Supernatural is an American television series created by Eric Kripke. It was first broadcast on September 13, 2005, on The WB, and subsequently became part of successor network The CW's lineup. Starring Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester and Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester, the series follows the two brothers as they hunt demons, ghosts, monsters and other supernatural beings. Along with Kripke, the series' executive producers included McG, Robert Singer, Phil Sgriccia, Sera Gamble, Jeremy Carver, John Shiban, Ben Edlund and Adam Glass. Former executive producer and director Kim Manners died during production of the fourth season.[5] The series was produced by Kripke Enterprises, Wonderland Sound and Vision, and Warner Bros. Television.
The series was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, and surrounding areas. It was in development for nearly ten years, as creator Kripke spent several years unsuccessfully pitching it. The pilot was viewed by an estimated 5.69 million viewers,[6] and the ratings of the first four episodes prompted The WB to pick up the series for a full season. Kripke planned the series for three seasons but later expanded it to five. The fifth season concluded the series' main storyline,[7] and Kripke departed the series as showrunner.[8] The series continued on for 10 more seasons with new showrunners, including Sera Gamble, Jeremy Carver, Robert Singer and Andrew Dabb.[9] With its eleventh season, Supernatural became the longest-running American live-action fantasy TV series.[10] The series was renewed for a fifteenth and final season that consisted of 20 episodes,[11][12] and premiered on October 10, 2019.[13] The series concluded on November 19, 2020, with 327 episodes aired.
ProductionConception and creationCreator Eric Kripke feels that America's urban legends are "every bit as fleshed out as any world mythologies".[14]
Before bringing Supernatural to television, creator Eric Kripke had been developing the series for nearly ten years,[15] having been fascinated with urban legends since he was a child.[16] He had originally envisioned Supernatural as a movie.[17] He later developed it as a TV series and spent a few years pitching it before it was picked up by The WB.[18] The concept went through several phases before becoming the eventual product, shifting from the original idea of an anthology series to one of tabloid reporters driving around the country in a van "fighting the demons in search of the truth".[16][19]: 8 Kripke wanted it to be a road trip series, feeling that it was the "best vehicle to tell these stories because it's pure, stripped down and uniquely American... These stories exist in these small towns all across the country, and it just makes so much sense to drive in and out of these stories."[16]
As he had previously written for The WB series Tarzan, Kripke was offered the chance to pitch show ideas to the network and used the opportunity for Supernatural.[17] However, the network disliked his tabloid reporter idea, so Kripke successfully pitched his last-minute idea of the characters being brothers.[19]: 6 He decided to have the brothers be from Lawrence, Kansas, because of its closeness to Stull Cemetery, a location famous for its urban legends.[20]
When it came time to name the two lead characters, Kripke decided on "Sal" and "Dean" as an homage to Jack Kerouac's road-trip novel On the Road. However, he felt that "Sal" was inappropriate for a main character and changed the name to "Sam".[14] It was originally intended for the brothers' last name to be "Harrison" as a nod to actor Harrison Ford, as Kripke wanted Dean to have the "devil-may-care swagger of Han Solo". However, there was a Sam Harrison living in Kansas, so the name had to be changed for legal reasons.[21] Combining his interest in the Winchester Mystery House and his desire to give the series the feel of "a modern-day Western", Kripke settled on the surname of "Winchester". Nonetheless, this also presented a problem. The first name of Sam and Dean's father was originally Jack, but there was a Jack Winchester residing in Kansas, so Kripke was forced to change the character's name to John.[21]
Black 1967 Impala, similar to the car in the series
Growing up, Kripke connected to television shows that had signature cars, such as The Dukes of Hazzard and Knight Rider. This prompted him to include one in Supernatural.[22] "We say it's a modern American Western – two gunslingers who ride into town, fight the bad guys, kiss the girl and ride out into the sunset again. And we were always talking from the very beginning that if you're going to have cowboys, they need a trusty horse."[22] He originally intended for the car to be a 1965 Mustang, but his neighbor convinced him to change it to a 1967 Impala, since "you can put a body in the trunk" and because "you want a car that, when people stop next to it at the lights, they lock their doors."[14] Kripke has commented, "It's a Rottweiler of a car, and I think it adds authenticity for fans of automobiles because of that, because it's not a pretty ride. It's an aggressive, muscular car, and I think that's what people respond to, and why it fits so well into the tone of our show."[22]
Kripke had previously pitched the series to Fox executive Peter Johnson, and when Johnson moved to Wonderland Sound and Vision as president of TV, he contacted Kripke.[23] Johnson soon signed on as co-executive producer, as did Wonderland owner McG as executive producer, with the production company set to make the pilot episode. Before it could be filmed, however, script issues needed to be dealt with. Originally, the brothers were not raised by their father, but rather by their aunt and uncle. Thus, when Dean comes to Sam for assistance in the pilot episode, he has to convince him that the supernatural exists. However, Kripke realized that this made the backstory too complicated and reworked it with Peter Johnson so that their father raised them to be hunters.[19]: 8–10
The script went through many additional revisions. One of the original ideas was for Sam's girlfriend Jessica to be revealed as a demon, which prompts him to join Dean on the road; however, Kripke felt it was more appropriate for Sam's motivation to be Jessica's death, so he had her killed in the same manner as Sam's mother, making them the "right bookends".[19]: 13 Other revised concepts include Sam believing Dean to be a serial killer who murders their father[19]: 14 and their father dying in Jessica's place.[19]: 11 Filming for the pilot episode was greenlit after director David Nutter, who previously had worked with Kripke on Tarzan, signed on.[19]: 10, 21 When the series was eventually picked up, the studio brought in Robert Singer as executive producer, as it wanted Kripke to work with someone with production experience. Due to his previous work on The X-Files, co-executive producer John Shiban was also hired to help design the series mythology.[19]: 12 Kripke had the series planned out for three seasons but later expanded it to five[24] and hoped to end it there on a high note.[25]
WritingAfter the departure of series creator Eric Kripke, the role of showrunner was assumed by Sera Gamble (top left) for seasons 6–7, Jeremy Carver (top right) for seasons 8–11, and Robert Singer (bottom left) and Andrew Dabb (bottom right) for seasons 12–15.
