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Two years after Asteroid City, get ready for another summer of Wes Anderson. Focus Features announced today that the director’s latest feature, and first since being crowned an Oscar winner, The Phoenician Scheme, will be arriving in limited release beginning May 30, 2025 before going wide on June 6. This release strategy seems the director and starry cast are preparing for a Cannes Film Festival debut.

Telling the story of a family and a family business, the film, co-written by Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola, stars Benicio del Toro as Zsa-zsa Korda, one of the richest men in Europe; Mia Threapleton as Sister Liesl, his daughter and a nun; Michael Cera as Bjorn Lund, their tutor. Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Riz Ahmed, Mathieu Amalric, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Richard Ayoade, Rupert Friend, Hope Davis, and Benedict Cumberbatch are also among the ensemble.

Having shot all of his live-action features, along with his...

I completely understand that adapting a beloved book series for the big screen is a difficult and precarious task, especially when you're talking about the "Harry Potter" novels written by Joanne Kathleen Rowling. The seven books, which span a couple thousand pages and covers the life of the boy wizard named Harry Potter (played in the film franchise by Daniel Radcliffe), are massive and chock-full of lore, building the Wizarding World brick by brick and introducing everything from wand types to wizarding currency to magical slang. When it comes to the film adaptations, which were helmed by a collection of directors, the creative team did a pretty phenomenal job for the most part ... but one huge issue is the character of Ginny Weasley, played by Bonnie Wright.

I don't want to speak ill of Wright, but the bottom line here is that the young actor — who appears in all eight movies as Ginny,...

Let’s cut to the chase—are we ever getting a Harry Potter and the Cursed Child movie? Short answer: Probably not. But that hasn’t stopped the rumors from popping up every few months.

Fans have been speculating about this for years, hoping the Wizarding World magic could continue with a big-screen adaptation of the Cursed Child play. And while there’s plenty of excitement (and frustration) about the idea, the truth is far less magical.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Ever since the Harry Potter movies ended in 2011, fans have been craving more. Sure, we got the Fantastic Beasts series, but (if truth be told), it didn’t hit the same. Then came the Cursed Child play, which gave us a look at Harry, Ron, and Hermione as adults—but only on stage.

The idea of turning it into a movie has been floating around for years.

Not every villain in the "Harry Potter" franchise is an evil Death Eater — or, in "Muggle" terms, a follower of the evil Dark Lord Voldemort (played by Ralph Fiennes in the films). Take Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton), for example, who first shows up in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" as a Ministry of Magic plant who comes to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry ostensibly to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts ... but who's really there to spy on and censor the leadership of Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon). Umbridge is unquestionably vile and evil, and as series author Joanne Kathleen Rowling explained in the Harry Potter encyclopedia Wizarding World, the character is firmly meant to show that "good" and "evil" aren't always what they seem.

After describing a woman with whom she once worked whom Rowling described as a "bigot" who also loved pictures of...

When Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) first arrived at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" (2001), he learned pretty quickly that there were cliques, just like in a regular British boarding school. Notably, he met the sour-tempered Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton), very clearly one of Hogwarts' aspiring bullies. Draco mocked the timid Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), immediately alienating Harry. Throughout the following films in the "Harry Potter" series, Draco would become worse and worse, moving from mere bullying to becoming a soldier for the evil Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes), who fought against the notion of allowing "tainted blood" into the world's wizard schools.

For most of the "Harry Potter" films, Draco was joined by a pair of sniveling sidekicks named Crabbe and Goyle. The shorter Crabbe was played by Jamie Waylett, and the taller Goyle was played by Josh Herdman. Crabbe and Goyle were always causing small headaches for Harry,...

Content Warning: this article contains a discussion of suicide.

There's no shortage of mysterious magical objects in the "Harry Potter" universe, but one of the items that's most frequently wielded and utilized by Harry Potter himself (played by Daniel Radcliffe in the film franchise) is the Cloak of Invisibility, which — true to its name — allows Harry to disappear beneath it any time he needs to move discreetly throughout Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In the final book (and final two-part movie), "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the Cloak comes in handy as Harry and his two best friends Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) travel the wizarding world to find Voldemort's (Ralph Fiennes) Horcruxes — magical items containing pieces of the Dark Lord's very soul — and destroy them. So what's the deal with the Cloak?

It's never fully explained how the Cloak functions, but that's not what's important here.

In the "Harry Potter" movies, the binary of "good" and "evil" is illustrated pretty well by Harry himself — played by Daniel Radcliffe — and his lifelong enemy Lord Voldemort. Still, Harry has plenty of minor villains to deal with along the way, and one is his schoolboy nemesis Draco Malfoy, portrayed throughout the franchise's eight movies by Tom Felton. So would Felton and Radcliffe work together again? According to Felton, they've chatted about it a bit, but there would be a bit of a twist if the two ever teamed up for a different project.

