Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)

Plot

Orphaned as a baby, Harry Potter is entrusted to his only living relatives, the Dursley family, by Professor Albus Dumbledore, Professor Minerva McGonagall, and key keeper Rubeus Hagrid from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Dursleys keep Harry unaware of magic until his eleventh birthday approaches, when their home is flooded with letters addressed to Harry, informing him he has been accepted to study magic at Hogwarts. When the Dursleys intercept the letters, Hagrid is sent to confirm that Harry is a wizard. Harry subsequently purchases school supplies with Hagrid at Diagon Alley, where he learns he is celebrated for surviving the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, who seemingly perished after murdering Harry's parents and left him with only a lightning-bolt-shaped scar.

Harry journeys to Hogwarts aboard the Hogwarts Express, where he meets Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Upon arrival, the first-year students are sorted into four houses: Harry, Ron, and Hermione join Gryffindor, while the haughty Draco Malfoy goes to Slytherin, known for producing dark wizards. As they begin learning about magic and exploring Hogwarts, the three accidentally wander onto a forbidden corridor on the third floor, guarded by a giant three-headed dog named Fluffy; they subsequently question what it could be guarding.

While Harry and Ron become friends, Hermione's studious ways ostracise her from the other students. On Halloween, Ron insults her and she retreats to the girls' toilets at the same time a mountain troll is found loose in the school. Harry and Ron rescue her from the troll and, when the teachers find them, Hermione takes the blame by saying she went looking for the troll, affirming the three's friendship; at the same time, Harry notices potions professor Severus Snape has sustained an injury. At his first flying lesson, Harry displays such impressive flying skills that McGonagall makes him Seeker for the Gryffindor Quidditch team; during his first match, Ron and Hermione act when they see Snape appearing to jinx Harry's broomstick. Snape's actions lead Harry to suspect him of trying to get into the third-floor corridor, which Hagrid dismisses, unintentionally revealing Fluffy is guarding something known only to Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel.

Harry and Ron spend Christmas together at Hogwarts, where Harry receives a Cloak of Invisibility and discovers the Mirror of Erised, which displays one's deepest desire. When Hermione returns, she informs the boys that Nicholas Flamel is the creator of the Philosopher's Stone, which can grant users immortality, and determines that this is what is being kept on the third floor. When Harry later encounters someone in the forest surrounding the school feeding on a unicorn, which the centaur Firenze informs him can keep a person alive, Harry deduces that it was Voldemort and that Snape wants to use the Philosopher's Stone to revive him.

When Dumbledore is summoned to London, the three suspect Snape will attempt to steal the stone and decide to stop him. Sneaking onto the third floor, they get past Fluffy and face further defences of a strangling plant, flying keys, and a giant, enchanted chessboard, which leaves Ron incapacitated. Hermione tends to him, leaving Harry alone to confront the intruder, which turns out to be timid Professor Quirrell, whom Snape had been investigating all year while protecting Harry. Harry is granted the Stone by the final defence, the Mirror of Erised, by virtue of not desiring it. Quirrell reveals Voldemort's weakened form on the back of his head, and they attempt to persuade Harry to hand it over. When Harry refuses, Voldemort orders Quirrell to kill him, but Harry's touch incinerates Quirrell's body, from which Voldemort's soul escapes.

Harry wakes up in the hospital wing, where Dumbledore explains that the Stone has been destroyed, and that Harry has twice overcome Voldemort owing to his mother's sacrifice, which repels harmful magic through him. As the school year ends, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville Longbottom earn house points for their heroism, enabling Gryffindor to win the House Cup despite Slytherin's lead. As the summer nears, Harry is happy to have found a real home at Hogwarts.

Cast

• Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter: An 11-year-old orphan living with his unwelcoming aunt, uncle, and cousin, who learns of his own fame as a wizard known to have survived his parents' murder at the hands of the dark wizard Lord Voldemort as an infant when he is accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Columbus had wanted Radcliffe for the role since he saw him in the BBC's production of David Copperfield before the open casting sessions had taken place but had been told by casting director Susan Figgis that Radcliffe's protective parents would not allow their son to take part in fear of him not going to have a normal childhood. Columbus explained that his persistence in giving Radcliffe the role was responsible for Figgis' resignation. Radcliffe was asked to audition in 2000 when Heyman and Kloves met him and his parents at a production of Stones in His Pockets in London. Heyman and Columbus successfully managed to convince Radcliffe's parents that their son would be protected from media intrusion. They agreed to let him play Harry. Rowling approved of Radcliffe's casting, stating that "having seen [his] screen test I don't think Chris Columbus could have found a better Harry." Radcliffe was reportedly paid £1 million for the film, although he felt the fee was "not that important" to him. The Saunders triplets appear as Harry as a baby.
• Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley: Harry's best friend at Hogwarts and a younger member of the Weasley wizarding family. A fan of the series, Grint decided he would be perfect for the part "because [he has] ginger hair". Having seen a Newsround report about the open casting he sent in a video of himself rapping about how he wished to receive the part. His attempt was successful as the casting team asked for a meeting with him.
• Emma Watson as Hermione Granger: Harry's other best friend and the trio's brains. Watson's Oxford theatre teacher passed her name on to the casting agents and she had to do over five interviews before she got the part. Watson took her audition seriously, but "never really thought [she] had any chance of getting the role." The producers were impressed by Watson's self-confidence and she outperformed the thousands of other girls who had applied.
• John Cleese as Nearly Headless Nick: The ghost of Gryffindor House.
• Robbie Coltrane as Rubeus Hagrid: A half-giant and Hogwarts' gamekeeper. Coltrane was one of the two actors Rowling wanted most, along with Smith as McGonagall. Coltrane, who was already a fan of the books, prepared for the role by discussing Hagrid's past and future with Rowling.
• Warwick Davis as Filius Flitwick: The Charms Master and head of Ravenclaw House. Davis also plays two other roles in the film: the Goblin Head Teller at Gringotts, and dubs the voice of Griphook, who is embodied by Verne Troyer.
• Richard Griffiths as Vernon Dursley: Harry's Muggle uncle.
• Richard Harris as Albus Dumbledore: Hogwarts' Headmaster and one of the most famous and powerful wizards of all time. Harris initially rejected the role, only to reverse his decision after his granddaughter stated she would never speak to him again if he did not take it.
• Ian Hart as Quirinus Quirrell: The stuttering Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts. Hart also voiced Lord Voldemort, while Richard Bremmer provided his physical appearance and portrayed him as a hooded figure during a flashback.
• John Hurt as Mr. Ollivander: a highly regarded wandmaker and the owner of Ollivanders.
• Alan Rickman as Severus Snape: The Potions Master and head of Slytherin House.
• Fiona Shaw as Petunia Dursley: Harry's Muggle aunt.
• Maggie Smith as Minerva McGonagall: The Deputy Headmistress, head of Gryffindor and transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts. Smith was one of the two actors Rowling wanted most, along with Coltrane as Hagrid.
• Julie Walters as Molly Weasley: Ron's mother. She shows Harry how to get to Platform .