The staff for the first season consisted of Kripke and five other writers, with assistants to help with researching urban legends.[17] Most of the work done in writing the series is very collaborative, with the writers often breaking up into groups. At the beginning of each season, the writers are brought together and pitch their ideas, which are then assigned to a specific writer to be developed. Each story idea is outlined on a dry-erase board, with Kripke and Bob Singer making necessary changes. Afterward, the script is written,[26]: 150 and Kripke goes through it to make sure it has the same tone as other episodes.[17] Kripke found this task very difficult to do in the first season,[27] but he felt it became easier by the third season, as the staff came to "really understand the show's style".[27] Following the fifth season, Kripke stepped down as showrunner but maintained his connection with the series as an executive consultant. In a 2016 interview with Collider, he responded to the question as to how involved he still is with the show with the answer, "I would define myself as a proud parent who has sent their child off to college."[28] He elaborated on this analogy, explaining, "I'm there if they need me, I'm happy to help, but I also stay out of their way if they don't need me."[28]
The tone of Supernatural was heavily influenced by films such as Poltergeist—having the horror happen in a family setting rather than remote location—and Evil Dead II and An American Werewolf in London—having bits of comedy mixed in. Commenting on the former, Kripke said, "It's the idea that horror can happen in your own backyard. How many viewers have to worry about the vampire in the gothic castle?"[14] "It's always been a show about family."[24] Other influences include The Two Sisters and Asian horror films The Eye, Ju-on and Ring.[29]
According to creator Eric Kripke, the show originally was intended to focus on the weekly monsters, with Sam and Dean Winchester merely being "an engine to get us in and out of different horror movies every week".[30] His sole desire was to merely "scare the crap out of people".[31] However, a few episodes in, Kripke and executive producer Bob Singer noticed the onscreen chemistry between Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles. This revelation caused them to change the series to focus more on the brothers than the monsters, basing the weekly monster around the storyline they wanted for the Winchesters. According to Kripke, "Sometimes we don't even have the monster until way late in the break, once we get all the angst and the drama done first."[30]
Effects
Though companies were hired for work on the pilot episode—such as Entity FX for the visual effects[32]—effects departments now work exclusively for the series.[33] Ivan Hayden is the visual effects supervisor, and works with many levels of the production staff. During pre-production, Hayden must go through the scripts, looking for possible visual effects. He then has a concept meeting with the writers, and after settling on the effect designs to use, coordinates with the special effects and stunt departments. Hayden is also present during filming to help the director make sure that the scenes are being filmed in the best way for the visual effects, such as by ensuring that the actors are looking at the correct location where an effect will later be added. Afterward, he then meets with the editors.[26]: 144 Another aspect of the visual effects department is coming up with rules and physics for each supernatural creature,[26]: 144 though the rules are often bent if it benefits the story.[33] In 2012, it was announced that Hayden would be working at the new Vancouver location of Encore for its VFX division.[34]
Music
Supernatural features a synthesized orchestral score, although traditional acoustic instruments such as guitars and cellos are used at times. Special instruments have also been used in specific episodes, such as "bluesy gospel music" played on a broken-down piano in the faith-healing episode "Faith". Unlike other television shows, the series features two composers: Christopher Lennertz and Jay Gruska.[35] Each composer scores every other episode, giving them extra time to write the scores, which usually end up being around 30 minutes per episode. They write themes for their own episodes and characters and work with one another if there is overlap between episodes. They try to base the music on the visuals of the episode, such as in the episode "Dead in the Water", in which off-angle shots are accompanied by repetitive and discordant notes, and spoken words such as "water" and "die" are followed by a lower pitch to create a "gurgly" sound.[19]: 147 While there are similarities in the scores for situations such as the brothers and their father, about a third of each episode's score is newly written for the series.[35]
While original scores are used throughout episodes, another important aspect of the series' music is the use of classic rock, over which creator Eric Kripke threatened to quit when the network would not allow its inclusion. Most of the songs are from Kripke's private collection, although one of his favorite bands—Led Zeppelin—is too expensive to use. Some episode titles are references to Led Zeppelin songs.[36] The series has featured such bands as Blue Öyster Cult, Bad Company, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Rush, Boston, Triumph and AC/DC on more than one occasion. Multiple songs are usually used throughout each episode, and accompany "The Road So Far" sequences before select episodes that highlight a montage of past events. Although Kripke prefers to keep a fine line between the score and songs used, sometimes Lennertz and Gruska are required to write short sections of rock-like music to fill 15-to-20-second gaps, as it would be too costly to acquire song rights. On the last episode of every season except the first, the song "Carry On Wayward Son" by Kansas is played at the beginning.[19]: 148
Filming locations
Though the pilot was filmed in Los Angeles, principal filming took place in Vancouver, British Columbia.[19]: 14 Thus, on-location filming usually takes place in the Lower Mainland. "Dead in the Water" was filmed at Buntzen Lake[19]: 28 and the final scenes of "Simon Said" were filmed at Cleveland Dam.[26]: 40 Other locations used on the show are often reused two or three times, with the art department making variations to conceal this.[37]: 134 Heritage Park in Burnaby has been used as a cemetery in "Red Sky at Morning", and as the location of the gingerbread-house cottage in "Bedtime Stories".[37]: 44 Riverview Hospital in Coquitlam has served many functions for the series, including as an asylum in "Asylum",[19]: 60 a hospital in "In My Time of Dying" and a prison in "Folsom Prison Blues".[26]: 101 The episode "Houses of the Holy" was filmed on location in Vancouver at St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church. Because episodes usually take place in isolated or rural areas, filming often takes place at an old military base. Having been shut down for years, the buildings have been removed, leaving just roads on which sets are erected, such as for crossroads scenes.[37]: 133 In-studio filming took place at the Canadian Motion Picture Park in Burnaby.[38][39]
Online distribution
Rather than having the series debut on television, The WB instead made the pilot episode available for online streaming through Yahoo! a week before it was set to premiere on the network as part of a promotional scheme.[40] Following the transition to The CW, Supernatural episodes were added to Apple's iTunes Store starting in December 2006, being one of the first CW series to be made available for sale online.[41] The following month, the network began streaming episodes of the series on its website with limited commercial interruption, available for up to four weeks after the initial airings.[42] Beginning January 11, 2007, Australia's Network Ten also began offering full episodes for download via their website, through a deal with Warner Bros. Television. To combat piracy, Ten debuted the second-season premiere five days before its initial broadcast in the country, making Supernatural the first major network show available for free download in Australia before being aired. Subsequent episodes became available online just hours after being televised.[43] Around the same time, episodes were also made available for download on Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace.[44] In September 2008, Amazon.com launched its new on-demand TV service, with Supernatural being one of the many television shows available for sale.[45]
Home mediaMain article: List of Supernatural episodes § Home video releasesCast and charactersMain article: List of Supernatural and The Winchesters charactersJensen Ackles (left) and Jared Padalecki (right) portray the series' main characters.
