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2001 in film

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The year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first installments of the Harry Potter, Fast & Furious, Spy Kids, Monsters, Inc. and Shrek franchises, and The Lord of the Rings and Ocean's trilogies. Significant non-English language films released included Monsoon Wedding, Amélie and Spirited Away. There was one film, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, that passed over $1 billion in a re-release of 2020.

The inaugural entries of the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings film franchises prompted a shift in both the film and literary communities by propelling fantasy into mainstream culture, popularising young adult novels, and reforming the blockbuster to promote film franchises and cater to fandom communities.

Highest-grossing films

The top 10 films released in 2001 by worldwide gross are as follows:

RankTitleDistributorWorldwide gross12345678910
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's StoneWarner Bros.$974,755,371
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the RingNew Line$883,726,270
Monsters, Inc.Buena Vista$528,773,250
ShrekDreamWorks$487,853,320
Ocean's ElevenWarner Bros.$450,717,150
Pearl HarborBuena Vista$449,220,945
The Mummy ReturnsUniversal$435,040,395
Jurassic Park III$368,780,809
Planet of the ApesFox$362,211,740
HannibalMGM / Universal$351,692,268

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone grossed $974 million, and became the second highest-grossing film of all time. It was also the highest-grossing film in the Harry Potter film franchise before the finale, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, surpassed it in 2011.

2001 was the first time that two films released in the same year grossed more than $800 million at the box office, with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring surpassing the milestone.

The highest-grossing non-English film was Studio Ghibli's anime Spirited Away, which was the 15th highest-grossing film of the year.

Events

  • May 18 – Shrek was released to critical acclaim and went on to win the first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature the following year beating out Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and Monsters, Inc.
  • June 22 – The Fast and the Furious is released, launching one of the highest-grossing franchises in film history.
  • August 8 – actors Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman divorce.
  • November 2 – Monsters, Inc. opens with the best ticket sales ever for an animated film and the 6th-best of all time.
  • November 16 and December 19 – The beginning of two acclaimed fantasy film series based on best-selling novels: Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings, respectively.

Award ceremonies

Awards

Category/Organisation7th Critics' Choice Awards
January 11, 200259th Golden Globe Awards
January 20, 200255th BAFTA Awards
February 24, 2002Producers, Directors, Screen Actors, and Writers Guild Awards74th Academy Awards
March 24, 2002DramaMusical or Comedy
Best FilmA Beautiful MindMoulin Rouge!The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the RingMoulin Rouge!A Beautiful Mind
Best DirectorRon Howard
A Beautiful Mind
Baz Luhrmann
Moulin Rouge!Robert Altman
Gosford ParkPeter Jackson
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the RingRon Howard
A Beautiful Mind
Best ActorRussell Crowe
A Beautiful MindGene Hackman
The Royal TenenbaumsRussell Crowe
A Beautiful MindDenzel Washington
Training Day
Best ActressSissy Spacek
In the BedroomNicole Kidman
Moulin Rouge!Judi Dench
IrisHalle Berry
Monster's Ball
Best Supporting ActorBen Kingsley
Sexy BeastJim Broadbent
IrisJim Broadbent
Moulin Rouge!Ian McKellen
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the RingJim Broadbent
Iris
Best Supporting ActressJennifer Connelly
A Beautiful MindHelen Mirren
Gosford ParkJennifer Connelly
A Beautiful Mind
Best Screenplay, AdaptedChristopher Nolan
MementoAkiva Goldsman
A Beautiful MindTed Elliott, Terry Rossio, Joe Stillman and Roger S. H. Schulman
ShrekAkiva Goldsman
A Beautiful Mind
Best Screenplay, OriginalGuillaume Laurant and Jean-Pierre Jeunet
AmélieJulian Fellowes
Gosford Park
Best Animated FilmShrekN/AN/AN/AN/AShrek
Best Original ScoreThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Howard ShoreMoulin Rouge!
Craig ArmstrongN/AThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Howard Shore
Best Original Song"May It Be"
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring"Until..."
Kate & LeopoldN/AN/A"If I Didn't Have You"
Monsters, Inc.
Best Foreign Language FilmAmélieNo Man's LandLove's a BitchN/ANo Man's Land