Additionally, Zoë Wanamaker appears as Madame Hooch, Hogwarts' flying instructor and Quidditch referee; Tom Felton portrays Draco Malfoy, a student in Slytherin and Harry's rival. Harry Melling plays Dudley Dursley, Harry's Muggle cousin; and David Bradley appears as Argus Filch, Hogwarts' caretaker. Matthew Lewis, Devon Murray and Alfred Enoch portray Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas respectively, three first year students in Gryffindor; James and Oliver Phelps play twins Fred and George Weasley, Ron's brothers, while Chris Rankin appears as his other brother Percy, a Gryffindor prefect, and Bonnie Wright appears as Ron's sister Ginny. Sean Biggerstaff portrays Oliver Wood, the Keeper of the Gryffindor Quidditch team; Jamie Waylett and Joshua Herdman play Crabbe and Goyle, Malfoy's minions; and Leslie Phillips voices the Sorting Hat. Derek Deadman plays Tom, innkeeper of The Leaky Cauldron; and Elizabeth Spriggs appears as the Fat Lady, a painting at Hogwarts. Jean Southern plays dimpled woman on train.

Production

Development

In 1997, producer David Heyman searched for a children's book that could be adapted into a well-received film. He had planned to produce Diana Wynne Jones' novel The Ogre Downstairs, but his plans fell through. His assistant at Heyday Films then suggested Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which she believed was "a cool idea." Although originally not liking the title, Heyman read the novel and "fell in love" with it. After the publication of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in 1998, Heyman pitched the novels to Warner Bros. Pictures and in 1999, author J.K. Rowling sold the company the rights to the first four Harry Potter books for a reported £1million. A demand Rowling made was for Heyman to keep the cast strictly British and Irish; the latter's case has Richard Harris as Albus Dumbledore and Fiona Shaw as Petunia Dursley, and not to cast foreign actors unless absolutely necessary, like casting of French and Eastern European actors in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) where characters from the book are specified as such. Rowling was hesitant to sell the rights because she "didn't want to give them control over the rest of the story" by selling the rights to the characters, which would have enabled Warner Bros. to make non-author-written sequels.

Although Steven Spielberg initially negotiated to direct the film, he declined the offer. Spielberg reportedly wanted the adaptation to be an animated film produced by DreamWorks Animation that incorporated elements from subsequent books as well, with American actor Haley Joel Osment to provide Harry Potter's voice. Spielberg contended that, in his opinion, it was like "shooting ducks in a barrel. It's just a slam dunk. It's just like withdrawing a billion dollars and putting it into your personal bank accounts. There's no challenge". Rowling maintains that she had no role in choosing directors for the films and that "[a]nyone who thinks I could (or would) have 'veto-ed' him [Spielberg] needs their Quick-Quotes Quill serviced". Heyman recalled that Spielberg decided to direct A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) instead. In a 2023 interview, Spielberg stated that he turned down the project so he could spend time with his family.

After Spielberg left, talks began with other directors, including Chris Columbus, Jonathan Demme, David Fincher, Terry Gilliam, Mike Newell (who would later direct the Goblet of Fire), Alan Parker, Wolfgang Petersen, Rob Reiner, Ivan Reitman, Tim Robbins, Brad Silberling, M. Night Shyamalan and Peter Weir. Shyamalan declined as he already working on Signs (2002). Petersen and Reiner both pulled out of the running in March 2000, and the choice was narrowed down to Silberling, Columbus, Parker and Gilliam.

Rowling's first choice director was Gilliam, but Warner Bros. chose Columbus, citing his work on other family films such as Home Alone (1990) and Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) as influences for their decision. Columbus had become a fan of the book series after his daughter persuaded him to read the first three books, leading him to call his agent to arrange a meeting at Warner Bros. to direct the film. When his agent told him that at least 25 other directors were eager to helm the project, Columbus requested his agent to secure his meeting to be the last one so he could give a "lasting impression" and be the studio's "freshest person in their memory".

During two weeks of waiting, Columbus wrote a 130-page director's version of the screenplay to explain his vision for the film's tone. The day of his meeting with Warner Bros. executives including Alan F. Horn, Columbus delivered an "impassioned 45-minute talk" and showed them his annotated script. Weeks later, the studio notified Columbus that he had got the job and sent him to Scotland to meet with Rowling and Heyman. Columbus pitched his vision of the film for two hours, stating that he wanted the Muggle scenes "to be bleak and dreary" but those set in the wizarding world "to be steeped in color, mood, and detail." He took inspiration from David Lean's adaptations of Great Expectations (1946) and Oliver Twist (1948), wishing to use "that sort of darkness, that sort of edge, that quality to the cinematography," while being further inspired by the colour designs from Oliver! (1968) and The Godfather (1972).

Steve Kloves was selected to write the screenplay. He described adapting the book as "tough", as it did not "lend itself to adaptation as well as the next two books". Kloves often received synopses of books proposed as film adaptations from Warner Bros., which he "almost never read", but Harry Potter jumped out at him. He went out and bought the book, and became an instant fan of the series. When speaking to Warner Bros., he stated that the film had to be British, and had to be true to the characters. Kloves was nervous when he first met Rowling as he did not want her to think he was going to "[destroy] her baby". Rowling admitted that she "was really ready to hate this Steve Kloves," but recalled her initial meeting with him: "The first time I met him, he said to me, 'You know who my favourite character is?' And I thought, You're gonna say Ron. I know you're gonna say Ron. But he said 'Hermione.' And I just kind of melted". Rowling received a large amount of creative control, an arrangement that Columbus did not mind.

