Instruct: Given a question, retrieve relevant documents that can help answer the question.
Query: Who directed the first Harry Potter film?
After Chris Columbus had finished working on Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, he was hired to direct the second film, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The production started within a week after the release of the first film. Columbus was set to direct all entries in the series,[35] but he did not want to return for the third film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, claiming he was "burned out".[36] He moved to the position of producer, while Alfonso Cuarón was approached for the role of director. He was initially nervous about directing the instalment since he had not read any of the books or seen the films. After reading the series, he changed his mind and signed on to direct since he had immediately connected to the story.[37]
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a 2009 fantasy film directed by David Yates and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is based on J. K. Rowling's 2005 novel of the same name. The film, which is the sixth instalment in the "Harry Potter" film series, was written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman and David Barron. The story follows Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts as he receives a mysterious textbook, falls in love, and attempts to retrieve a memory that holds the key to Lord Voldemort's downfall.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a 2002 fantasy film directed by Chris Columbus and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is based on J. K. Rowling's 1998 novel of the same name. The film is a sequel to the 2001 film "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" and the second instalment in the "Harry Potter" film series. It was written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman. Its story follows Harry Potter's second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as the Heir of Salazar Slytherin opens the Chamber of Secrets, unleashing a monster that petrifies the school's denizens. The film stars Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, with Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley, and Emma Watson as Hermione Granger and is also the last film to feature Richard Harris as Professor Albus Dumbledore, due to his death that same year.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a 2004 fantasy film directed by Alfonso Cuarón and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is based on J. K. Rowling's 1999 novel of the same name. The film, which is the third instalment in the "Harry Potter" film series, was written by Steve Kloves and produced by Chris Columbus, David Heyman, and Mark Radcliffe. The story follows Harry Potter's third year at Hogwarts as he is informed that a prisoner named Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban intending to kill him.
Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4 is a Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. The game is based on the Lego Harry Potter line and its storyline covers the first four films in the "Harry Potter" series: "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone", "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets", "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban", and "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire". 
In 1998, Rowling sold the film rights of the first four "Harry Potter" books to Warner Bros. for a reported £1 million ($1,982,900). Rowling demanded the principal cast be kept strictly British, nonetheless allowing for the inclusion of Irish actors such as the late Richard Harris as Dumbledore, and for casting of French and Eastern European actors in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" where characters from the book are specified as such. After many directors including Steven Spielberg, Terry Gilliam, Jonathan Demme, and Alan Parker were considered, Chris Columbus was appointed on 28 March 2000 as the director for "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" (titled ""Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"" in the United States), with Warner Bros. citing his work on other family films such as "Home Alone" and "Mrs. Doubtfire" and proven experience with directing children as influences for their decision.
In the new millennium, Williams was asked to score the film adaptations of J. K. Rowling's widely successful book series, "Harry Potter". He went on to score the film franchise's first three installments. As with his "Superman" theme, the most important theme from Williams's scores for the "Harry Potter" films, dubbed "Hedwig's Theme", has been used in the fourth through eighth films ("Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire", "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix", "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince", "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2"), scored by Patrick Doyle ("Goblet of Fire"), Nicholas Hooper ("Order of the Phoenix" and "Half-Blood Prince") and Alexandre Desplat ("Deathly Hallows"). Like the main themes from "Jaws", "Star Wars", "Superman", and "Indiana Jones", fans have come to identify the "Harry Potter" films with Williams's original compositions. Williams was asked to return to score the film franchise's final installment, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2", but director David Yates stated that "their schedules simply did not align" as he would have had to provide Williams with a rough cut of the film sooner than was possible.
The film was released to cinemas in the United Kingdom and United States on 16 November 2001. It became a critical and commercial success, grossing $974.8 million at the box office worldwide. The highest-grossing film of 2001, it is the 37th highest-grossing of all-time (2nd at the time of its release) and the second most successful instalment of the "Harry Potter" series behind "Deathly Hallows – Part 2". The film was nominated for many awards, including Academy Awards for Best Original Score, Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. It was followed by seven sequels, beginning with "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" in 2002 and ending with "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2" in 2011, nearly ten years after the first film's release.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is a 2011 fantasy film directed by David Yates and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is the second of two cinematic parts based on J. K. Rowling's 2007 novel of the same name. The film, which is the eighth and final instalment in the "Harry Potter" film series, was written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman, David Barron, and Rowling. The story continues to follow Harry Potter's quest to find and destroy Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes in order to stop him once and for all.
The film is the first of the series to receive a PG-13 certificate in the US, and a 12A in the UK, and stars Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter alongside Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as Harry's best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. It is the sequel to "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" and is followed by "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix".
Chris Columbus, who directed the first two "Harry Potter" film adaptations, has cited the 1985 film "Young Sherlock Holmes", which he wrote, as an influence in his direction for those films. "That was sort of a predecessor to this movie, in a sense", he told the BBC in 2001, "It was about two young boys and a girl in a British boarding school who had to fight a supernatural force." Scenes from "Young Sherlock Holmes" were subsequently used to cast the first Harry Potter film. On 3 January 2010, Irish journalist Declan Lynch (writing in "The Sunday Independent") stated that "there's more than a hint of young Sherlock evident in Harry".
David Heyman and his company Heyday Films have produced every film in the Wizarding World. Chris Columbus and Mark Radcliffe served as producers on "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban", David Barron began producing the films with the 2007 film "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" and ending with "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2" in 2011, and Rowling produced the final two films in the "Harry Potter" series. Heyman, Rowling, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram have produced both films in the "Fantastic Beasts" series. The films are written and directed by several individuals and feature large, often ensemble, casts. Many of the actors, including Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and Eddie Redmayne, star in numerous films. Soundtrack albums have been released for each of the films. The franchise also includes a stage production, a digital publication, a video game label and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter–themed areas at several Universal Parks & Resorts amusement parks around the world.