In an interview with Digital Spy in May of 2022, Felton was asked about any possible reunions with any of his "Harry Potter" co-stars, and he said he'd leap at the chance to work alongside Radcliffe in particular. "We all talk about doing something again in all different ways," Felton told the outlet. "Daniel and I have...

Throughout the "Harry Potter" books and movies — the original ones, not the "Fantastic Beasts" franchise — there are plenty of mysteries scattered around for both the audience and Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) himself to solve. In fact, if you take each installment one by one, they're basically all mystery books. Who's after the titular Stone in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone?" Who is the real Heir of Slytherin in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets?" Why is alleged murderer Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) hellbent on finding Harry at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban?" Who put Harry's name in the Goblet of Fire in, well, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire?" I don't need to go on — you get it. You're smart.

During the final books and films in "Harry Potter," the mysteries start to point firmly in one direction: the...

Did a bar brawl help Daniel Radcliffe work towards sobriety? ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Daniel Radcliffe’s path to sobriety wasn’t smooth, but a shocking moment in a New York bar became his life-changing wake-up call.

Growing up in the relentless spotlight of fame, especially during his ‘Harry Potter’ years, the pressure weighed heavily on the young actor.

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A post shared by Daniel Radcliffe (@daniel9340)

Daniel Radcliffe’s Cycle of Drinking

By the time Radcliffe was 18 and filming ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,’ he was already battling a growing dependence on alcohol, often feeling “dead behind the eyes” in scenes when he was clearly drunk.

Trending Demi Moore’s Golden Globe-Winning Comeback Turns Sour As Past Scandal With Underage Co-Star Resurfaces Online

Sean Diddy Combs Accuser Breaks Silence In Explosive Documentary, Details Alleged Assault With Remote Control & Horrific Threats

The more fame suffocated him,...

Since the first movie’s release in 2001, the Harry Potter film franchise has featured a number of talented performers within its massive ensemble cast, which included Robert Knox. With so many characters in the original book series, choosing just the right actor to portray them on screen was imperative, whether it was the then-unknown child actors playing Harry Potter and co. or the British veteran actor royalty as Hogwarts' professors.

While Harry Potter had several casting changes throughout the movies' releases from 2001-2011, most of the actors stuck with their roles throughout the entire franchise. However, with many of Harry Potter's already established stars being older when the movies were filming, more than a few have passed away since filming wrapped. 2024 alone saw the loss of Minerva McGonagall's Maggie Smith and the second Dumbledore, Michael Gambon. Gambon assumed the role in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, after Richard Harris,...

Draco Malfoy might be the school yard antagonist of Harry Potter throughout the franchise and take a backseat to bigger threats, but Draco Malfoy quotes also stick with the audience. Draco (Tom Felton) is known for his one-liners aimed at Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his friends throughout the series of movies. He might not always have the wittiest lines, but his insults certainly get right to the point.

When the movies begin, Draco is a bully, used to getting his way around his peers. His family’s wealth and status have afforded him the comfort and luxury that makes him expect to be, if not liked, then feared, by his classmates. As the movies progress, however, it’s clear that Draco is trying to hold onto the Malfoy family’s status in an increasingly dangerous world. Even fun one-liners can’t save him when he’s being given tasks to...

Accio Harry Potter marathon!

Although USA and Syfy come in real handy around the holidays when they put on their Harry Potter movie marathons, the films are also streaming online year-round

And while the “Harry Potter” franchise came to a close in 2011 with the release of the final film, the movies continue to be a “feel-good” favorite while the Wizarding World story continues on in the ongoing “Fantastic Beasts” franchise, with the third film having hit theaters in April.

So where are the Harry Potter movies streaming right now? The answer changes quite frequently, actually, as the streaming rights to the Warner Bros. franchise are in the midst of being shared between a couple of different services.

Below we’ve rounded up which “Harry Potter” and “Fantastic Beasts” movies are streaming where with the most up-to-date information.

Streaming on Max Jude Law in “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” (Warner Bros.

Ben Affleck’s Batman talent wasted by Dceu? (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Ben Affleck’s Batman could’ve been the one. Warner Bros. snagged him right after Argo rocked the Oscars, casting him as Gotham’s brooding protector. But here’s the twist: Affleck wasn’t just the Batman. He was supposed to direct, write, and produce his own solo Batman film, plus take on an executive producer role for Justice League. If the Dceu was looking for someone to turn the franchise into a gritty, artistic powerhouse, Affleck was a no-brainer. Instead, it turned into one big missed opportunity.