The series focuses on the brothers Dean Winchester and Sam Winchester, played by Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, as they travel throughout the country hunting down evil supernatural creatures. Padalecki became interested in the role because he liked horror series, including both The X-Files and The Twilight Zone, which he found similar to the proposed plot of Supernatural. He was also excited to play "the reluctant hero", comparing Sam to The Matrix's Neo and Luke Skywalker of Star Wars. Padalecki had previous experience working with executive producers McG and David Nutter,[46] the former convincing him to audition for the role.[19]: 126 Ackles was originally asked by Nutter to audition for the role of Sam[19]: 130 but preferred the character of Dean after reading the script.[47] At the time of his audition, he was already a series regular on fellow WB series Smallville. After landing the part of Dean, his Smallville role was cut short.[48]
When I read the script, Dean just jumped out at me. With that character there was always a bit more comedy, and a bit more recklessness, and it just appealed to me more. So when I asked to read for that, they were like, "That's what we're looking for." So it was great. I found a character that I really enjoy playing.
— Jensen Ackles on what drew him to the character of Dean Winchester[47]
While the series does not have many lead characters, there are many recurring characters. Jeffrey Dean Morgan portrays John Winchester, father of Sam and Dean. Making an appearance in the pilot episode, John does not return until nearly halfway through the first season, after which he becomes a recurring character until his eventual death in the second season's premiere episode, though his spirit returns to help his sons in the season finale. Later in the series, it is announced that John Winchester fathered a third son with another woman; a half-brother to Sam and Dean. According to writer John Shiban, it was decided early on that John would die. The writers found that having the brothers being separated from their father "split the show". Shiban noted that "... the boys were looking for Dad, and they were looking for a monster of the week, whatever that is, whatever case crosses their path. It became difficult, because we thought it was like – 'what is Dad doing? Is he doing more interesting things than the boys are doing, or what?'"[49] They believed Morgan was initially reluctant about returning to Supernatural for the second season because of his recurring role on the series Grey's Anatomy.[50] Future appearances of the character have been hindered by Morgan's busy schedule.[51]
Also introduced in the first season are the demon Azazel and his unnamed daughter. While Azazel mainly appears merely as shadows or silhouettes in the first season, taking physical form only when he possesses John Winchester, Azazel's daughter uses a girl named Meg Masters—portrayed by Nicki Lynn Aycox—as a host.[19]: 140 In the second-season premiere, Azazel's host is portrayed by Fredric Lehne; originally brought on for only one episode, Lehne impressed the showrunners so much that he was asked to return for the season's two-part finale.[52] Even after the character's death, Azazel makes appearances in subsequent seasons, being portrayed by different actors. Lehne also reprises the role in the first episode of season six when Dean is poisoned and begins to see Azazel again. Likewise, after Azazel's daughter is exorcised from Meg towards the end of the first season, the demon and her host continued to appear in the series, although now as two separate characters. Aycox continued her role in the fourth season when the angry spirit of Meg tries to kill the Winchesters. The demon returns for an episode in the second season played by Padalecki, temporarily taking Sam as a host. She appears once again in the fifth season, her newest host being portrayed by Rachel Miner, in a recurring role.
Actor Jim Beaver never expected his character's longevity, believing his initial guest appearance would be a "one-shot deal".[26]: 136 Actor Misha Collins believed he would be another recurring guest star who would fade away quickly. For the fifth season, Collins was promoted to a series regular.Actor Mark Sheppard was also not expecting the popularity of his character. In the tenth season, Crowley became a series regular, which would last for another two seasons before his departure.
The writers eventually wanted to flesh out the concept of hunters, resulting in the introduction of many new characters.[53] Actor Jim Beaver makes his first appearance as Bobby Singer, an old family friend of the Winchesters, at the end of the first season. Becoming a sort of surrogate father to Sam and Dean after their father's death,[27] the character acts as their mentor and foremost point of contact before his departure in the seventh season. Other hunters appear in the second season with the introduction of Harvelle's Roadhouse, a saloon frequented by hunters. It is owned by Ellen Harvelle (played by Samantha Ferris), whose late husband was a friend of John Winchester. Working alongside her mother is Jo Harvelle (played by Alona Tal). Also present is the computer guy Ash (played by Chad Lindberg), who uses his vast computer skills to track the paranormal. Tal was eventually written out of the series, and believes the reason to be that the producers felt she looked like Sam and Dean's "14-year-old sister".[54] Kripke claims the character was incorrectly conceived, and also cites poor fan reaction for her removal.[55] Also, the character of Ash is killed off in the second-season finale with the destruction of the Roadhouse. Ellen was meant to return in the third season, but the episode had to be scrapped due to the writer's strike.[56] The writers intended for her to be featured in the third-season finale,[57] but Ferris declined because the deal offered to her was not acceptable, as "It could cost [her] money and work".[58] However, both actresses returned as Jo and Ellen in the fifth season.