2001 films

By country/region

  • List of American films of 2001
  • List of Argentine films of 2001
  • List of Australian films of 2001
  • List of Bangladeshi films of 2001
  • List of British films of 2001
  • List of Canadian films of 2001
  • List of Chinese films of 2001
  • List of French films of 2001
  • List of Hong Kong films of 2001
  • List of Indian films of 2001
    • List of Bengali films of 2001
    • List of Hindi films of 2001
    • List of Kannada films of 2001
    • List of Malayalam films of 2001
    • List of Marathi films of 2001
    • List of Punjabi films of 2001
    • List of Tamil films of 2001
    • List of Telugu films of 2001
  • List of Japanese films of 2001
  • List of Mexican films of 2001
  • List of Nepalese films of 2001
  • List of Pakistani films of 2001
  • List of Russian films of 2001
  • List of South Korean films of 2001
  • List of Spanish films of 2001

By genre/medium

  • List of action films of 2001
  • List of animated feature films of 2001
  • List of avant-garde films of 2001
  • List of crime films of 2001
  • List of comedy films of 2001
  • List of drama films of 2001
  • List of horror films of 2001
  • List of science fiction films of 2001
  • List of thriller films of 2001
  • List of western films of 2001

Births

  • January 1
    • Angourie Rice, Australian actress
    • Carla Tous, Spanish actress
  • January 15 - Ethan Josh Lee, American actor
  • February 6 – Gabriel G. Mourreau, Spanish actor
  • February 15 – Haley Tju, American actress
  • February 16 - Chloe East, American actress
  • February 19 – David Mazouz, American actor
  • February 24 – Ramona Marquez, English actress
  • March 6 – Milo Manheim, American actor
  • March 25 – Daisy Tahan, American actress
  • April 10 – Noa Kirel, Israeli actress
  • April 20 – Ian Alexander, American actor
  • April 28 – Madeleine Harris, British actress
  • May 3 – Rachel Zegler, American actress
  • May 23 – Matt Lintz, American actor
  • May 27 – Izabela Vidovic, American actress
  • June 1 – Ed Oxenbould, Australian actor
  • June 3 – Rhea Norwood, English actress
  • June 5 - Lilly Krug, German actress
  • June 9 – Xolo Maridueña, American actor
  • June 14 – Samuel Bottomley, English actor
  • June 16 – William Sorenson, Canadian Representative
  • June 21 – Eleanor Worthington Cox, English actress
  • July 1 – Chosen Jacobs, American actor
  • July 2 – Abraham Attah, Ghanaian actor
  • July 10 – Isabela Merced, American actress
  • July 11 – Sophia Anne Caruso, American actress
  • July 16 – Tom Taylor, English actor
  • July 22 – Alisha Newton, Canadian actress
  • July 31 – Sean Michael Kyer, Canadian actor
  • August 5 – Josie Totah, American actress
  • August 6 – Ty Simpkins, American actor
  • August 21
    • Dallas Liu, American actor
    • Harry Gilby, English actor
  • August 31 – Garrett Wareing, American actor
  • August 31 Corey Maison Transgender activist OF Model
  • September 3 – Kaia Gerber, American actress and model
  • September 6
    • Freya Allan, English actress
    • Nuno Gallego, Spanish actor
  • September 11 - Mackenzie Aladjem, American actress
  • September 14 – Matías Recalt, Argentine actor
  • September 15 – Emma Fuhrmann, American actress
  • September 17 – India Amarteifio, English actress
  • September 19
    • Jack Downham, British actor
    • D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Canadian actor
  • September 29 – William Healy, Canadian actor
  • October 1 – Luna Blaise, American actress
  • October 5 – Dalila Bela, Canadian actress
  • October 8 – Percy Hynes White, Canadian actor
  • October 9 – Louis Hynes, English actor
  • October 10 – Blake Cooper, American actor
  • October 12 – Raymond Ochoa, American actor and musician
  • October 13 – Caleb McLaughlin, American actor
  • October 14 – Rowan Blanchard, American actress
  • October 19 - Art Parkinson, Irish actor
  • October 21 – Ashley Liao, American actress
  • October 23 – Mina Sundwall, American actress
  • October 27 – Lukita Maxwell, Indonesian-American actress
  • November 7
    • Noah Lomax, American actor
    • Amybeth McNulty, Irish-Canadian actress
  • November 12 – Raffey Cassidy, English actress
  • November 15 – Sadie Stanley, American actress
  • November 25 - Alex Bain, British actor
  • November 27 – Morgan Davies, Australian actor
  • December 12 - Britain Dalton, American actor
  • December 13 – Harley Bird, English actress
  • December 14 – Joshua Rush, American actor
  • December 16 – Sebastian Croft, English actor
  • December 22 - Lily Laight, English actress and singer
  • December 28 – Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Canadian actress

