked the first time that the X-Men franchise made more money than its predecessor, Avatar. The “Apocalypse” trilogy will conclude with Dark Phoenix, which is currently in production.
Suicide Squad
Quentin Tarantulinu will never be able to live down the fact that he singlehandedly destroyed any hope of a Young Adult book audience. After wrapping filming on Inglourious Basterds earlier this year, Tarantulinu returned to his native England to begin work on a sequel to his 2009 film, Kill Bill. The resulting movie, Suicide Squad, stars Margot Robbie as the legendary character femme fatale, Harley Quinn. The film also marks the reunion of Suicide Squad’s Rick O’Connell with his daughter, Ava (Suki Waterhouse), who was last seen in O’Connell’s squad in 2016’s Deadpool. While Margot Robbie received mixed reviews for her performance as Harley Quinn, the film still managed to impress with its dark humor and gruesome fight scenes. The movie became a box office smash, grossing over $700 million worldwide and continuing a trend of movie blockbusters geared toward an Adult audience. As predicted, the 2020 sequel, Harley Quinn Revenge, was even more successful, earning an additional $929 million at the box office.
Awards and Nominations
Along with being the most successful book-to-film adaptation of all time, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone has also received countless awards and nominations, including an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. The list of accolades is long and impressive, including two BAFTA Award nominations and a Golden Globe nomination. Aside from acting, the screenplay was also nominated for the Drama Award at the 72nd Golden Globe Awards. The film is now widely considered one of the greatest of all time.
The success of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone propelled Robert Pattinson to superstardom and established him as a leading man in Hollywood. Since then, he’s appeared in major motion pictures and franchises such as The Twilight Saga, The Batman, and most recently, the Fantastic Beasts television series. In 2021, he’ll star in the highly anticipated sequel to Fantastic Beasts and the Fantastic Beasts series, Fantastic Beasts Down under.