For the third season, the writers decided to introduce Ruby, a demonic former witch who claims to be an ally to the Winchesters. However, The CW requested that another female be added, so the character Bela Talbot, a self-centered thief who sells occult objects to wealthy clients and who was already intended to appear in multiple episodes, was upgraded to a series regular.[59] Katie Cassidy and Lauren Cohan were eventually cast as Ruby and Bela, respectively, though they originally auditioned for the others' role.[60] Though making only six appearances each in the third season, both actresses were credited as co-stars for their episodes. At the end of the season, Bela was killed off,[61] and Cassidy was let go for budgetary reasons.[62] The role of Ruby was recast for the fourth season, auditions describing the character only as "a love interest". Genevieve Cortese (who later married Padalecki) took over the role until the character's death at the end of the season.[63]
Wanting to bring in Christian mythology to the series, the writers created the angel Castiel.[64] With Kripke wanting to keep the introduction of an angel a secret, the character was instead described as a demon during auditions.[65] Misha Collins was cast as the character. Making his debut in the fourth-season premiere, Castiel resurrects Dean from hell after his death in the third season and comes to be an ally of the Winchesters. The character was originally intended for only a six-episode story arc, but the role was later expanded.[66] Collins was promoted to a series regular for the fifth and sixth season, something Collins believes to be mainly due to fan support.[67] Collins was downgraded to recurring status for the seventh and eighth seasons, but returned to series regular status for seasons nine and ten.[68]
Along with Castiel came other angelic characters, with Robert Wisdom portraying the "militant" and "dogmatic"[69] Uriel, who secretly supports Lucifer; Julie McNiven playing the fallen angel Anna Milton, who eventually regains her angelic form but remains an outcast of Heaven; and Kurt Fuller as Castiel's boss Zachariah, who wishes to start the apocalypse in order to bring Paradise to Earth. Though Wisdom's character is eventually killed, McNiven and Fuller continue their roles into the fifth season and are joined by Mark Pellegrino as the recently released but fallen archangel Lucifer. Pellegrino also appears as Lucifer as a hallucination in Sam's head in season 7. Pellegrino had been the second choice for the role of Castiel[70] and was offered the role of Lucifer without an audition.[71] Further on, Fuller's and McNiven's characters were also killed along with both Harvelle characters.
Season 5 introduces the demon Crowley, played by Mark Sheppard, who would become the Winchester's longest-recurring antagonist and occasional anti-hero in the series. Crowley appears in three episodes of season 5 to help the Winchesters seal Lucifer back in the Cage, believing that once he destroys humanity he will target all demonkind next. In season 6, Crowley becomes the King of Hell and one of the main antagonists working with Castiel to stop Archangel Raphael, the other main antagonist of season 6, from restarting the apocalypse, by harnessing the souls of purgatory and splitting the power with Castiel. In season 7, Crowley becomes an antihero who helps the Winchesters against the threat of Leviathans led by Dick Roman after they are released from purgatory by Castiel. Crowley becomes the main antagonist of season 8, attempting to harness the Words of God and their powers and stop the Winchesters from sealing hell forever. In season 9, Crowley becomes an unwilling prisoner of the Winchesters but is forced to deal with Abaddon trying to steal his position as King of Hell. Sheppard was promoted to series regular status for season 10.[72]
Season 7 introduces Kevin Tran the prophet (played by Osric Chau), who translates the word of God to help the Winchesters stop the Leviathans, which leads to their destruction. In season 8, Kevin works to translate another word of God to find the means of sealing hell forever. In season 9, Kevin instead tries to find the means of returning the fallen angels to Heaven but is killed by a Gadreel-possessed Sam.
Also introduced in Season 7 is Charlie Bradbury, a tech-savvy geek (played by Felicia Day) who works at Richard Roman Enterprises. After hacking into Frank's hard drive and learning about the existence of monsters, Charlie becomes an ally of the Winchesters and occasionally helps them out with technical problems and hunts.
Season 9 introduces the angel Gadreel, who originally poses as Ezekiel, played by Tahmoh Penikett and Padalecki. After Sam is seriously injured when he decides not to seal Hell, Gadreel comes to Dean in response to his prayer for help, possesses Sam to heal him, and becomes Dean's ally. However, Gadreel's true identity is later revealed by Metatron to be the guardian who had allowed Lucifer into the Garden of Eden and was imprisoned until the fall. Gadreel then allies with Metatron in an attempt to redeem himself and lead the angels back to Heaven. He kills Kevin Tran and is later expelled from Sam and possesses his original vessel again. However, after Metatron begins sacrificing angels for his plans, Gadreel becomes regretful and joins Sam, Dean, and Castiel.
Season 4 introduces Chuck Shurley as one of God's prophets portrayed by Rob Benedict. Later in season 11, it is revealed that Chuck is God masquerading under the guise of a human to allow angels and mankind free will. In season 15, it is revealed that Chuck is manipulating events in the lives of the Winchesters and their allies for his own perverse amusement and entertainment.
Season 10 introduces the antagonistic witch Rowena MacLeod (portrayed by Ruth Connell), who is later revealed to be the mother of Crowley, who was previously named Fergus. Rowena returns as a sometime ally of the Winchesters throughout seasons 11 to 15, making her one of the long-standing female characters to exist on the show. Rowena's antagonistic and unpredictable nature is redeemable by her sacrifice in season 15 to close hell's portal opened by Chuck.