But here’s the kicker—things weren’t meant to be. The creative magic quickly fizzled out. In January 2017, Affleck dropped out as the director of The Batman, citing a heavy workload and a shift in focus to his role. Fair enough, right? But then Matt Reeves swooped in to take over,...

It’s almost Christmas and there’s no better time than now to snuggle up on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate in your hands and Home Alone on the television screen. Macaulay Culkin’s hit film became a staple in every household with its heartwarming mix of humor, holiday spirit, and clever mischief. If there’s a film that gives meaning to the word nostalgia, it’s Home Alone. Since it turned Macaulay Culkin into a household name, you might wonder just how much the young actor made for his portrayal of Kevin McCallister.

Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone (1990) | Credits: 20th Century Fox

It is no surprise that Home Alone was an overnight success for all the right reasons and the lead actor pocketed $110,000 for his work. However, when he later returned for a sequel, his bank account significantly expanded thanks to a genius clause in his contract.

Harry Potter actors James and Oliver Phelps, who played Fred and George Weasley, respectively, each share their favorite entries in the franchise. The release of The Sorcerer's Stone in 2001 spawned seven sequels, with The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 concluding the journey of Daniel Radcliffe's journey in 2011. The Harry Potter movies, based on the books by J.K. Rowling, were wildly successful and widely beloved, and the Phelps twins appeared in all eight installments.

During a recent "Never Have I Ever" interview segment with Delish, the Phelps twins reflect on their time in the Harry Potter franchise. After a prompt that reads "never have I ever disliked one of the Harry Potter films," James takes the time to earnestly explain that neither of them thinks there's a weak link in the eight films:

I’m not just saying this, I’m very, very lucky to say that we’ve been a part...

Harry Potter stars James and Oliver Phelps, who played Fred and George Weasley, respectively, share a prank they pulled on Rupert Grint during filming. Based on the books by author J.K. Rowling, the first film in the Warner Bros. franchise was released in 2001, introducing a host of characters who would return to play a role in all seven sequels. Though not as prominently featured as Harry Potter cast members like Daniel Radcliffe, Grint, and Emma Watson, the Phelps brothers do feature in all eight movies, serving as Ron's mischievous, prank-pulling brothers.

During a recent appearance on Delish's "Suck It Up" segment, the Phelps brothers recall a time on set with Grint when they pulled a prank on their younger costar, and it's something Fred and George Weasley would have done. The brothers hilariously explain that they tricked the Ron Weasley actor into thinking that he could control the televsion set...

Hogwarts leans into the Christmas spirit in new Harry Potter fan art, which puts a cozy and festive spin on the iconic location. Based on the books by author J.K. Rowling, the first Harry Potter movie was released in 2001, spawning a franchise that now consists of 11 films, three of which are spinoffs, a stage play, and video games. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry plays a crucial role in almost every one of these franchise installments, and a number of the films take time to show the castle as a particularly comforting place to be for students during the holiday season.

Harry Potter fan art shared by Henk Potter Collector on Instagram now goes even further with the Hogwarts Christmas decorations. The first provides a look at the castle from the outside, showing the walls and spires adorned with Christmas lights, wreaths, and other decorations, as warm light spills out...

The Peacock Holiday 2024 lineup includes over 300 titles! Catch classics like Miracle on 34th Street, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, and A Christmas Carol, as well as hits like Christmas at Dollywood and Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.

Peacock has the whole family covered with festive titles, like Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Peacock Original film Genie, and The Legend of Frosty the Snowman. Chilling thrillers like Krampus and Black Christmas are also available.

Stream into the spirit of the season with a wide array of holiday specials from familiar favorites like Parks and Recreation, New Girl, The Office and more to have you feeling merry and bright all month long. Peacock has an exclusive gift for fans of The Office when The Office Superfan Episodes Season 8 arrives on December 12.

Stuff your stocking with laughs before the New Year with a hilarious year-end recap when 2024 Back That...

Ralph Fiennes, who played Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter film saga, has an idea about who should play the villain in the HBO TV series.

In a new interview, Fiennes named Oppenheimer star Cillian Murphy as the actor who should play the villain in the television adaptation.

“Cillian is a fantastic actor,” Fiennes said while making an appearance on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live after a view suggested the 28 Days Later star. “That’s a wonderful suggestion. I would be all in favor of Cillian. Yeah.”

Fiennes first played Voldemort in 2005’s Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the fourth installment of the film saga. The Maid in Manhattan actor would then reprise his role in 2007’s Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, 2009’s Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and the two-part finale Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Related: ‘Harry Potter’ TV...