The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Art Direction at the 78th Academy Awards. At the 2006 Teen Choice Awards, the film won the award for Choice Movie Drama. The film won the BAFTA Award for Best Production Design, making it the first "Harry Potter" film to win at the BAFTAs.
Its first feature film production was "Ravenous", directed by Antonia Bird. It is the producer of the "Harry Potter" film series, based on the novels by J. K. Rowling, beginning with "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" in 2001.
Wright has also provided the voice of Ginny in the video game versions of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"; "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1". Wright is one of the thirteen actors who has appeared in all eight films of the Harry Potter franchise. All the "Harry Potter" films were critical and high commercial successes. All the films as of 2014 have found places in List of highest-grossing films.
Lego "Harry Potter" is a Lego theme based on the films of the "Harry Potter" series. Lego models of important scenes, vehicles and characters were made for the first six films and all the books released. The first sets appeared in 2001, to coincide with the release of the first film, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" ("Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" in the United States). Subsequent sets were released alongside the new films, until "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix". The line then went dormant for three years, with sets being released in 2010 and 2011. In 2018, it was announced that more sets based on the "Harry Potter" franchise would be released, including new sets based on "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" and its sequel, "".
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a 2005 fantasy film directed by Mike Newell and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is based on J. K. Rowling's 2000 novel of the same name. The film, which is the fourth instalment in the "Harry Potter" film series, was written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman. The story follows Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts as he is chosen by the Goblet of Fire to compete in the Triwizard Tournament.
British film director Mike Newell was chosen to direct the film after "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" director Alfonso Cuarón announced that he would only be able to direct one "Potter" film. In a statement explaining the transition of directors, series producer David Heyman said:
In 2004, Cuarón directed the third film in the successful "Harry Potter" series, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban". Cuarón faced criticism from some "Harry Potter" fans for his approach to the film. At the time of the movie's release, however, author J. K. Rowling, who had seen and loved Cuarón's film "Y Tu Mamá También", said that it was her personal favorite from the series so far. Critically, the film was also better received than the first two instalments, with some critics remarking its new tone and for being the first "Harry Potter" film to truly capture the essence of the novels.
Harry Potter was also recognised by the BAFTA Los Angeles Britannia Awards, with David Yates winning the Britannia Award for Artistic Excellence in Directing for his four Harry Potter films.[107][108]
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 is a 2010 fantasy film directed by David Yates and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is the first of two cinematic parts based on J. K. Rowling's 2007 novel of the same name and features an ensemble cast. The film, which is the seventh and penultimate instalment in the "Harry Potter" film series, was written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman, David Barron, and Rowling.
A year later, Grint again starred as Ron in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" (2002), the second instalment of the series. The film opened to positive reviews and critics generally enjoyed the lead actors' performances. Both "Los Angeles Times" and "New York Magazine" observed that Grint and his peers had matured between films, with the latter pointing out that Grint had become "more proficient" and said they missed "the amateurish ardour" the actor and Watson carried in "Philosopher's Stone". "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" (2004) was released on 31 May in the UK. The film sees all three of its lead characters hover on the brink of adolescence, "and while they look braver and more capable than before, the dangers they face seem far more grave and their own vulnerability more intense." Then Academy Award-nominee Alfonso Cuarón took over direction for "Prisoner of Azkaban" which remains the lowest-grossing "Harry Potter" film with US$795 million in revenue. Nonetheless it was the second highest-grossing movie of 2004 behind "Shrek 2".
In 2005, Grint reprised his role for the fourth film in the series "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire". The adaptation, unlike previous films, explored romantic elements and included more humour. In a 2005 interview with IGN, all three lead actors singled out the humour as being a reason for the film's success. This project was directed by Mike Newell. According to the actor, the director was "really loud and not afraid to swear at you, but he was really cool." "Goblet of Fire" stands as one of the best reviewed instalments within the series, and is noted for the maturity and sophistication of its characters, darker and more complex plotline, writing and performances of the lead actors. "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix", the fifth film in the "Harry Potter" franchise, was released to cinemas in 2007. A huge financial success, "Order of the Phoenix" set a record worldwide opening-weekend gross of US$394 million, superseding "Spider-Man 3" as the title holder. This entry was directed by a new filmmaker, David Yates, who would continue to direct all of the following movies.
Grint said the laid back director was "really good" and helped keep the material fresh. As the fame of the actor and the series continued, Grint and fellow "Harry Potter" cast members left imprints of their hands, feet and wands in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (released in the United States and India as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone) is a 2001 fantasy film directed by Chris Columbus and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is based on J. K. Rowling's 1997 novel of the same name. The film is the first instalment of the "Harry Potter" film series and was written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman. Its story follows Harry Potter's first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as he discovers that he is a famous wizard and begins his education. The film stars Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, with Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley, and Emma Watson as Hermione Granger.
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1" was nominated for Best Art Direction and Best Visual Effects at the 83rd Academy Awards. It is the second film in the "Harry Potter" film series to be nominated for a Visual Effects Oscar (the previous one being "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban"). The film was long-listed for eight different categories, including Best Cinematography, Production Design, and Original Score, at the 64th BAFTA awards, and ultimately was nominated for Best Special Visual Effects and Make-up.
Because Cuarón decided not to direct the fourth instalment, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, a new director had to be selected.[38] Mike Newell was chosen to direct the film, but he declined to direct the next film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which was given to David Yates, who also directed Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, becoming the only director to helm more than one film since Chris Columbus.