Warner Bros. had initially planned to release the film over 4 July 2001 weekend, making for such a short production window that several proposed directors pulled themselves out of the running. Due to time constraints, the date was put back to 16 November 2001.

Casting

To maintain the British authenticity of the films and keep them faithful to the books, Rowling demanded for an "all-British and Irish cast". Susie Figgis was appointed as casting director, working with both Columbus and Rowling in auditioning the lead roles of Harry, Ron and Hermione. Columbus' experience while filming Home Alone influenced the casting, and later became extra cautious after learning about Macaulay Culkin's family abuse. Open casting calls were held for the main three roles, with only British children being considered. The principal auditions took place in three parts, with those auditioning having to read a page from the novel, then to improvise a scene of the students' arrival at Hogwarts, and finally to read several pages from the script in front of Columbus. Scenes from Columbus' script for Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) were also used in auditions. On 11 July 2000, Figgis left the production, complaining that Columbus did not consider any of the thousands of children they had auditioned "worthy". She ended up quitting over disagreements with Columbus over who should play the titular character, as Columbus wanted to cast Americans for Harry and the other roles, with rumors that Columbus was thinking on casting Joel Osment or Jake Lloyd from Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) to play Harry.

By August 2000, Alan Rickman and Richard Harris were in final talks to play Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore, respectively, and were confirmed later that month. Tim Roth was the original choice for Snape, but he turned it down for Planet of the Apes (2001). Sean Connery and Christopher Lee were offered the role of Dumbledore, but both declined. Lee turned it down for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001). Patrick McGoohan was also offered the role, which he declined citing health reasons.

On 14 August 2000, Rowling's favourites Maggie Smith and Robbie Coltrane were cast as Minerva McGonagall and Rubeus Hagrid. According to Figgis, Robin Williams was interested in playing the role of Hagrid, but was turned down for the role because of the "strictly British and Irish actors only" rule which Columbus was determined to maintain.

On 21 August 2000, Daniel Radcliffe and newcomers Rupert Grint and Emma Watson were selected to play Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, respectively. According to Columbus, Harry was the hardest role to cast. Hundreds of young stars auditioned for Harry, including Liam Aiken, Jamie Campbell Bower (who was later cast as a young Gellert Grindelwald in Deathly Hallows Part 1), Tom Felton (who also auditioned for Ron, and was later cast as Draco Malfoy), Nicholas Hoult, William Moseley, and Jack Whitehall. Aiken was reported as being a frontrunner for the role, having worked with Columbus on the film Stepmom (1998). However, Rowling was firm on her British actors only rule, and even called Columbus to confirm that Aiken would not be cast. Gabriel Thomson was also initially reported as having been given the role, though this would be proven untrue upon the casting of Radcliffe.

Hatty Jones, who starred in the title role in Madeline (1998), was considered for the role of Hermione Granger and had auditioned alongside Watson; she was later deemed outgrown. Katy B also auditioned for Hermione, with Thomas Brodie-Sangster auditioning for the role of Ron. Freddie Boath had been due to audition for a role in the film, but opted instead to star in The Mummy Returns (2001).

In November 2000, Julie Walters and John Cleese joined the cast as Molly Weasley and Nearly-Headless Nick, respectively. Rosie O'Donnell met with Columbus to express her interest in playing the role of Molly, but was, like Williams and Aiken, turned away over the British actors only rule. David Thewlis auditioned for Quirinus Quirrell; he would later be cast as Remus Lupin in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004). Rowling herself was considered for Lily Evans; Harry's mother, but she turned down the role so Geraldine Somerville was cast.

Filming

Two British film industry officials requested that the film be shot in the United Kingdom, offering their assistance in securing filming locations, the use of Leavesden Film Studios, as well as changing the UK's child labour laws (adding a small number of working hours per week and making the timing of on-set classes more flexible). Warner Bros. accepted their proposal.

Principal photography began on 29 September 2000 at Leavesden Film Studios. Filming at the North Yorkshire's Goathland railway station took place on 2 October 2000. Canterbury Cathedral and Scotland's Inverailort Castle were both touted as possible locations for Hogwarts; Canterbury rejected Warner Bros. proposal due to concerns about the film's "pagan" theme. Alnwick Castle and Gloucester Cathedral were eventually selected as the principal locations for Hogwarts, with some scenes also being filmed at Harrow School. Other Hogwarts scenes were filmed in Durham Cathedral over a two-week period; these included shots of the corridors and some classroom scenes. Oxford University's Divinity School served as the Hogwarts Hospital Wing, and Duke Humfrey's Library, part of the Bodleian, was used as the Hogwarts Library.

Filming for Privet Drive took place on Picket Post Close in Bracknell, Berkshire. Filming in the street took two days instead of the planned single day, so payments to the street's residents were correspondingly increased. For all the subsequent film's scenes set in Privet Drive, filming took place on a constructed set in Leavesden Film Studios, which proved to be cheaper than filming on location. London's Australia House was selected as the location for Gringotts Wizarding Bank, while Christ Church, Oxford, was the location for the Hogwarts trophy room. London Zoo's Reptile House was used as the location for the scene in which Harry accidentally sets a snake on Dudley, with King's Cross Station also being used as the book specifies. Filming concluded on 23 March 2001, with final work being done in July 2001.

Because the American title was different, all scenes that mention the philosopher's stone by name had to be shot twice, once with the actors saying "philosopher's" and once with "sorcerer's". The children filmed for four hours and then did three hours of schoolwork. They developed a liking for fake facial injuries from the makeup staff. Radcliffe was initially meant to wear green contact lenses as his eyes are blue, and not green like Harry's, but the lenses gave Radcliffe extreme irritation. Upon consultation with Rowling, it was agreed that Harry could have blue eyes. Radcliffe said that the first time he put on the glasses it set off his allergies.

Columbus said the film had a lot of cuts and was filmed with multiple cameras because he had trouble getting the young cast to "stop smiling" into the camera.

The steam engine used in the film as the Hogwarts Express up until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, was GWR 4900 Class 5972 Olton Hall, but it was originally not the first locomotive to be selected as the Hogwarts Express. To promote the books, the Southern Railway locomotive 34027 Taw Valley was repainted and renamed temporarily, but was rejected by director Chris Columbus as looking 'too modern' for the film. The LMS Class 8F No. 48151 had also been considered for the film.