Season 11 introduces Amara / The Darkness, portrayed by Emily Swallow. The Darkness would later on go on to become an antagonist after being released from imprisonment once the Mark of Cain is broken. The Mark was a seal that kept the Darkness imprisoned in order for God's creation and humanity to survive. Later, it is revealed that the Darkness is a sibling of God.
Season 13 introduces a Nephilim, Jack Kline portrayed by Alexander Calvert as the son of Lucifer. Jack would later on become a member of the Winchester family and an important ally in rescuing the people of Apocalypse World (a world without Winchesters to prevent the endtimes) and defeating that world's version of archangel Michael. Jack would go on to be killed by God as part of Chuck's plan only to be resurrected by Billie, a reaper who is a newly turned replacement for Death.
Because the show focuses mainly on the two Winchester brothers, the writers realized that viewers would know that the characters are not in danger of being permanently killed. To fix this, the staff often writes in guest characters to give tension to the episode, occasionally having them die.[73]
HP
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young wizard, Harry Potter, and his friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The main story arc concerns Harry's conflict with Lord Voldemort, a dark wizard who intends to become immortal, overthrow the wizard governing body known as the Ministry of Magic, and subjugate all wizards and Muggles (non-magical people).
The series was originally published in English by Bloomsbury in the United Kingdom and Scholastic Press in the United States. A series of many genres, including fantasy, drama, coming-of-age fiction, and the British school story (which includes elements of mystery, thriller, adventure, horror, and romance), the world of Harry Potter explores numerous themes and includes many cultural meanings and references.[1] Major themes in the series include prejudice, corruption, madness, love, and death.[2]
Since the release of the first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, on 26 June 1997, the books have found immense popularity and commercial success worldwide. They have attracted a wide adult audience as well as younger readers and are widely considered cornerstones of modern literature,[3][4] though the books have received mixed reviews from critics and literary scholars. As of February 2023, the books have sold more than 600 million copies worldwide, making them the best-selling book series in history, available in dozens of languages. The last four books all set records as the fastest-selling books in history, with the final instalment selling roughly 2.7 million copies in the United Kingdom and 8.3 million copies in the United States within twenty-four hours of its release. It holds the Guinness World Record for "Best-selling book series for children."[5]
Warner Bros. Pictures adapted the original seven books into an eight-part namesake film series. In 2016, the total value of the Harry Potter franchise was estimated at $25 billion,[6] making it one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a play based on a story co-written by Rowling. A television series based on the books is in production at HBO.
The success of the books and films has allowed the Harry Potter franchise to expand with numerous derivative works, a travelling exhibition that premiered in Chicago in 2009, a studio tour in London that opened in 2012, a digital platform on which J. K. Rowling updates the series with new information and insight, and a trilogy of spin-off films premiering in November 2016 with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, among many other developments. Themed attractions, collectively known as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, have been built at several Universal Destinations & Experiences amusement parks around the world.
PlotFurther information: Fictional universe of Harry PotterEarly yearsThe Elephant House was one of the cafés in Edinburgh where Rowling wrote the first part of Harry Potter.
The series follows the life of a boy named Harry Potter. In the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in the US), Harry lives in a cupboard under the stairs in the house of the Dursleys, his aunt, uncle and cousin, who all treat him poorly. At the age of 11, Harry discovers that he is a wizard. He meets a half-giant named Hagrid who gives him a letter of acceptance to attend the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry learns that his parents, Lily and James Potter, also had magical powers and were murdered by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort when Harry was a baby. When Voldemort attempted to kill Harry, his curse rebounded, seemingly killing Voldemort, and Harry survived with a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead. The event made Harry famous among the community of wizards and witches.
Harry becomes a student at Hogwarts and is sorted into Gryffindor House. He gains the friendship of Ron Weasley, a member of a large but poor wizarding family, and Hermione Granger, a witch of non-magical, or Muggle, parentage. The trio develop an enmity with the rich pure-blood student Draco Malfoy. Harry encounters the school's headmaster, Albus Dumbledore; the potions professor, Severus Snape, who displays a dislike for him; and the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Quirinus Quirrell. Quirrell turns out to be allied with Voldemort, who is still alive as a weak spirit. The first book concludes with Harry's confrontation with Voldemort, who, in his quest to regain a body, yearns to possess the Philosopher's Stone, a substance that bestows everlasting life.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets describes Harry's second year at Hogwarts. Students are attacked and petrified by an unknown creature; wizards of Muggle parentage are the primary targets. The attacks appear related to the mythical Chamber of Secrets and resemble attacks fifty years earlier. Harry discovers an ability to speak the snake language Parseltongue, which he learns is rare and associated with the Dark Arts. When Hermione is attacked and Ron's younger sister Ginny Weasley is abducted, Harry and Ron uncover the chamber's secrets and enter it. Harry discovers that Ginny was possessed by an old diary, inside which the memory of Tom Marvolo Riddle, Voldemort's younger self, resides. On Voldemort's behalf, Ginny opened the chamber and unleashed the basilisk, an ancient monster that kills or petrifies those who make direct or indirect eye contact, respectively. With the help of Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes, and the Sword of Gryffindor, Harry slays the basilisk and destroys the diary.
In the third novel, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry learns that he is targeted by Sirius Black, an escaped convict who allegedly assisted in his parents' murder. Dementors, creatures that feed on happiness, search for Sirius and guard the school. As Harry struggles with his reaction to the dementors, he reaches out to Remus Lupin, a new professor who teaches him the Patronus charm. On a windy night, Ron is dragged by a black dog into the Shrieking Shack, a haunted house, and Harry and Hermione follow. The dog is revealed to be Sirius Black. Lupin enters the shack and explains that Sirius was James Potter's best friend; he was framed by another friend of James, Peter Pettigrew, who hides as Ron's pet rat, Scabbers. As the full moon rises, Lupin transforms into a werewolf and bounds away, and the group chase after him. They are surrounded by dementors, but are saved by a figure resembling James who casts a stag Patronus. This is later revealed to be a future version of Harry, who traveled back in time with Hermione using a device called a Time Turner. The duo help Sirius escape on a Hippogriff, while Pettigrew escapes.
