New ‘Potter' film likely to set records on opening day

Some might say it’s the end of an era — a magical era.

“It all ends,” say the posters for “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2,” the much-awaited eighth movie and final installment of the famed series. The movie opens Friday.

Harry Potter fans are finding ways to keep the phenomenon alive.

In Harlingen, fans can see Part 1 of “The Deathly Hallows” just before the midnight screening of Part 2 at the Cinemark 16 at 601 S. Expressway 83.

It’s been a decade since the world was introduced to the Harry Potter movies, based on the books by British author J.K. Rowling. The first book, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” was released in the United States in 1998.

Since then, more than 450 million copies of Harry Potter books have been sold worldwide.

The Harry Potter movie franchise has grossed $6.3 billion. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” alone grossed $954 million worldwide.

As each book in the series was released, parents would wait in early-morning lines at bookstores to buy the latest for an eager child.

In a country where children’s literacy was hitting low levels, many children were now reading more than 700 pages in a matter of days.

According to Diana Dominguez, associate professor in the English Department at the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College, the Harry Potter phenomenon did more than just entertain.

“One of the great things about this is that it actually created a readership among younger people, especially at a time where readership was declining. There was a real sense of connection to the books that ended up creating a real fan base not only for the books but also for the movies,” Dominguez said.

She said the books have reached a wide demographic.

“The books appeal to both adults and children of both genders because generally girls, especially at a younger age, tend to read more. It really transcended age as well as gender,” Dominguez said.

She talked about Rowling’s use of words in the books and how they’ve become part of our language.

“She created a language, a world. ... It’s sort of like Star Wars when we think of the movies and the impact in the late 1970s, you know, ‘May the force be with you,’” she said. “It’s happening with some of the terminology in this case, too.”

Harlingen resident Alma Garcia has been reminiscing all week with her friends during Potter movie marathons about their shared love for the books and movies. She plans to attend the back-to-back showings in Harlingen with a group of friends, and the group already has coordinating T-shirts in the different colors of Hogwarts houses ready to go.

“I’m happy and can’t wait to see it, but at the same time I’m sad knowing there won’t be any more,” Garcia said. “Knowing how the story ends will make this movie a tearjerker for sure.”
Garcia, 24, said Harry Potter will have a permanent place in her heart.

“I love how Daniel Radcliffe described his feelings at the London premiere about the end of the series,” she said. “(He said), ‘I don’t think this story ends tonight ... because every person will carry this story through their lives.’”