Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Passes $1 Billion at the Box Office Nearly 20 Years After Release

Almost two decades after its theatrical debut, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone crossed the $1 billion milestone marker at the global box office. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone birthed the hit, 8-film series that has been a staple of at-home viewing during the pandemic. Its return to theaters in China and other international markets on the August 14th weekend, in 4K and 3D, provided the film with the push it needed to raise its lifetime box office to $1,001,260,000 worldwide. That makes Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone the second film in the Harry Potter series to earn $1 billion, after the final movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.

Andrew Cripps, President, International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures, announced the new total. “We are thrilled to see Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone delight a new generation of audiences,” Cripps said. “The popularity of the film with moviegoers in China, who are discovering it for the first time, proves that the appeal of these stories is truly timeless and universal.”

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone tells the story of a boy who, on his 11th birthday, learns that he is the orphaned son of two powerful wizards and possesses unique magical powers of his own. Invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry embarks on the adventure of a lifetime. At Hogwarts, he finds the home and the family he has never had.

Warner Bros. Pictures, Heyday Films, and 1492 Pictures produced Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Chris Columbus directed the movie from a screenplay by Steve Kloves, based on the novel Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling. The film stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, John Cleese, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Richard Griffiths, Richard Harris, Ian Hart, John Hurt, Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw, Maggie Smith, and Julie Walters. David Heyman produced the film, with Chris Columbus, Mark Radcliffe, Michael Barnathan, and Duncan Henderson serving as executive producers.

On Tuesday, all eight films in the Harry Potter series will leave WarnerMedia’s HBO Max streaming service, making the jump to NBCUniversal’s Peacock. “The Harry Potter franchise is beloved by people of all ages and represents the caliber of quality entertainment customers can expect to find on Peacock,” said Frances Manfredi, President, Content Acquisition and Strategy, Peacock when announcing the news. “We’ve built a world-class collection of iconic movies and shows, and we will continue to expand the film library with treasured titles from NBCUniversal and beyond that will surprise and delight Peacock customers time and time again.”