Deaths

MonthDateNameAgeCountryProfessionNotable films
January1Ray Walston86USActor
5Nancy Parsons58USActress
10Jacques Marin81FranceActor
11James Hill84USProducer, Screenwriter
11Michael Williams65UKActor
15Ted Mann84USProducer
16Virginia O'Brien81USActress, Singer
18Al Waxman65CanadaActor
21Sandy Baron64USActor
21Joseph O'Conor84IrelandActor
30Jean-Pierre Aumont90FranceActor
30John Prebble85UKScreenwriter
31Bert Williams78USActor
February4Tony Steedman73UKActor
7Dale Evans88USActress, Singer
10Lewis Arquette65USActor
11Sy Gomberg82USScreenwriter
14Charles B. Fitzsimons76IrelandProducer
15Burt Kennedy78USDirector, Screenwriter
16Howard W. Koch84USProducer
19Stanley Kramer87USDirector, Producer
20Rosemary DeCamp90USActress
27Ralf D. Bode59GermanyCinematographer
27Stan Margulies80USProducer
March6Kim Walker32USActress
8Edward Winter63USActor
9Richard Stone47USComposer, Music Editor
12Morton Downey Jr.68USActor
13John A. Alonzo66USCinematographer, Actor
15Ann Sothern92USActress
16Norma MacMillan79CanadaActress
17Ralph Thomas85UKDirector
19Mentor Huebner79USIllustrator
21Anthony Steel80UKActor
22William Hanna90USAnimator, Director, Producer
23Sully Boyar77USActor
24Tambi Larsen86IndiaArt Director
26Piotr Sobociński43PolandCinematographer
April1Larry Tucker66USScreenwriter
7David Graf50USActor
7Beatrice Straight86USActress
10Nyree Dawn Porter65New ZealandActress
11Harry Secombe79UKActor
13Jimmy Logan73UKActor
13Ken Weston53UKSound Engineer
14last=Magnierfirst=Markdate=20 April 2001title=Hiroshi Teshigahara; Broadened Japan’s Cinema (obituary)url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-apr-20-me-53362-story.htmlwork=Los Angeles Timesurl-status=livearchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250531012719/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-apr-20-me-53362-story.htmlarchive-date=31 May 2025access-date=31 May 2025}}74JapanDirector
16Michael Ritchie62USDirector
20Maria Karnilova80USActress
21Jack Haley Jr.67USDirector
22Edward Muhl94USStudio Executive
27Jack Murdock78USActor
28Ken Hughes79UKScreenwriter
29Walter Hannemann88USFilm Editor
May2Gina Mastrogiacomo39USActress
3Ernie Wheelwright61USActor
7Gary Wissner37USProduction Designer, Art Director
9Leslie Sands79UKActor
10Deborah Walley59USActress
12Perry Como88USSinger, Actor
13Eddra Gale79USActress
13Jason Miller62USActor, Director
13Ralph Tabakin79USActor
14Mauro Bolognini78ItalyDirector, Screenwriter
14Armando Nannuzzi75ItalyCinematographer
15Sacha Vierny81FranceCinematographer
16Joe Baker72UKActor
22Connie Marshall68USActress
22Whitman Mayo70USActor
22Jack Watling78UKActor
23Lita Chevret92USActress
25John W. Holmes84USFilm Editor
26Anne Haney67USActress
27Ramon Bieri71USActor
29Russell Saunders82USStuntman
31Arlene Francis93USActress
