Welcome to the very first weekly Harry Potter movie discussion thread.

To celebrate the launch of Harry Potter: The Official Film Podcast, we’ll be revisiting each film in the original series week-by-week alongside the official companion podcast from HBO Max. This week, we begin where it all started:

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001)

Directed by: Chris Columbus

Written by: Steve Kloves

Based on the novel by J.K. Rowling

Main Cast

Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter
Emma Watson as Hermione Granger
Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley
Richard Harris as Albus Dumbledore
Alan Rickman as Severus Snape
Maggie Smith as Professor McGonagall
Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid

Rotten Tomatoes: 80%

Metacritic: 65

Plot Synopsis

Living a miserable life with the Dursleys, 11-year-old Harry Potter discovers that he is actually a wizard and has been invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Alongside new friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, Harry begins uncovering the truth about his parents, the dark wizard Voldemort, and the mysterious Philosopher’s Stone hidden within Hogwarts.

Movie Trailer

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone | Official Trailer

Harry Potter: The Official Film Podcast

Journey into the wizarding world with the official companion podcast to the Harry Potter film series. Each week, film critic and lifelong Harry Potter superfan Rhianna Dhillon embarks on a heartfelt and hilarious look back through the films, joined by celebrity superfans and the behind-the-scenes magic makers who brought the generation-defining series to life.

New episodes release weekly. The video version streams on HBO Max, while the audio version is available wherever you listen to podcasts including Apple Podcasts, Spotify.

"Yer a Wizard" | Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Part 1 with Khleo Thomas: Apple Podcasts/Spotify

"Not me. Not Hermione. You!" | Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Part 2 with Khleo Thomas: Apple Podcasts/Spotify

Podcast Trailer

Harry Potter: The Official Film Podcast Trailer

Please note that this thread will run from May 19–25 before we move on to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on May 26.

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