Voldemort returnsThe former 1st floor Nicholson's Cafe now renamed Spoon in Edinburgh where J. K. Rowling wrote the first few chapters of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
In Harry's fourth year of school (detailed in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), Hogwarts hosts the Triwizard Tournament, a contest between Hogwarts and the schools Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. Harry is unwillingly entered into the contest, becoming Hogwarts' second participant after Cedric Diggory, an unusual occurrence that causes his friends to distance themselves from him. Harry claims the Triwizard Cup with Cedric, but he is teleported to a graveyard where Pettigrew kills Cedric, then resurrects Voldemort using Harry's blood. Voldemort convenes his supporters, the Death Eaters, and Harry manages to escape after a duel with Voldemort. Upon returning to Hogwarts, it is revealed that a Death Eater, Barty Crouch, Jr, in disguise as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, engineered Harry's entry into the tournament, secretly helped him, and had him teleported to Voldemort.
In the fifth book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the Ministry of Magic refuses to believe that Voldemort has returned. Dumbledore re-activates the Order of the Phoenix, a secret society to counter Voldemort; meanwhile, the Ministry tightens control of Hogwarts by appointing Dolores Umbridge as High Inquisitor of Hogwarts, and she gradually increases her powers. When Umbridge bans practical teaching of Defence Against the Dark Arts, Harry, Ron and Hermione form "Dumbledore's Army", a secret group to continue the teachings. Harry has recurring dreams of a dark corridor in the Ministry of Magic, eventually dreaming that Sirius is being tortured there. He races to the Ministry with his friends, but it is a trap, planted in his head by Voldemort. The group are attacked by Death Eaters and saved by the Order of the Phoenix, but Sirius is killed in the battle. A duel between Dumbledore and Voldemort convinces the ministry of Voldemort's return. A prophecy concerning Harry and Voldemort is revealed: one must die at the hands of the other.
In the sixth book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Snape teaches Defence Against the Dark Arts while Horace Slughorn becomes the Potions master. Harry finds an old textbook with annotations by the Half-Blood Prince, due to which he achieves success in Potions class. Harry also takes lessons with Dumbledore, viewing memories about the early life of Voldemort in a device called a Pensieve. Harry learns from a drunken Slughorn that he used to teach Tom Riddle, and that Voldemort divided his soul into pieces, creating a series of Horcruxes. Harry and Dumbledore travel to a distant lake to destroy a Horcrux; they succeed, but Dumbledore weakens. On their return, they find Draco Malfoy and Death Eaters attacking the school. The book ends with the killing of Dumbledore by Professor Snape, the titular Half-Blood Prince.
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh and final novel in the series, Lord Voldemort gains control of the Ministry of Magic. Harry, Ron and Hermione learn about the Deathly Hallows, legendary items that lead to mastery over death. The group infiltrates the ministry, where they steal a locket Horcrux, and visit Godric's Hollow, where they are attacked by Nagini, Voldemort's snake. A silver doe Patronus leads them to the Sword of Gryffindor, with which they destroy the locket. They steal a Horcrux from Gringotts and travel to Hogwarts, culminating in a battle with the Death Eaters. Snape is killed by Voldemort out of paranoia, but he lends Harry his memories before he dies. Harry learns that Snape was always loyal to Dumbledore, and that Harry is himself a Horcrux. Harry surrenders to Voldemort and is hit with the killing curse; however he is not killed as the protection Lily gave him lives on within Voldemort since he used Harry's blood to resurrect himself . The defenders of Hogwarts continue to fight on; Harry comes back from limbo, faces Voldemort and kills him.
An epilogue titled "Nineteen Years Later" describes the lives of the surviving characters and the impact of Voldemort's death. Harry and Ginny are married with three children, and Ron and Hermione are married with two children.
Style and allusionsGenre and style
The novels fall into the genre of fantasy literature, and qualify as a type of fantasy called "urban fantasy", "contemporary fantasy", or "low fantasy". They are mainly dramas, and maintain a fairly serious and dark tone throughout, though they do contain some notable instances of tragicomedy and black humour. In many respects, they are also examples of the bildungsroman, or coming of age novel,[7] and contain elements of mystery, adventure, horror, thriller, and romance. The books are also, in the words of Stephen King, "shrewd mystery tales",[8] and each book is constructed in the manner of a Sherlock Holmes-style mystery adventure. The stories are told from a third person limited point of view with very few exceptions (such as the opening chapters of Philosopher's Stone, Goblet of Fire and Deathly Hallows and the first two chapters of Half-Blood Prince).