Moana 2 is enjoying a historic adventure at the box office, where it has shattered record after record since its launch Thanksgiving eve.

Heading into the holiday, Walt Disney Animation’s sequel was tracking to open to an already huge $125 million to $135 million for the long five-day weekend (Wednesday-Sunday). However, the music-infused family film served up a magical $225 million for the five days, including $139.7 for the three-day weekend, thanks to the pent-up demand to witness the continued adventures of the fearless Moana, voiced once again by Auli’i Cravalho, and the demigod Maui, likewise voiced again by Dwayne Johnson. Final numbers are up from Sunday’s five-day estimate of $221 million and three-day estimate of $135.5 million.

The Thanksgiving menu also included Universal’s record-smashing Wicked and Paramount’s Gladiator II. The trio of films resulted in the biggest Thanksgiving of all time in terms of domestic holiday revenue, which reached $420 million — more...

Recently, Ranker conducted a large survey to determine the saddest death scenes in cinema history. We’ve narrowed it down to the top 15 to give you a more focused look, along with our own comments and insights to add some extra flavor. Here’s the 15 saddest death scenes, ranked from 15th to 1st. We hope you enjoy the journey!

15. Sam’s death from Ghost

Ghost is now regarded as a classic romantic film, and the moment when Patrick Swayze’s character, Sam, is shot serves as the pivotal event that drives the entire story. His unexpected death is a shocking turn that propels the plot, but it remains one of the saddest moments in cinema.

Sam’s death feels especially heartbreaking because he was an innocent person who didn’t deserve to die, particularly under such cruel circumstances.

14. Walt asking for a light from Gran Torino

When Clint Eastwood dies on screen,...

The Harry Potter books are packed to the brim with rich characters, so it's understandable that some would be cut for the movies, but Percy Weasley's dwindling appearances are particularly frustrating. In both the books and films, the Weasleys become Harry Potter's surrogate family. Harry first befriends second-youngest Weasley sibling Ron, but he's soon close with the whole lot, and it's frequently joked about that matriarch Molly loves Harry more than her own children. Harry even ends up officially joining the Weasley family when he marries Ginny, the youngest.

The Weasley whom Harry is least close to is Percy. The fourth-born Weasley sibling, Percy is somewhat of a black sheep in the family. Whereas the others are easygoing and mirthful, Percy is rigid, disciplined, and sycophantic in his ambition. At Hogwarts, he takes his duties as Gryffindor Prefect and Head Boy far too seriously, and his power-hungry arrogance only grows...

Drama film “To Gather Around” topped the mainland China box office over the weekend and deposed “Venom: The Last Dance.”

The film, which also goes by the title “Brave New World,” is directed by Liu Xunximo and stars Deng Chao and Deng Jiajia in a tale of an internet company employee who is caught up in workplace dispute. He joins forces with others in order to defend his rights, but ends up in a bigger spiral of trouble.

According to data from consultancy firm Artisan Gateway, “To Gather Around” earned RMB63.8 million ($9.0 million) over the weekend from Friday to Sunday.

“Venom: The Last Dance,” in its fifth weekend of release in China, earned $4.9 million. That lifted its total to $90.7 million since releasing in China on Oct. 23. The film was the top title in China in its first, second and fourth weekends and is now the third best performing Hollywood picture of the year in China.

Daniel Radcliffe at a film event, 2024 net worth details (Photo Credit – Koimoi)

Daniel Radcliffe, popularly known for his iconic role in the Harry Potter franchise, began acting at a young age and earned his breakthrough at 11. Beyond the wizarding world of Hogwarts, the actor showcased his acting prowess in diverse projects, including The Woman in Black, How To Success in Business Without Really Trying, and Swiss Army Man. Radcliffe’s role in the Harry Potter series catapulted him to Hollywood’s A-list status, earning him millions. Considered one of the wealthiest celebrities in Britain, the actor has undoubtedly enjoyed luxuries in his successful career in the entertainment industry.

What is Daniel Radcliffe’s Net Worth?

As per Celebrity Net Worth, Radcliffe’s net worth is estimated to be $110 million. The actor’s wealth accumulated primarily through his successful acting career, with Harry Potter significantly contributing to his earnings. The star...

The “Harry Potter” films mark one of the most enduring and beloved franchises of all time, so it perhaps shouldn’t be surprising that a TV adaptation is on the way. But there are definitely some fixes the “Harry Potter” TV series should make to course correct a few missteps from the movies.