Design and special effects

Judianna Makovsky served as the costume designer. She re-designed the Quidditch robes, having initially planned to use those shown on the cover of the American book, but deemed them "a mess". Instead, she dressed the Quidditch players in "preppie sweaters, 19th-century fencing breeches and arm guards". Production designer Stuart Craig built the sets at Leavesden Studios, including Hogwarts Great Hall, basing it on many English cathedrals. Although originally asked to use an existing old street to film the Diagon Alley scenes, Craig decided to build his own set, comprising Tudor, Georgian and Queen Anne architecture.

Columbus originally planned to use both animatronics and CGI animation to create the magical creatures, including Fluffy. Nick Dudman, who worked on Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, was given the task of creating the needed prosthetics, with Jim Henson's Creature Shop providing creature effects. John Coppinger stated that the magical creatures that needed to be created had to be designed multiple times. The film features nearly 600 special effects shots, involving numerous companies. Industrial Light & Magic created Lord Voldemort's face on the back of Quirrell, Rhythm & Hues animated Norbert (Hagrid's baby dragon); and Sony Pictures Imageworks produced the Quidditch scenes, as well as the effects for the mountain troll, with actor Michael Q. Schmidt serving as reference for the troll's body.{{cite web |url-status=usurped

Music

Main article: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (soundtrack)

James Horner was initially sought to compose the score, but declined the opportunity. Having previously collaborated with Columbus on the Home Alone films and Stepmom, John Williams was selected to compose the score in August 2000. Williams composed the score at his homes in Los Angeles and Tanglewood before recording it in London in September 2001. One of the main themes is entitled "Hedwig's Theme"; Williams retained it for his finished score as "everyone seemed to like it," and it became a recurring theme throughout the series.

Differences from the book

Columbus repeatedly checked with Rowling to make sure he was getting minor details correct. Kloves described the film as being "really faithful" to the book. He added dialogue, of which Rowling approved. One of the lines originally included had to be removed after Rowling told him that it would directly contradict an event in the then-unreleased fifth Harry Potter novel Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Several minor characters were removed from the film version, most prominently Peeves the poltergeist. Rik Mayall was cast, but his scenes were cut and never released. The book's first chapter, told from the viewpoint of Vernon and Petunia Dursley, is absent from the film. Harry and Draco's first encounter in Madam Malkin's robe shop and the midnight duel are not in the film. In the film, the responsibility of taking Norbert away is given to Dumbledore, while in the book, Harry and Hermione have to bring him by hand to Charlie Weasley's friends. This necessitated a change in the detention plotline: in the book, Filch catches Harry and Hermione leaving the Astronomy Tower and puts them in detention with Neville and Malfoy, while in the film, all three protagonists receive detention after Malfoy finds them in Hagrid's hut after hours. According to Kloves, this was "the one part of the book that [Rowling] felt easily could be changed". The Quidditch pitch is altered from a traditional stadium to an open field circled by spectator towers.

The book's timeline is not enforced in the film. In the book, Harry's eleventh birthday is in 1991. On the film set for 4 Privet Drive, Dudley's certificates from primary school bear the year 2001.

Distribution

Marketing

The first teaser poster of the film was released on 1 December 2000. The first teaser trailer was released via satellite on 2 March 2001 and debuted in cinemas with the release of See Spot Run. A video game based on the film was released on 15 November 2001 by Electronic Arts for several consoles. A port for the game, for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox, was released in 2003. Mattel won the rights to produce toys based on the film, to be sold exclusively through Warner Bros. stores. Hasbro also produced products, including confectionery products based on those from the series. Warner Bros. signed a deal worth US$150million with Coca-Cola to promote the film, although some pegged the deal at $40 million-$50 million worldwide for the movie. Lego produced a series of sets based on buildings and scenes from the film, as well as a Lego Creator video game.

Theatrical release

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone had its world premiere at the Odeon Leicester Square in London on 4 November 2001, with the cinema arranged to resemble Hogwarts School.

The film had previews in the United Kingdom on 1,137 screens at 491 theatres on 10 and 11 November 2001. It officially opened on 16 November 2001 on 1,168 screens at 507 theatres in the United Kingdom and Ireland; in 3,672 theatres in the United States and Canada. It was the widest release at the time in the United Kingdom and the United States.

Home media

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was first released on VHS and DVD on 11 May 2002 in the United Kingdom and 28 May 2002 in the United States. Between May and June 2002, the film sold 10million copies, almost 60% of which were DVD sales. It would go on to make $19.1 million in rentals, surpassing The Fast and the Furious for having the largest DVD rentals. This record was surpassed by The Bourne Identity in January 2003.

In December 2009, a 4-disc "Ultimate Edition" was released, with seven minutes of deleted scenes added back in, the feature-length special Creating the World of Harry Potter Part 1: The Magic Begins, and a 48-page hardcover booklet. The extended version has a running time of about 159 minutes, which had previously been shown during certain television airings. The film was re-released on DVD as part of the 8-disc Harry Potter: The Complete 8-Film Collection in November 2011, and on Blu-ray as part of the 31-disc Hogwarts Collection in April 2014. It was released on UHD Blu-ray as part of the 16-disc Harry Potter: 8-Film Collection in November 2017.

Reception

Box office

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone grossed a record single day gross of £3.6million during the first day of previews, beating Toy Story 2s record. It grossed a record £3.1million for a Sunday, bringing its total to £6.7million from the previews. It broke the record for the highest-opening weekend ever, both including and excluding previews, making £16.3million with and £9.6million without previews ($13.8 million), setting a further record single day gross on the Saturday with £3.99million. It set another Sunday record with a gross of £3.6million. It had a record second weekend of £8.4 million. It remained at number one in the UK for five weeks. The film went on to make £66.1million in the UK alone, making it the country's second-highest-grossing film of all-time (after Titanic), until it was surpassed by Mamma Mia!.

