Fans of a certain generation might not want to hear this, but yesterday marked exactly 20 years to the day since Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone hit theaters in the United States, five days after audiences in the United Kingdom got their first chance to see Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
The franchise went on to become the highest-grossing film series in history over the next decade, racking up over $8 billion at the box office, turning the entire cast of young unknowns into household names, and giving virtually every notable British character actor the opportunity to pick up at least one paycheck.
While creator J.K. Rowling’s stock has plummeted after a string of inflammatory comments, Harry Potter as a brand remains more popular than ever. However, as you can see below, some longtime supporters simply refuse to believe that it’s been 20 years since Daniel Radcliffe first appeared on the scene as The Boy Who Lived.
This is typically the time of year when people tend to revisit the Harry Potter back catalogue, so it’s no coincidence that the various installments are dotted around the HBO Max most-watched list as we speak, but this time the warm glow of nostalgia is tinged with the lamentable realization that it’s been 20 whole years since the films began rolling out.