Granted, adapting seven books into eight movies is hard. There’s simply no feasible way to include every single plot point from hundreds of pages without making the film several hours long. Decisions have to be made and cuts are inevitable, which is why starting with “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” the film franchise’s producers decided their guiding light would be anything not from Harry’s Pov would be cut.

With the “Harry Potter” TV series, HBO plans to devote one entire season of television for each book, meaning they can pack in much more story.

On September 8, 2024, an open casting call was announced for the new HBO original series adaptation of Harry Potter. The call was for actors aged between 9 and 11 on April 2025 from among the residents of the UK and Ireland. The announcement reiterated that the series will be a faithful adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s books, like the films before.

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone | Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures

The films also looked for age-appropriate actors for the roles of Harry Potter and his friends. They considered some talents like Tom Felton, who was a couple of years older than his character Draco Malfoy. Interestingly, Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, and Rupert Grint—the main trio—were each born a year apart.

Emma Watson’s Age At The Beginning And End Of Harry Potter Emma Watson in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | Credits: Warner Bros.

The Harry Potter original motion picture soundtrack will be available in a 16-lp box set on Nov. 29. The massive box set features more than 10 hours of music from all eight films with music composed by John Williams, Patrick Doyle, Nicholas Hooper, and Alexandre Desplat, Warner Music Group’s catalog developer Rhino announced Monday. The expansive set will also be available in four color variants corresponding to one of the four Hogwarts Houses. It includes red for Gryffindor, green for Slytherin, blue for Ravenclaw, and yellow for Hufflepuff.

Williams crafted the...

Ralph Fiennes played Voldemort in many of the villain's most iconic scenes, but many fans might not be aware of the first actor who played Voldemort in Harry Potter. Voldemort's movie debut was Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, although Fiennes didn't play him in the first Harry Potter movie. In fact, Fiennes wasn't cast as Voldemort until the fourth movie, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. With such a prominent role in the Harry Potter story being recast, many viewers wonder who played Voldemort first and why they didn't return to play him again in later Harry Potter movies.

In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, a flashback reveals that Lord Voldemort killed Lily and James Potter. The scene was key to explaining the Harry Potter timeline, as it revealed insight into the meaning behind the name "The Boy Who Lived" though in this first glimpse of You-Know-Who,...

The Harry Potter franchise has a long and storied history, having started as a best-selling book series and went on to become one of the highest-grossing film series of all time. However, the making of the film franchise wasn’t without its fair share of tragedy, including the death of an actor who passed away before the release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Rob Knox played Marcus Belby in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Credit: Warner Bros).

The documentary (K)nox: The Rob Knox Story explores the chilling true story behind the death of actor Rob Knox, who played the role of Marcus Belby. However, shortly after completing filming for the movie, Knox was killed in an incident that is sure to shock many. Here is what you need to know about the documentary and the true story it is based on.

(K)nox: The Rob Knox...

I've long had an issue with Voldemort's backstory, but I'm hoping the upcoming Harry Potter remake can fix it. Every villain needs a great origin story, and Voldemort's was most certainly intriguing. The details of his parents' meeting and marriage were explored extensively in the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince book, and these sequences in the Pensieve have long been among my favorites in the series. However, the simplistic explanation for Voldemort's evilness has never sat quite right with mebut this could be an easy fix for the Harry Potter TV show.

In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry takes trips into the Pensieve to learn all about Voldemort's past. Here, he saw the villain's mother, Merope Gaunt, and witnessed her desperate obsession with a local Muggle man, Tom Riddle. Dumbledore explained that Merope used a love potion on Riddle, tricking the man into marrying and having a child with her.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has raced past Dune: Part Two for a major 2024 Warner Bros. record. Both movies are well-received sequels, with Denis Villeneuve's follow-up to his 2021 sci-fi epic Dune earning a Certified Fresh 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes. It was followed six months later by the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice release. The legacy sequel to the 1988 horror-comedy, which re-teams director Tim Burton with stars Michael Keaton, Catherine O'Hara, and Winona Ryder, is now in its seventh weekend and has also been Certified Fresh with a 77% score.

Per The Numbers, as of Sunday morning, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is projected to close out its latest weekend in theaters with a cumulative domestic box office total of $283.97 million. Its 3-day gross of $5 million has pushed it past the domestic total for Dune: Part Two, which earned $282.1 million in North America. This means that the Tim Burton movie is now officially the highest grossing Warner Bros. Pictures release...

Dame Maggie Smith, known to Harry Potter fans as the stern yet beloved Professor Minerva McGonagall, passed away on September 27 at the age of 89. She had an extensive career on stage and screen spanning over seven decades, with two Oscars, five BAFTAs, four Emmys, and several other accolades to deck her mantelpiece. Be it the ever-snippy Violet Crawley in Downtown Abbey or the controversial Jean Brodie in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Smith has left an everlasting legacy in the world of cinema.