In the United States and Canada, it made $32.3million on its opening day, breaking the single-day record previously held by Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999). On the second day of release, the film's gross increased to $33.5million, breaking the record for biggest single day again. It made $90.3million during its first weekend, breaking the record for highest-opening weekend of all time that was previously held by The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997). It held the record until the following May when Spider-Man (2002) made $114.8million in its opening weekend. Plus, the film broke Batman Forevers record for having the largest opening weekend for a Warner Bros. film. It would hold this record for two years until it was surpassed by The Matrix Reloaded (2003). Additionally, it shattered other opening records, surpassing Monsters, Inc. for having the biggest November opening weekend, Planet of the Apes for having the largest non-holiday opening weekend, the highest Friday gross and the biggest opening weekend of the year, The Mummy Returns for scoring the highest Saturday gross, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) for having the highest opening weekend for a Chris Columbus film and Mission: Impossible 2 (2000) for having the largest number of screenings, playing at 3,672 theaters. In just five days, it became the fastest film to approach the $100million mark. The film grossed $2.3 million in its first two days in Taiwan, giving it a worldwide opening weekend total of $107 million. The film held onto the number 1 spot at the US box office for three consecutive weekends before getting overtaken by Ocean's Eleven. The film also had the highest-grossing 5-day (Wednesday-Sunday) Thanksgiving weekend record of $82.4million, holding the title for twelve years until both The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) and Frozen (2013) surpassed it with $110.1million and $94million respectively. By Christmas, it went on to become the highest-grossing film of the year, dethroning Shrek.

Similar results were achieved across the world. A week after opening in the United States, the film added 15 additional markets and set an opening week record in Germany, grossing $18.7 million. It also set opening records in Austria, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and German-speaking Switzerland. In the following weekend, after expanding to 31 countries, the film set a record overseas weekend gross of $60.9 million, including record openings in Australia, Greece, Israel, Japan ($12.5 million), New Zealand and Spain. It set another overseas weekend record with $62.3 million from 37 countries the following weekend, including record openings in France, Italy and French-speaking Switzerland. The international opening weekend record would be held until it was given to Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) a year later. During its theatrical run, the film earned $974million at the worldwide box office, $317million of that in the US and $657million elsewhere, which made it the second-highest-grossing film in history at the time, as well as the year's highest-grossing film. In addition, it surpassed Twister (1996) to become the highest-grossing Warner Bros. film of all time. It is the second-highest-grossing Harry Potter film after Deathly Hallows – Part 2. Box Office Mojo estimates that the film sold over 55.9million tickets in the US and Canada.

In August 2020, The Philosopher's Stone was re-released in several countries, including a 4K 3D restoration in China, where it earned $26.4million, for a global $1.026billion, making it the second film in the series to surpass the billion-dollar mark, after Deathly Hallows – Part 2.

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of based on reviews, with an average rating of . The site's critical consensus reads, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone adapts its source material faithfully while condensing the novel's overstuffed narrative into an involving – and often downright exciting – big-screen magical caper." On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 65 out of 100, based on 36 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.

Roger Ebert called Philosopher's Stone "a classic," giving the film four out of four stars, and particularly praising the Quidditch scenes' visual effects. Praise was echoed by both The Telegraph and Empire reviewers, with Alan Morrison of the latter naming it the film's "stand-out sequence". Brian Linder of IGN also gave the film a positive review, but concluded that it "isn't perfect, but for me it's a nice supplement to a book series that I love". Although criticising the final half-hour, Jeanne Aufmuth of Palo Alto Online stated that the film would "enchant even the most cynical of moviegoers." USA Today reviewer Claudia Puig gave the film three out of four stars, especially praising the set design and Robbie Coltrane's portrayal of Hagrid, but criticised John Williams' music, stating the "overly insistent score lacks subtlety and bludgeons us with crescendos", and concluded that "ultimately many of the book's readers may wish for a more magical incarnation."

The sets, design, cinematography, effects and principal cast were all given praise from Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter, although he deemed John Williams' score "a great clanging, banging music box that simply will not shut up." Todd McCarthy of Variety compared the film positively with Gone with the Wind and put "The script is faithful, the actors are just right, the sets, costumes, makeup and effects match and sometimes exceed anything one could imagine." Jonathan Foreman of the New York Post recalled that the film was "remarkably faithful," to its literary counterpart as well as a "consistently entertaining if overlong adaptation."

Richard Corliss, of Time magazine, considered the film a "by the numbers adaptation," criticising the pace and the "charisma-free" lead actors. CNN's Paul Tatara found that Columbus and Kloves "are so careful to avoid offending anyone by excising a passage from the book, the so-called narrative is more like a jamboree inside Rowling's head." Ed Gonzalez of Slant Magazine wished that the film had been directed by Tim Burton, finding the cinematography "bland and muggy," and the majority of the film a "solidly dull celebration of dribbling goo." Elvis Mitchell of The New York Times was highly negative about the film, comparing it to "a theme park that's a few years past its prime; the rides clatter and groan with metal fatigue every time they take a curve." He also said it suffered from "a lack of imagination" and wooden characters, adding, "The Sorting Hat ... has more personality than anything else in the movie."

Accolades

Philosopher's Stone received three Academy Award nominations: Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score for John Williams. The film was also nominated for seven BAFTA Awards: Best British Film, Best Supporting Actor for Robbie Coltrane, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Makeup and Hair, Best Sound, and Best Visual Effects. It won a Saturn Award for Best Costume, and was nominated for eight more awards. It won other awards from the Casting Society of America and the Costume Designers Guild. It was nominated for the AFI Film Award for its special effects, and the Art Directors Guild Award for its production design. It received the Broadcast Film Critics Award for Best Family Film, and was nominated for Best Child Performance (for Daniel Radcliffe) and Best Composer. In 2005, the American Film Institute nominated the film for AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores.