The series can be considered part of the British children's boarding school genre, which includes Rudyard Kipling's Stalky & Co., Enid Blyton's Malory Towers, St. Clare's and the Naughtiest Girl series, and Frank Richards's Billy Bunter novels: the Harry Potter books are predominantly set in Hogwarts, a fictional British boarding school for wizards, where the curriculum includes the use of magic.[9] In this sense they are "in a direct line of descent from Thomas Hughes's Tom Brown's School Days and other Victorian and Edwardian novels of British public school life", though they are, as many note, more contemporary, grittier, darker, and more mature than the typical boarding school novel, addressing serious themes of death, love, loss, prejudice, coming-of-age, and the loss of innocence in a 1990s British setting.[10][11][failed verification]
In Harry Potter, Rowling juxtaposes the extraordinary against the ordinary.[12] Her narrative features two worlds: a contemporary world inhabited by non-magical people called Muggles, and another featuring wizards. It differs from typical portal fantasy in that its magical elements stay grounded in the mundane.[13] Paintings move and talk; books bite readers; letters shout messages; and maps show live journeys, making the wizarding world both exotic and familiar.[12][14] This blend of realistic and romantic elements extends to Rowling's characters. Their names are often onomatopoeic[clarification needed]: Malfoy is difficult, Filch is unpleasant, and Lupin is a werewolf.[15][16] Harry is ordinary and relatable, with down-to-earth features such as wearing broken glasses;[17] the scholar Roni Natov terms him an "everychild".[18] These elements serve to highlight Harry when he is heroic, making him both an everyman and a fairytale hero.[17][19]
Each of the seven books is set over the course of one school year. Harry struggles with the problems he encounters, and dealing with them often involves the need to violate some school rules. If students are caught breaking rules, they are often disciplined by Hogwarts professors. The stories reach their climax in the summer term, near or just after final exams, when events escalate far beyond in-school squabbles and struggles, and Harry must confront either Voldemort or one of his followers, the Death Eaters, with the stakes a matter of life and death—a point underlined, as the series progresses, by characters being killed in each of the final four books.[20][21] In the aftermath, he learns important lessons through exposition and discussions with head teacher and mentor Albus Dumbledore. The only exception to this school-centred setting is the final novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, in which Harry and his friends spend most of their time away from Hogwarts, and only return there to face Voldemort at the dénouement.[20]
Allusions
The Harry Potter stories feature imagery and motifs drawn from Arthurian myth and fairytales. Harry's ability to draw the Sword of Gryffindor from the Sorting Hat resembles the Arthurian sword in the stone legend.[22] His life with the Dursleys has been compared to Cinderella.[23] Hogwarts resembles a medieval university-cum-castle with several professors who belong to an Order of Merlin; Old Professor Binns still lectures about the International Warlock Convention of 1289; and a real historical person, a 14th-century scribe, Sir Nicolas Flamel, is described as a holder of the Philosopher's Stone.[24] Other medieval elements in Hogwarts include coats-of-arms and medieval weapons on the walls, letters written on parchment and sealed with wax, the Great Hall of Hogwarts, which is similar to the Great Hall of Camelot, the use of Latin phrases, the tents put up for Quidditch tournaments, which are similar to the "marvellous tents" put up for knightly tournaments, imaginary animals like dragons and unicorns that exist around Hogwarts, and the banners with heraldic animals for the four Houses of Hogwarts.[24]
Many of the motifs of the Potter stories, such as the hero's quest invoking objects that confer invisibility, magical animals and trees, a forest full of danger and the recognition of a character based upon scars, are drawn from medieval French Arthurian romances.[24] Other aspects borrowed from French Arthurian romances include the use of owls as messengers, werewolves as characters, and white deer.[24] The American scholars Heather Arden and Kathrn Lorenz in particular argue that many aspects of the Potter stories are inspired by a 14th-century French Arthurian romance, Claris et Laris, writing of the "startling" similarities between the adventures of Potter and the knight Claris.[24] Arden and Lorenz noted that Rowling graduated from the University of Exeter in 1986 with a degree in French literature and spent a year living in France afterwards.[24]
Like C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter also contains Christian symbolism and allegory. The series has been viewed as a Christian moral fable in the psychomachia tradition, in which stand-ins for good and evil fight for supremacy over a person's soul.[25] Children's literature critic Joy Farmer sees parallels between Harry and Jesus Christ.[26] Comparing Rowling with Lewis, she argues that "magic is both authors' way of talking about spiritual reality".[27] According to Maria Nikolajeva, Christian imagery is particularly strong in the final scenes of the series: Harry dies in self-sacrifice and Voldemort delivers an "ecce homo" speech, after which Harry is resurrected and defeats his enemy.[28]
Rowling stated that she did not reveal Harry Potter's religious parallels in the beginning because doing so would have "give[n] too much away to fans who might then see the parallels".[29] In the final book of the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Rowling makes the book's Christian imagery more explicit, quoting both Matthew 6:21 and 1 Corinthians 15:26 (King James Version) when Harry visits his parents' graves.[29] Hermione Granger teaches Harry Potter that the meaning of these verses from the Christian Bible are "living beyond death. Living after death", which Rowling states "epitomize the whole series".[29][30][31] Rowling also exhibits Christian values in developing Albus Dumbledore as a God-like character, the divine, trusted leader of the series, guiding the long-suffering hero along his quest. In the seventh novel, Harry speaks with and questions the deceased Dumbledore much like a person of faith would talk to and question God.[32][full citation needed]
ThemesThe novelist, J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter's overarching theme is death.[33][34] In the first book, when Harry looks into the Mirror of Erised, he feels both joy and "a terrible sadness" at seeing his desire: his parents, alive and with him.[35] Confronting their loss is central to Harry's character arc and manifests in different ways through the series, such as in his struggles with Dementors.[35][36] Other characters in Harry's life die; he even faces his own death in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.[37] The series has an existential perspective—Harry must grow mature enough to accept death.[38] In Harry's world, death is not binary but mutable, a state that exists in degrees.[39] Unlike Voldemort, who evades death by separating and hiding his soul in seven parts, Harry's soul is whole, nourished by friendship and love.[38]
Love distinguishes Harry and Voldemort. Harry is a hero because he loves others, even willing to accept death to save them; Voldemort is a villain because he does not.[40] Harry carries the protection of his mother's sacrifice in his blood; Voldemort, who wants Harry's blood and the protection it carries, does not understand that love vanquishes death.[26]