Professor McGonagall may not be the biggest role on her decorated resume, but it is the one that endeared her to kids, young adults, and even grown-ups who love fantasy. It also led to some iconic anecdotes, like the time a child asked her if she really could turn into a cat, and she heard herself say, "Just pull yourself together."

Smith featured in some of...

From an evil queen pondering “Mirror, mirror on the wall: Who is the fairest of them all?” to Three Weird Sisters chanting “Double, double toil and trouble! Fire burn, and cauldron bubble,” witchcraft has been something of a skeleton key across centuries of storytelling on screen and in print. As old as ghost stories themselves, witches are fabled beings — typically more human than creature, but sometimes vice versa — known for using magic to abuse and manipulate us mere mortals.

Some witches feed on children; see Roald Dahl‘s “The Witches” and its two film adaptations starring Anjelica Huston and Anne Hathaway respectively. Some witches just want to be loved; consider the appropriately-named “The Love Witch” or the middle chunk of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.” Others crave beauty, youth, power, or something altogether more sinister; think the unending greed examined in Luca Guadagnino’s astounding re-imagining of Dario Argento’s “Suspiria.

The Harry Potter movies were based on J.K. Rowling's excellent book series but some of their funniest moments were totally original. The Potterverse movies kept the spirit of Rowling's story in the best possible way, with the first and second installments arguably being the most faithful fantasy adaptations out there, bar minimal departures from the source material. For instance, Sirius Black deserved more screen time, especially given Gary Oldman's performance. However, it was the directors Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuarn, Mike Newell, and David Yates who really brought the Wizarding World to life.

All eight Harry Potter movies diverged from the books to a certain extent, including leaving out a lot of Percy Weasley's story and giving a lot of Ron's lines to Hermione. The directors and producers of the movies made changes based on creating better drama and pacing; this sometimes resulted in hilarity. That said, a lot...

Pumpkin spice is flowing, autumn leaves are turning and it’s time to start watching some of your seasonal favorites. But Fall’s arrival also brings a new challenge every year — figuring out where all the best Halloween movies are streaming right now.

If you’re looking for family-friendly Halloween movies, Peacock has a handful of the essentials, most notably the “Harry Potter” films, as well as “Casper,” “Blippi Celebrates Dia De Los Muertos” and “Scared Shrekless.”

With 150+ new Halloween titles in September and October, Peacock also has the “Leprechaun,” “I Know What You Did Last Summer” and “The Purge” franchises, along with plenty of great standalone horror movies for the Halloween season, from teen screams like “The Craft” and “Jennifer’s Body” to classics like “The Fly” and “Christine.”

Want some underrated horror movies you might not have seen to celebrate this Halloween? No worries, they’ve got that too,...

Luna Lovegood is an iconic character in Harry Potter, but her Deathly Hallows storyline should have been given to someone else. Luna's importance in the Harry Potter movies and books can't be overstated. Harry even gave his daughter, Lily, the middle name Luna in Deathly Hallows' epilogue. Luna played a significant role in Voldemort's defeat, ensuring Harry's success in the Second Wizarding War. But the story as a whole would have made a lot more sense if her role was downplayed throughout Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows saw the Golden Trio contending with Voldemort's forces. Meanwhile, they had to learn about the Deathly Hallows so that they could destroy the villain once and for all. Luna Lovegood was kidnapped by Death Eaters, giving way to a thrilling storyline in which she was rescued by the Golden Trio. However enjoyable these scenes were,...

The best Hero Fiennes Tiffin movies and TV shows cover multiple projects from 2008 to the present day, and showcase the career foundations of a young actor who's poised to have many successful decades ahead of them. Born in London in 1996, British actor and producer Hero Fiennes Tiffin has been comfortable in front of the camera since childhood. Many viewers will have first seen him playing a young Tom Riddle in 2009's Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, though the star has become much more active since then.

While his most prominent early role was as the young Lord Voldemort, most viewers didn't know of Hero Fiennes Tiffin by name until a decade later, when he portrayed Hardin Scott in the adaptations of Anna Todd's After novels. However, while the After movies (from the 2019 original through to 2023's After Everything) have been integral for his career, they are far from the best Hero Fiennes Tiffin movies.

Dame Maggie Smith passed away at 89 years old, leaving behind an impressive career full of iconic movie and TV roles and among her greatest is Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter movies. Smith made the perfect Professor McGonagall, as she struck the right balance between being stern and supportive to the students at Hogwarts. It's difficult to imagine anyone else stepping into the shoes of this Harry Potter character, especially when revisiting Smith's best scenes.