References

Works cited

References

1. Feinberg, Scott. (22 November 2011). "Daniel Radcliffe Reflects on the 'Harry Potter' Films, Celebrity, and His Future (Audio)". The Hollywood Reporter.
2. Ursini, James. (1 March 2006). "The Modern Amazons: Warrior Women On-Screen". [[Rowman & Littlefield]].
3. https://jewishjournal.com/culture/arts/65859/
4. Gilchrist, Todd. (2 January 2025). "David Fincher Says He Met With Warner Bros. to Direct 'Harry Potter' and Told the Studio 'I Want It to Be Kind of Creepy'". Variety.
5. (2002-07-24). "Sixth Sense director turned down Harry Potter film".
6. https://ew.com/chris-columbus-macaulay-culkin-stardom-affected-harry-potter-8712419
7. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/apr/26/chris-columbus-childrens-novel-house-secrets
8. Goldbart, Max. (16 December 2024). "Inside HBO's 'Harry Potter' Sorting Hat: Casting Directors Narrow Search Down For Harry, Hermione & Ron". Deadline Hollywood.
9. (30 October 2002). "Peter O'toole Tipped to Take over Old Chum's Harry Potter".
10. (5 November 2020). "Every Major Role Sean Connery Turned Down".
11. (21 August 2000). "At last, Harry Potter and friends step out of the shadows".
12. (18 November 2021). "'If you recast me, I'll f***ing kill you': An oral history of Harry Potter at 20".
13. (December 30, 2016). "The Hilarious Reason Daniel Radcliffe Was Cast As Harry Potter".
14. Brown, Emma. (2013-08-20). "The Rise of Jamie Campbell Bower".
15. (November 19, 2022). "Tom Felton looks back: 'I had a nice car, a house in LA. You're told they make you happy – they don't'".
16. (May 28, 2002). "About A Boy star could have been Harry Potter".
17. (31 July 2021). "Jack Whitehall on 'Jungle Cruise' and How He Messed up His Audition for 'Harry Potter' as a Child".
18. (July 20, 2000). "Rumours raging over American Harry Potter".
19. (22 July 2019). "This Little-Known Actress Very Nearly Played Hermione Granger Instead Of Emma Watson".
20. Nicholson, Rebecca. (29 March 2011). "Katy B: One step beyond". The Guardian.
21. (August 17, 2024). "Yes, Freddie Boath Really Turned Down A Role In Harry Potter To Star In The Mummy Returns — Where The Actor Is Now".
22. (April 19, 2000). "'Rosie' in Harry Potter?".
23. (26 March 2020). "Harry Potter: The Character J. K. Rowling Almost Played Herself". ScreenRant.
24. "Section: Rumours".
25. Carnevale, Rob. "BBC - Movies - interview - Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint".
26. Reynolds, Simon. (10 November 2011). "Daniel Radcliffe: 'I was allergic to Harry Potter's glasses' - video". Digital Spy.
27. Bahr, Sarah. (2021-11-11). "'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' at 20: The Film That Started It All". The New York Times.
28. Rubin, Rebecca. (2021-11-04). "'Harry Potter' Turns 20: Director Chris Columbus on Working With Young Daniel Radcliffe and Why He Wants to Adapt 'The Cursed Child'".
29. "Harry Potter Express". steamtrain.info.
30. Stubbings, David. (27 February 2023). "Severn Valley Railway's purple 'royal' loco gets a makeover as it's painted into new colour". Shropshire Star.
31. Bestwick, Alex. (2023-09-01). "From the archive: Harry Potter - How the rail scenes were filmed {{!}} Heritage Railway Magazine".
32. "UK weekend box office reports: 2001".
33. Groves, Don. (26 November 2001). "'Potter' flies; Teutons prefer 'Blonde'".
34. (18 November 2001). "POTTER OF GOLD: A $31M OPENING".
35. Lyman, Rick. (November 19, 2001). "Harry Potter and the Box Office of Gold; Film Based on Popular Book Sets Record With $93.5 Million Opening Weekend". The New York Times.
36. (19 May 2003). "'Matrix' sequel is big but no match for 'Spider-Man'".
37. Linder, Brian. (November 20, 2001). "Weekend Box Office: Potter Smashes Records". IGN.
38. (May 6, 2002). "'Spider-Man' spins magical web on weekend moviegoers". [[Hattiesburg American]].
39. (December 12, 2001). "'Ocean's Eleven' rolls winning numbers". [[The News & Observer]].
40. (December 27, 2001). "'Lord of the Rings' rules holiday weekend". [[News-Journal]].
41. Groves, Don. (3 December 2001). "O'seas B.O. rises to wizard's wand".
42. Groves, Don. (9 December 2001). "O'seas spellbound for 'Harry'".
43. Groves, Don. (16 December 2001). "'Harry' conjures B.O. gold; 'Rings' set to shine".
44. Gray, Brandon. "'Attack of the Clones' Conquers the World with $179 Million Opening". [[Box Office Mojo]].
45. "'Twister': The Circumstances Of Its Blockbuster Success May Be Impossible To Replicate".
46. "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (aka Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)".
47. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)".
48. "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (PG)".
49. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)".
50. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone".
51. (14 September 2001). "Inside Harry Potter".
52. Koltnow, Barry. (8 July 2007). "One enchanted night at theater, Radcliffe became Harry Potter". [[East Valley Tribune]].
53. Sussman, Paul. (23 August 2000). "British child actor 'a splendid Harry Potter'".
54. (3 November 2001). "When Danny Met Harry". [[The Times]].
55. Carroll, Larry. (2 May 2008). ""Narnia" Star William Moseley Reflects on Nearly Becoming Harry Potter". [[MTV]].
56. Dalton, Dan. (14 July 2014). "No, Baby Harry Potter From The First Film Didn't Play Albus Severus Potter In "The Deathly Hallows: Part 2"".
57. Lamont, Tom. (5 April 2015). "Thomas Brodie-Sangster: 'They got my autograph but still wouldn't serve me a pint'".
58. Schwartz, Missy. (17 December 2001). ""Harry Potter"'s Hermione talks sequel and more".
59. Kulkani, Dhananjay. (23 June 2004). "Emma Watson, New Teenage Sensation!!".
60. Linder, Brian. (22 March 2001). "Cleese Talks Harry Potter".
61. Davies, Hugh. (14 August 2000). "Author's favourites are chosen for Potter film". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
62. Bradley, Bill. (31 December 2016). "The Hilarious Reason Daniel Radcliffe Was Cast As Harry Potter". [[The Huffington Post]].