Rowling has spoken about thematising death and loss in the series. Soon after she started writing Philosopher's Stone, her mother died; she said that "I really think from that moment on, death became a central, if not the central theme of the seven books".[41] Rowling has described Harry as "the prism through which I view death", and further stated that "all of my characters are defined by their attitude to death and the possibility of death".[42]
While Harry Potter can be viewed as a story about good vs. evil, its moral divisions are not absolute.[43][44] First impressions of characters are often misleading. Harry assumes in the first book that Quirrell is on the side of good because he opposes Snape, who appears to be malicious; in reality, Quirrell is an agent of Voldemort, while Snape is loyal to Dumbledore. This pattern later recurs with Moody and Snape.[43] In Rowling's world, good and evil are choices rather than inherent attributes: second chances and the possibility of redemption are key themes of the series.[45][46] This is reflected in Harry's self-doubts after learning his connections to Voldemort, such as Parseltongue;[45] and prominently in Snape's characterisation, which has been described as complex and multifaceted.[47] In some scholars' view, while Rowling's narrative appears on the surface to be about Harry, her focus may actually be on Snape's morality and character arc.[48][49]
Rowling said that, to her, the moral significance of the tales seems "blindingly obvious". In the fourth book, Dumbledore speaks of a "choice between what is right and what is easy"; Rowling views this as a key theme, "because that ... is how tyranny is started, with people being apathetic and taking the easy route and suddenly finding themselves in deep trouble".[50]
Academics and journalists have developed many other interpretations of themes in the books, some more complex than others, and some including political subtexts. Themes such as normality, oppression, survival, and overcoming imposing odds have all been considered as prevalent throughout the series.[51] Similarly, the theme of making one's way through adolescence and "going over one's most harrowing ordeals—and thus coming to terms with them" has also been considered.[52] Rowling has stated that the books comprise "a prolonged argument for tolerance, a prolonged plea for an end to bigotry" and that they also pass on a message to "question authority and... not assume that the establishment or the press tells you all of the truth".[53]
Development historyMain article: Harry Potter influences and analogues
In 1990, Rowling was on a crowded train from Manchester to London when the idea for Harry suddenly "fell into" her head. Rowling gives an account of the experience on her website saying:[54]
I had been writing almost continuously since the age of six but I had never been so excited about an idea before. I simply sat and thought, for four (delayed train) hours, and all the details bubbled up in my brain, and this scrawny, black-haired, bespectacled boy who did not know he was a wizard became more and more real to me.
Rowling completed Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in 1995 and the manuscript was sent off to several prospective agents.[55] The second agent she tried, Christopher Little, offered to represent her and sent the manuscript to several publishers.[56]
Publishing historyThe logo used in British, Australian, and Canadian editions before 2010, which uses the typeface Cochin Bold[57]
After twelve other publishers had rejected Philosopher's Stone, Bloomsbury agreed to publish the book.[58] Despite Rowling's statement that she did not have any particular age group in mind when beginning to write the Harry Potter books, the publishers initially targeted children aged nine to eleven.[59] On the eve of publishing, Rowling was asked by her publishers to adopt a more gender-neutral pen name in order to appeal to the male members of this age group, fearing that they would not be interested in reading a novel they knew to be written by a woman. She elected to use J. K. Rowling (Joanne Kathleen Rowling), using her grandmother's name as her second name because she has no middle name.[60][61]
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was published by Bloomsbury, the publisher of all Harry Potter books in the United Kingdom, on 26 June 1997.[62] It was released in the United States on 1 September 1998 by Scholastic—the American publisher of the books—as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,[63] after the American rights sold for US$105,000—a record amount for a children's book by an unknown author.[64] Scholastic feared that American readers would not associate the word "philosopher" with magic, and Rowling suggested the title Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for the American market.[65] Rowling has later said that she regrets the change.[66]
The second book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, was originally published in the UK on 2 July 1998 and in the US on 2 June 1999. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was published a year later in the UK on 8 July 1999 and in the US on 8 September 1999.[67] Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was published on 8 July 2000 at the same time by Bloomsbury and Scholastic.[68] Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the longest book in the series, at 766 pages in the UK version and 870 pages in the US version.[69] It was published worldwide in English on 21 June 2003.[70] Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was published on 16 July 2005.[71][72] The seventh and final novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was published on 21 July 2007.[73] Rowling herself has stated that the last chapter of the final book (in fact, the epilogue) was completed "in something like 1990".[74]
Rowling retained rights to digital editions and released them on the Pottermore website in 2012. Vendors such as Amazon displayed the ebooks in the form of links to Pottermore, which controlled pricing.[75] All seven Harry Potter novels have been released in unabridged audiobook versions, with Stephen Fry reading the British editions and Jim Dale voicing the series for the American editions.[76][77] On Audible, the series has been listened, as of November 2022, for over a billion hours.[78]
TranslationsMain article: Harry Potter in translationThe Russian translation of The Deathly Hallows goes on sale in Moscow, 2007
The series has been translated into more than 80 languages,[79] placing Rowling among the most translated authors in history. The books have seen translations to diverse languages such as Korean, Armenian, Ukrainian, Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Bengali, Bulgarian, Welsh, Afrikaans, Albanian, Latvian, Vietnamese and Hawaiian. The first volume has been translated into Latin and even Ancient Greek,[80] making it the longest published work in Ancient Greek since the novels of Heliodorus of Emesa in the 3rd century AD.[81] The second volume has also been translated into Latin.[82]
Some of the translators hired to work on the books were well-known authors before their work on Harry Potter, such as Viktor Golyshev, who oversaw the Russian translation of the series' fifth book. The Turkish translation of books two to seven was undertaken by Sevin Okyay, a popular literary critic and cultural commentator.[83] For reasons of secrecy, translation on a given book could only start after it had been released in English, leading to a lag of several months before the translations were available. This led to more and more copies of the English editions being sold to impatient fans in non-English speaking countries; for example, such was the clamour to read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix that its English language edition became the first English-language book ever to top the best-seller list in France.[84]
The United States editions were adapted into American English to make them more understandable to a young American audience.[85]