June2Imogene Coca92USActress
3Anthony Quinn86MexicoActor
4Joan Vohs73USActress
7Leonard Tepper61USActor
15Henri Alekan92FranceCinematographer
21Carroll O'Connor76USActor
21Vernon Sewell97UKDirector, Screenwriter
23Corinne Calvet76FranceActress
26Paul Berry40UKAnimator
27Jack Lemmon76USActor
28Joan Sims71UKActress
July2Jack Gwillim91UKActor
3Mordecai Richler70CanadaScreenwriter
5A. D. Flowers84USSpecial Effects Artist
7Molly Lamont91South AfricaActress
12James Bernard75UKComposer
13Eleanor Summerfield80UKActress
15Ted Berman81USDirector, Screenwriter, Animator
19Paul Beeson79UKCinematographer
21Sivaji Ganesan72IndiaActor
29Alex Nicol85USActor
August1Joe Lynch75IrelandActor
3Christopher Hewett79UKActor
6Alan Rafkin73USDirector
6Dorothy Tutin71UKActress
8Harry Julian Fink78USScreenwriter
14Missy Cleveland41USActress
14Jackie "Butch" Jenkins63USActor
16Dave Barry82USActor
18Jack Elliott74USComposer, Conductor
20Kim Stanley76USActress
23Kathleen Freeman82USActress
25Aaliyah22USActress, Singer
25John Chambers78USMakeup Artist
25Jane Greer76USActress
25Inigo Jackson68UKActor
28Lawrence B. Marcus84USScreenwriter
29Francisco Rabal75SpainActor
30Julie Bishop87USActress
September2Troy Donahue65USActor
3Ferruccio Amendola71ItalyActor
3Pauline Kael82USFilm CriticNone; critiqued films for The New Yorker
3Thuy Trang27USActress
4Merrill Connally80USActor
9Tommy Hollis47USActor
12Victor Wong74USActor
13Barbara Matera72UKCostume Designer
13Dorothy McGuire85USActress
15Fred de Cordova90USDirector
16Samuel Z. Arkoff83USProducer
25Evan A. Lottman70USFilm Editor
25Dolores Michaels68USActress
26Hannes Nikel70GermanyFilm Editor
27Helen Cherry85UKActress
28Martin Garner74USActor
29Gloria Foster67USActress
October9Herbert Ross74USDirector
15Robert Rutledge53USSound Engineer
17Jay Livingston86USComposer
19Ray Lovejoy62UKFilm Editor
21David Lowell Rich81USDirector
23Linden Travers88UKActress
24Jaromil Jireš65SlovakiaDirector
26Eugene Jackson58USActor
28Larry Jost80USSound Engineer
29Maura Fay43AustraliaCasting Director
31Jenny Laird89UKActress
November5Roy Boulting87UKDirector
6Anthony Shaffer75UKScreenwriter
7Bobby Bass65USStuntman, Actor
12Albert Hague82GermanyActor
13Peggy Mount86UKActress
14Charlotte Coleman33UKActress
21Ralph Burns79USComposer, Arranger
29Budd Boetticher85USDirector
29George Harrison58UKSinger, Actor, Producer
29John Mitchum82USActor
December1Danilo Donati74ItalyCostume Designer, Production Designer
6Walt Mulconery69USFilm Editor
7Pauline Moore87USActress
10Lance Fuller73USActor
15Wilkie Cooper90UKCinematographer
16Roy Brocksmith56USActor
20Foster Brooks89USActor
20Edward Evans87UKActor
26Nigel Hawthorne72UKActor
29Robert Patten76USActor
30Ray Patterson90USAnimator
31Eileen Heckart82USActress
31David Swift82USDirector