63. Rowling, J. K.. (2 November 2001). "JK Rowling interview in full". [[CBBC]].
64. (14 September 2001). "Inside Harry Potter".
65. (15 November 2001). "Robin Williams turned down for Potter". [[The Guardian]].
66. Robinson, Tasha. (7 November 2001). "Warwick Davis".
67. McCarthy, Todd. (9 November 2001). "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone".
68. Cho, Diane J.. (14 January 2022). "Remembering the ''Harry Potter'' Actors We've Lost Through the Years".
69. Younge, C.. (27 November 2001). "Richard Harris: The Envelopes, Pleas".
70. (14 January 2009). "Obituary: Patrick McGoohan".
71. (16 November 2021). "Did you know Sean Connery was offered a role in 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone'?".
72. Elvy, Craig. (1 October 2019). "Harry Potter: Every Actor To Play Lord Voldemort".
73. Morris, Clint. (9 June 2004). "Interview: David Thewlis".
74. Davies, Hugh. (2 November 2001). "Studio has last word over Harry Potter and the broken voice".
75. Adler, Shawn. (7 December 2007). "What Would "Potter" Have Been Like with Tim Roth as Snape?". [[MTV]].
76. (7 November 2000). "Walters joins Potter cast".
77. (12 November 2001). "Wanamaker 'insulted' by Potter pay".
78. Schwartz, Terri. (July 13, 2011). "Tom Felton 'Grateful' He Wasn't Cast as Harry Potter".
79. Mitchell, Elvis. (16 November 2001). "Film Review; The Sorcerer's Apprentice". [[The New York Times]].
80. Ebert, Roger. (16 November 2001). "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone movie review (2001)".
81. Spencer, Ashley. (12 September 2016). "Exclusive! Harry Potter's Devon Murray opens up about life after Hogwarts: 'I've got a stud farm in Ireland'".
82. Linder, Brian. (17 November 2001). "Brian Linder's Review of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone".
83. Barber, Martin. (16 December 2002). ""It is odd." - Life as Percy Weasley".
84. Peppin, Hayley. (3 April 2020). "Ginny Weasley actor Bonnie Wright said her friends found out about her kiss with Harry Potter before she did because they were further ahead in the books".
85. (6 November 2001). "Harry Potter 'goes home' for première".
86. (24 October 2002). "Potter baddies: full interview". [[CBBC]].
87. Linder, Brian. (15 November 2000). "Potter Set News & Pics".
88. Bley Griffiths, Eleanor. (8 February 2017). "This Harry Potter character was completely recast – and no one noticed".
89. (3 July 2008). "Elizabeth Spriggs".
90. (14 September 2001). "Inside Harry Potter".
91. (14 September 2001). "Inside Harry Potter".
92. Bagwell, Sheryle. (19 July 2000). "Wi£d about Harry". [[The Australian Financial Review]].
93. Fordy, Tom. (3 January 2022). "JK Rowling's battle to make the Harry Potter films '100 per cent British'".
94. (16 November 2001). "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone". [[The Guardian]].
95. Linder, Brian. (23 February 2000). "No "Harry Potter" for Spielberg". [[IGN]].
96. Jensen, Jeff. (17 March 2000). "Potter's Field".
97. (14 September 2001). "Inside Harry Potter".
98. (5 September 2001). "Quote of the Day: Spielberg on not making Harry Potter". [[Hollywood.com]].
99. Rowling, J.K.. "Rubbish Bin: J K Rowling Veto-ed Steven Spielberg".
100. Schmitz, Greg Dean. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)".
101. Douglas, Edward. (10 July 2006). "A Good Night for Harry Potter?".
102. Linder, Brian. (7 March 2000). "Two Potential "Harry Potter" Director's Back Out".
103. Davidson, Paul. (15 March 2000). "Harry Potter Director Narrowed Down".
104. (29 August 2005). "Terry Gilliam bitter about Potter".
105. Linder, Bran. (28 March 2000). "Chris Columbus to Direct Harry Potter".
106. Sragow, Michael. (24 February 2000). "A wizard of Hollywood".
107. Linder, Brian. (17 May 2000). "Bewitched Warner Bros. Delays Potter".
108. Perez, Lexy. (11 November 2000). "'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' Turns 20: Director Chris Columbus Reflects on Pressures to Adapt Book and Hopes to Direct 'Cursed Child'".
109. (14 February 2023). "Steven Spielberg Is 'Very Happy' He Rejected 'Harry Potter' Director Offer: 'I Sacrificed a Great Franchise to Be With Family'". [[Variety (magazine).
110. Linder, Brian. (30 March 2000). "Chris Columbus Talks Potter".
111. Linder, Brian. (30 May 2000). "Attention All Muggles!".
112. Linder, Brian. (11 July 2000). "Harry Potter Casting Frenzy". [[IGN]].
113. Linder, Brian. (11 July 2000). "Trouble Brewing with Potter Casting?".
114. Davis, Simon. (11 August 2000). "Rickman and Harris lined up for Potter film".
115. (21 August 2000). "Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson Bring Harry, Ron and Hermione to Life for Warner Bros. Pictures "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"".
116. de Graaf, Belinda. (13 November 2000). "John Cleese in film over Harry Potter".
117. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Miscellaneous Notes".
118. "Harry Potter at Leavesden".
119. Linder, Brian. (2 October 2000). "Potter Pics: Hagrid, Hogsmeade Station, and the Hogwarts Express".
120. (28 June 2000). "All 7 Harry Potter Books to Film?".
121. (20 June 2000). "Euro-AICN Special Report: Harry Potter, and a Little Bit on Aardman's next". [[Ain't it Cool News]].
122. Linder, Brian. (5 September 2000). "Another Hogwarts Location for Potter".
123. Linder, Brian. (26 September 2000). "Potter Privet Drive Pics".
124. Linder, Brian. (3 October 2000). "Potter Pics: Part Two – The Hogwarts Set at Durham Cathedral".
125. Linder, Brian. (25 October 2000). "Hogwarts Oxford Location Pics & Rowling Speaks".
126. Shephard, Ben. (7 July 2007). "Harry Potter: Behind the Magic". [[ITV1]].
127. Linder, Brian. (21 February 2001). "Lumos!".
128. (2011). "A Conversation between JK Rowling and Daniel Radcliffe". [[Warner Bros. Pictures]].
129. Cagle, Jess. (5 November 2001). "Cinema: The First Look at Harry".
130. Linder, Brian. (8 January 2001). "Davis Confirms Potter Role".
131. Linder, Brian. (11 January 2001). "Potter Creature Feature".
132. (14 September 2001). "Inside Harry Potter".
