Key figures: David Yates (director), Steve Kloves (screenwriter), J.K. Rowling (author), Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Ralph Fiennes, Alan Rickman
Summary
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is a fantasy film directed by David Yates and written by Steve Kloves, adapting the second half of J.K. Rowling’s 2007 novel. It premiered at Trafalgar Square in London on July 7, 2011, and was released in the United Kingdom and United States on July 15, 2011, in 2D and 3D, with a running time of 130 minutes. The eighth and final installment of the Harry Potter series that began in 2001, it brought the film adaptations of Rowling’s seven novels to a close with the Battle of Hogwarts and the defeat of Lord Voldemort.
Production and Cast
The two-part finale was filmed back-to-back on a combined budget of roughly $250 million, with Part 1 released in November 2010. The principal trio of Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), and Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) reprised their roles alongside Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort and an ensemble that included Alan Rickman as Severus Snape, Helena Bonham Carter, Maggie Smith, and Michael Gambon. Snape’s backstory — revealed through his memories — formed one of the film’s central emotional threads.
Box Office and Reception
The film grossed about $1.342 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing film of 2011, the first Harry Potter film to surpass $1 billion, and, at the time of release, the third-highest-grossing film in history behind Avatar and Titanic. It set a record for the largest worldwide opening weekend, roughly $483 million, a mark that stood until 2015. Critical reception was strongly positive, with a 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a Metacritic score of 85, and audiences gave it an “A” CinemaScore. The film received three Academy Award nominations, for Best Art Direction, Best Makeup, and Best Visual Effects.
Significance
Part 2 concluded a decade-long cinematic project that, taken together, became the highest-grossing film franchise to that point, with the eight films earning more than $7 billion. Its commercial performance confirmed the enduring global appeal of Rowling’s world and set benchmarks for the studio “event” filmmaking that dominated the 2010s, while its release marked a generational milestone for audiences who had grown up alongside the series.