Film debuts

  • Scott Adkins – The Accidental Spy
  • Laz Alonso – 30 Years to Life
  • Malena Alterio – The Hold-Up
  • Morena Baccarin – Perfume
  • Ike Barinholtz – Down
  • Ty Burrell – Evolution
  • Luis Callejo – Luna's Game
  • Henry Cavill – Laguna
  • Jeff Chase – In the Shadows
  • Justin Chatwin – Josie and the Pussycats
  • Bradley Cooper – Wet Hot American Summer
  • Dominic Cooper – From Hell
  • Michael Ealy – Kissing Jessica Stein
  • Marta Etura – No Shame
  • Dakota Fanning – Tomcats
  • Elle Fanning – I Am Sam
  • Megan Fox – Holiday in the Sun
  • Kyle Gallner – Wet Hot American Summer
  • Tyrese Gibson – Baby Boy
  • Macarena Gómez – Dagon
  • Tom Hardy – Black Hawk Down
  • Sean Harris – The Discovery of Heaven
  • Naomie Harris – Crust
  • Anne Hathaway – The Princess Diaries
  • Freddie Highmore – Women Talking Dirty
  • Dwayne Johnson – The Mummy Returns
  • Jaime King – Happy Campers
  • Luke Kirby – Lost and Delirious
  • Fran Kranz – Donnie Darko
  • Bárbara Lennie – No Pain, No Gain
  • Scoot McNairy – Wrong Numbers
  • Sienna Miller – South Kensington
  • Michelle Monaghan – Perfume
  • Ebon Moss-Bachrach – The Believer
  • Eric Christian Olsen – Pearl Harbor
  • David Oyelowo – Dog Eat Dog
  • Daniel Radcliffe – The Tailor of Panama
  • James Ransone – The American Astronaut
  • Elizabeth Reaser – The Believer
  • Emma Roberts – Blow
  • Seth Rogen – Donnie Darko
  • Theo Rossi – The Myersons
  • Kristen Schaal – Kate & Leopold
  • Pablo Schreiber – Bubble Boy
  • Rafe Spall – Beginner's Luck
  • Omar Sy – La Tour Montparnasse Infernale
  • Jasmine Trinca – The Son's Room
  • Gaspard Ulliel – Brotherhood of the Wolf
  • Wilmer Valderrama – Summer Catch
  • Katheryn Winnick – Biohazardous
  • Benedict Wong – Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang)

References

References

  1. Grauso, Alisha. (2020-08-05). "How The 'Harry Potter' And 'Lord Of The Rings' Movies Made Being A Bookworm Cool Again".
  2. Albury, Whitley. (2021-12-22). "20 years ago, Harry Potter and LOTR changed culture".
  3. "2001 Worldwide Box Office". [[IMDb]].
  4. "2001 Worldwide Box Office". [[IMDb]].
  5. Gussow, Mel. (January 3, 2001). "Ray Walston, Broadway Star And TV Martian, Dies at 86". [[The New York Times]].
  6. Bergan, Ronald. (January 31, 2001). "Jean-Pierre Aumont".
  7. (2006). "Laid to Rest in California: a guide to the cemeteries and grave sites of the rich and famous". Globe Pequot Press.
  8. Lyman, Rick. (February 21, 2001). "Stanley Kramer, Filmmaker With Social Bent, Dies at 87". New York Times.
  9. Thomas, Bob. (March 17, 2001). "TV's 'Private Secretary' Ann Sothern dies at 92". Times Daily.
  10. Penny, Thomas. (12 April 2001). "Goon star Sir Harry Secombe dies aged 79". The Daily Telegraph.
  11. Magnier, Mark. (20 April 2001). "Hiroshi Teshigahara; Broadened Japan’s Cinema (obituary)". [[Los Angeles Times]].
  12. Riddle, Amanda. (May 14, 2001). "Crooning baritone Perry Como dies". The Madison Courier.
  13. Henn, Jennifer. (May 24, 2001). "Jason Miller dies". Scranton Times Tribune.
  14. Bergan, Ronald. (June 5, 2001). "Obituary: Anthony Quinn". [[The Guardian]].
  15. Leite, Marcelo. (2023-04-19). "Trini's Fate In Power Rangers Reminds Us Of What Happened To Thuy Trang".
  16. (12 October 2001). "Paid Notice: Deaths ROSS, HERBERT D.". [[The New York Times]].
  17. Reynolds, Nigel. (17 November 2001). "Four Weddings actress Charlotte is dead at 33". The Telegraph.
  18. "George Harrison's Death Certificate". [[The Smoking Gun]].
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