133. Linder, Brian. (17 August 2000). "Harry Potter Composer Chosen".
134. Linder, Brian. (23 May 2001). "Potter Postlude".
135. Vishnevetsky, Ignatiy. (23 June 2015). "R.I.P. James Horner".
136. Linder, Brian. (6 February 2001). "Screenwriter Kloves Talks Harry Potter".
137. (9 July 2007). "Harry Potter: Books vs films".
138. Hedash, Kara. (1 July 2019). "Why Harry Potter Is Set In The 1990s".
139. Harvey-Jenner, Catriona. (11 May 2016). "You can soon visit Harry Potter's Privet Drive IRL".
140. Linder, Brian. (13 December 2000). "Potter Poster Pic".
141. Linder, Brian. (28 February 2001). "Potter Preview Premieres Tomorrow".
142. Thorsen, Tor. (12 December 2003). "Sorcerer's Stone ships out".
143. Linder, Brian. (10 February 2000). "Mattel Wins Harry Potter Toy Rights".
144. Linder, Brian. (14 February 2000). "Hasbro Gets Harry Potter Merchandise Rights".
145. (21 February 2001). "'Harry Potter' Goes Better – and Exclusively – With Coke".
146. Linder, Brian. (1 June 2001). "Son of Harry Potter LEGOs".
147. (5 November 2001). "Potter casts spell at world première". [[BBC News]].
148. Groves, Don. (18 November 2001). "'Harry' works magic in U.K.".
149. Groves, Don. (18 November 2001). "'Harry' works magic overseas".
150. Lyman, Rick. (19 November 2001). "Harry Potter and the Box Office of Gold; Film Based on Popular Book Sets Record With $93.5 Million Opening Weekend".
151. Indvik, Kurt. (6 June 2002). "The Morning Buzz: 'Potter' Set A Rental Record, Are There More?".
152. Wagner, Holly J.. (13 May 2002). "Potter First Day UK Sales Sink Titanic".
153. (2008). "Film and Television After DVD". [[Routledge]].
154. (June 6, 2002). "'Potter' casts its rental spell". [[Ventura County Star]].
155. (January 31, 2003). "Bourne bumps Potter". [[The Vancouver Sun]].
156. Peck, Aaron. (9 December 2009). "Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone: Ultimate Edition".
157. Murray, Rebecca. (6 May 2004). "ABC Offers a Sneak Peek at 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'".
158. Goldberg, Matt. (20 September 2011). "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 and Harry Potter: The Complete 8-Film Collection Blu-rays Arrive on November 11th".
159. Lussier, Germain. (25 March 2014). "New 31-Disc 'Harry Potter Hogwarts Collection' Coming Soon".
160. (27 March 2017). "Wizarding World Comes to 4K".
161. (18 November 2001). "Box Office Analysis: "Harry Potter" breaks records". [[Hollywood.com]].
162. Gray, Brandon. (6 May 2002). "'Spider-Man' Takes Box Office on the Ultimate Spin: $114.8 Million".
163. "November 23–25, 2001 Weekend 3-day Thanksgiving Weekend".
164. "November 30 – December 2001 Weekend".
165. (1 December 2013). "Weekend Report: 'Catching Fire,' 'Frozen' Set Thanksgiving Records".
166. (19 November 2001). "Harry Potter Smashes Box Office Records". [[CBBC]].
167. Irvine, Chris. (30 October 2008). "Mamma Mia becomes highest grossing British film". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
168. (19 February 2002). "Potter makes movie chart history". [[CBBC]].
169. "2001 Worldwide Grosses".
170. "Harry Potter Movies".
171. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)".
172. Tartaglione, Nancy. (16 August 2020). "'Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone' Nears $1B WW With Magical China Reissue – International Box Office".
173. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone".
174. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone".
175. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)".
176. Hiscock, John. (4 November 2001). "Magic is the only word for it".
177. Morrison, Alan. (January 2000). "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone".
178. Aufmuth, Jeanne. (1 November 2001). "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone".
179. Puig, Claudia. (16 November 2001). "Visually stunning 'Potter' falls short of pure magic".
180. Honeycutt, Kirk. (14 November 2016). "'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone': THR's 2001 Review".
181. Foreman, Jonathan. (16 November 2001). "Off to see wizards! 'Potter' is a faithful, if not great, movie".
182. Corliss, Richard. (1 November 2001). "Wizardry Without Magic".
183. Tatara, Paul. (16 November 2001). "Review: 'Potter' well acted, heavy handed". [[CNN]].
184. Gonzalez, Ed. (29 October 2001). "Review: ''Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone''".
185. (23 September 2005). "AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores Nominees". [[American Film Institute]].
186. (4 December 2015). "2002 Winners & Nominees".
187. "Amanda Awards (Norway) 2002".
188. "AFI Awards for Motion Pictures 2001".
189. "2002 Winners & nominees".
190. "Film in 2002".
191. "The BFCA Critics' Choice Awards 2001".
192. (14 May 2002). "Top Film, TV, Cable Composers Honored at BMI's Annual Film/TV Awards". [[Broadcast Music, Inc.]].
193. "2002 Artios Award".
194. "Winners of the 4th Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards".
195. McNary, Dave. (27 January 2002). "Editors to cut nom chase".
196. (25 January 2002). "Empire Awards: Nominations Announced".
197. (10 January 2003). "Evening Standard British Film Awards 1990–2001". [[London Evening Standard]].
198. Hobbs, John. (10 February 2002). "Sound editors tap noms for Golden Reel Awards".
199. (7 January 2003). "45th Annual Grammy Award Nominations".
200. (26 July 2007). "2002 Hugo Awards".
201. "25th Japan Academy Prize".
202. (5 March 2002). "Nickelodeon's "Kids' Choice Awards 2002" Premieres April 20".
203. (23 April 2002). "'Lord of the Rings,' 'Fast and the Furious' Top MTV Movie Award Nominees".
204. (11 January 2002). "'Shrek,' 'Harry Potter,' 'Lord of the Rings' among producing guild's nominees". [[Berkeley Daily Planet]].
205. "2002 6th Annual Satellite Awards".
206. (22 January 2002). "'Rouge' rocks kudos".
207. Balchack, Brian. (13 June 2002). "The 2001 Saturn Awards".
208. "2001 24th Hastings Bad Cinema Society Stinkers Awards".
209. (18 August 2002). "2002 Teen Choice Awards". [[The Oklahoman]].
210. "Twenty-Third Annual Young Artist Awards 2002".