Whether Professor McGonagall was preparing her students for their futures or defending Hogwarts from outside threats, Smith was always a highlight of the scenes she was in. She had plenty of heartfelt moments that showed McGonagall's kinder side, but she could easily be intimidating when the moment called for it. There's no doubt Smith will be missed in the acting world, but fortunately, Harry Potter fans can always look back on her greatest scenes from the series.

Peacock has announced the lineup of movies, TV shows, and live sports that will be available on the streaming service in October. The Peacock October 2024 schedule includes the streaming premieres of The Mouse Trap and Blackwater Lane, as well as the debut of the terrifying Peacock Originals Teacup and Hysteria!

Peacock has something for everyone, from frightful favorites like I Know What You Did Last Summer and The Fly and spine-chilling thrillers like The Craft and Jennifer’s Body to films to scare up fun for the whole family, such as the Harry Potter franchise, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, and more.

Hysteria!

October also brings a taste of early noughties nostalgia with the exclusive streaming premiere of Didi and a royal reality check when Queens Court returns for season 2. Get on your dancing shoes for the premiere of Reggaeton: The Sound That Conquered the World, and don...

The Harry Potter movies feature a large ensemble cast, and smaller roles outside of the main characters afforded many actors the opportunity to be part of the magical world. For some performers, their first audition for a part in the franchise didn't lead anywhere, allowing them a more prominent role later on. This was the case with Eddie Redmayne, who would take on the leading role of Newt Scamander in the spinoff film series Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. Though the Fantastic Beasts 4 movie is canceled, this doesn't make Redmayne's part of the franchise any less significant.

While Scamander doesn't play a large role in the original books and movies, his legacy is present in the way magic works in the series. Though Fantastic Beasts is over, the upcoming HBO TV show that will adapt the Harry Potter books has the opportunity to delve even further into the universe's lore.

Hogwarts fans in mainland China will be treated to a wide re-release of all eight “Harry Potter” films starting in mid-October.

Warner Bros. Pictures, the studio behind the franchise, said that the films will pay in some 3,400 theaters across 295 cities in China. The series will kick off Oct. 11, with “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” The seven other titles will drop on a weekly basis through October and November.

They will be available in standard 2D versions as well as multiple premium formats, including in Cinity/IMAX/Dolby Cinema.

“This release marks a significant milestone for the ‘Harry Potter’ film series, as it is the first time all eight films will be available consecutively at such a large scale in any territory,” the studio said.

Hollywood films have struggled in China since the beginning of the pandemic era, as Chinese local films have become stronger in terms of craft and...

Hagrid (played by Robbie Coltrane in the movies) is a lovable character from the Harry Potter series but makes some mistakes with lasting consequences. The worst things Hagrid does in the Harry Potter books include giving away vital information, endangering the kids through cluelessness, and just some generally dumb mishaps. Some moments surrounding Hagrid's character, including Harry remembering in the last book how he once gave Voldemort information by mistake, are based on Hagrid's genuine goodness clashing with unfortunate circumstances.

Title

Book release date

Movie release date

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Sorcerer's Stone)

1997

2001

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

1998

2002

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

1999

2004

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

2000

2005

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

2003

2007

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

2005

2009

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

2007

2010 & 2011

Hagrid's biggest flaw, which the other characters are well aware of, is his penchant...

Gary Oldman recently revealed who he thinks should play Dumbledore in the Harry Potter TV show, and his casting idea may just be perfect. More than a decade after the Harry Potter film franchise ended, HBO announced that they would be making a Harry Potter television series. Allegedly, the TV show is being made to be more accurate to the books than the movies were. However, just like the original franchise, the new Harry Potter show will follow a cast of young actors who audiences will get to see grow up on screen as Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

One of the big questions surrounding the Harry Potter TV show is who will be in it. Notably, the Harry Potter movies had large casts of incredible British actors, from Maggie Smith and Alan Rickman to Imelda Staunton and Michael Gambon. In this way, it will be difficult for HBO's Harry Potter...

The Harry Potter franchise has made over $9.5 billion worldwide for Warner Bros. (via The Numbers), but how much did Daniel Radcliffe make from Harry Potter? The long-running series brought together Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, who rose to fame and consequently saw their salaries rise as the series progressed. Based on J.K. Rowlings bestselling books, Harry Potter witnessed the blooming of Harry (Radcliffe), Ron (Grint), and Hermiones (Watson) friendship at Hogwarts, where they met to study witchcraft and wizardry.

While the three actors are hesitant to join the cast of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, they met for the 20th-anniversary reunion special that saw Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint back together. The iconic trio will forever be remembered as the Harry Potter characters, but since then, each has grown in their career. Radcliffe has starred in both plays and movies, Emma Watson earned praise for Beauty and the Beast and Little Women,...

J.K. Rowling might be the genius mastermind behind the ultra-famous Harry Potter books, but even one of the most brilliant minds in Hollywood missed a significant storyline that could have further enhanced the movie series.

A still from Harry Potter || Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures

Although she criticized C.S. Lewis’s work in The Chronicles of Narnia, Rowling herself made notable mistakes with the romantic plotline in Harry Potter. While she may not admit it, it’s evident to viewers who have delved deeper into her books.

J.K. Rowling Handled Harry Potter’s Romantic Plot Quite Horribly J.K. Rowling || Credits: Executive Office of the President || Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons

In a past interview with Time, J.K. Rowling, the author behind the Harry Potter series, discussed her aversion to the fantasy genre despite her prominent role in it. She revealed that she hasn’t read J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.

While they were generally well-received, the Harry Potter movies didn't do justice to some of the major scenes from the book, with results that angered readers. The Harry Potter books are all very detailed, with numerous subplots and supporting character backstories that didn't make it into the movies. Due to time constraints, the Harry Potter movies rush through certain scenes that try to awkwardly accomplish the same effect in only a few lines.

Title

Book release date

Movie release date

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Sorcerer's Stone)

1997

2001

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

1998

2002

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

1999

2004

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

2000

2005

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

2003

2007

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

2005

2009

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

2007

2010 & 2011

On the other hand, the Harry Potter movies change some things from the books for dramatic effect, which is necessary with...

Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including events for Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, The Perfect Couple and Rebel Ridge.

Rebel Ridge special screening

Netflix hosted a special screening at the Egyptian Theatre on Tuesday to celebrate the upcoming release of Rebel Ridge, in partnership with Beyond Fest. Stars Aaron Pierre, Don Johnson and AnnaSophia Robb attended.

Aaron Pierre, AnnaSophia Robb, Jeremy Saulnier and Don Johnson Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist premiere

Kevin Hart, Samuel L. Jackson, Taraji P. Henson, Don Cheadle and Terrence Howard walked the carpet at the NYC premiere of their new Peacock series

Don Cheadle, Samuel L. Jackson, Taraji P. Henson and Will Packer Kevin Hart The Perfect Couple premiere

Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Eve Hewson and Meghann Fahy debuted their Netflix murder mystery series on Wednesday, alongside EPs Susanne Bier,...

The Harry Potter film series is one of the most successful franchises in Hollywood history, although the running times are much longer than usual for young adult movies. The Harry Potter series has brought in over $9.5 billion in its worldwide box office (via The Numbers), with the original franchise and the Fantastic Beasts movies combined. While the flagship series has ended, the Wizarding World lives on, both in the world of movies and video games, with Hogwarts Legacy and the Harry Potter TV show reboot.

However, the future of the franchise on the big screen remains in question. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore was the lowest-grossing movie in the franchise by almost $250 million. That has caused Warner Bros. to pump the brakes on that specific spinoff franchise for now. But Warner Bros. also said that the Harry Potter franchise remains valuable to the studio, and fans should expect to...

I had completely ruled out one answer to an old Harry Potter mystery, but I now realize all clues indicate I was wrong. The mystery I speak of was first introduced in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and it is something that has now been haunting me for years. In an often-overlooked detail, Dumbledore revealed to Harry that Voldemort had planned to use his murder at Godric's Hallow to make his final Horcrux. Of course, the Dark Lord's plan was foiled, and he accidentally turned Harry into a Horcrux instead. Still, I have often wondered what item Voldemort planned to use.

Dumbledore explained in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince that Voldemort's plan involved splitting his soul into seven pieces. Six fragments would be placed within vessels as Horcruxes, while the seventh would reside in the Dark Lord's body. Since seven is the most magically significant number in Harry Potter,...

Daisy Edgar-Jones and AnnaSophia Robb were among the stars who took in one of Los Angeles residents’ favorite summer activities this weekend: graveyard movie screenings from Cinespia!

The actresses stepped out for Labor Day Weekend screenings at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, presented by Amazon MGM Studios.

AnnaSophia was in attendance for a screening of The Shining on Saturday (August 31) while Daisy went to a screening of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on Sunday (September 1).

The outdoor Cinespia movie screening series shows classic movies all summer long. Events are scheduled through the end of October, including some spooky Halloween classics like Trick ‘R Treat and Suspiria.

You can currently catch Daisy in the hit summer blockbuster Twisters, which is still playing in theaters and is also available to rent on demand at home.