Why is ‘Harry Potter’ so Popular Even After all These Years?

The Harry Potter franchise was first released almost a quarter of a century ago and by the time the last movie was released, the series became so popular that the posters for the final movie didn’t even feature the name of the movie. But how is the franchise still so popular, almost ten years after the release of the final movie of the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2?

The great writing and filmmaking amassed a great number of fans that still love the series since it was such a big part of their childhoods.

This is quite an interesting topic and there are many different things to consider while trying to find an answer to this question. From the good writing and amazing film interpretation, there are many different elements contributing to the massive success of the franchise. If you want a detailed analysis of what contributed to the fame of the series keep reading. 

Why is Harry Potter so popular?  

Given that 24 years have passed since the first book was published and the first movie was released 20 years ago many people wonder how the franchise is still as popular as it was during its prime.

It is a book series that eventually grew into a film franchise that shaped a generation. A story set in a magical world that teaches great values like friendship, humility, and bravery. 

It was written in a way that allowed anyone to imagine themselves in the world and additional releases made that even more possible and elevated the reliability of the series to a level that similar franchises simply can’t reach.

The series itself brought together an amazing community centered around the franchise and for a good reason. This seemingly child aimed series shone a light on some surprisingly dark themes such as mental health, LGBT visibility, and other real-world questions. 

The books are well written and were most Millennials’ introduction to the reading and the movies created a great adaptation of the series, partially due to amazing scripts but mostly because of the talented cast who brought the characters to life.

Why is Harry Potter so popular with adults? 

The book series and the movie franchise were released over a time period of a bit more than a decade. This timing allowed it to pull in the biggest possible audience since the movies were marketed towards children and young adults. Another thing that led a lot of people over to the book series is the fact that the books were always ahead of the movies which mean most of the curious fans gravitate towards the books to figure out what happens next.

Now that all of those original fans grew up, it is easy to understand why a piece of media that consumed such a big part of their childhood still remains near and dear to their hearts. 

Despite the fact that most people grow out of things that they liked during their childhood, due to the fact that media marketed towards the kids usually becomes extremely cringe once they get a little older, this is not the case with the Harry Potter franchise.

The series was written with a dose of dark themes which intrigued older audiences. This means that once younger kids grow out of the story elements which rely on friendship and the battle between good and evil they can stick around for the darker parts of the story instead of moving away from the franchise.   

Why is Harry Potter so good? 

One of the main reasons why the franchise is so good is J. K. Rowling herself. She managed to write a book that was set in a magical world the readers all around the world fell in love with.

She also managed to create characters with enough personality that people could root for throughout the story. Another addition is the fact that she wrote the books in a way that new information is revealed throughout the series which makes it easy to get invested in the characters and their lives.

The popularity of the franchise was also boosted once Warner Bros. picked up the rights to the franchise and transferred the story to the big screen. The script was written in a way that adapted the story extremely well and the cast, which was chosen by the author herself, made a perfect match for the book characters.

Besides the child actors, the cast featured a number of talented and well-known actors who allowed the kids to work with their own talent and produced a fantastic final project.

The format of the franchise made the series well-paced and allowed the producers to transfer the most magical parts of the book series to the movie format.    

Why is Harry Potter so addictive? 

The story was written in a way that allowed anyone to immerse themselves into the Harry Potter universe and imagine themselves as a part of the story.

The involvement in the story was amplified even more once Pottermore was created. The website allowed the fans to get even deeper into the universe by allowing them to get sorted into the Hogwarts house, to get their own Patronus, and even their own wands.

Most of the fans are extremely involved with the universe and that in combination with J. K. Rowling’s constant additions to the franchise, whether it is through her interviews or her overactive Twitter account.

This intervenes with how the franchise and the fandom surrounding it normally coexist. Usually, the fandom starts with few fans and the number grows as the franchise grows bigger, but once the franchise comes to closure the fandom will slowly die out due to the lack of content.

A great example of how content affects the life of a fandom and the fans’ engagement is the Star Wars franchise that got revived after years of stagnation once the sequel trilogy was announced.

Because there is a new spin-off series containing 5 movies that are currently being released and J. K. Rowling constantly adds new information about different characters and what happened to them after the series closure the fans had a constant stream of information and content which allowed them to stay invested in the franchise.

Why do people love Harry Potter? 

The first thing people love about Harry Potter is obviously the universe in which the story takes place. There is something about being in this amazing reality in which magic is real and you even go to a special school that helps you master your magical ability that draws people to get involved with the story.

An amazing universe would be nothing without interesting, well-written characters to fill it and the Harry Potter series definitely doesn’t lack in that department. The character also creates strong friendships which only evolve as the protagonists grow throughout the series.

Aside from the characters, the universe is filled with many amazing magical creatures which make the plot even more interesting (I mean can you really not like a three-headed dog named Fluffy).

The plot is extremely captivating and because it has elements which rely heavily on character relationship as well as parts which delve into darker themes which are why the series is suitable for readers and viewers with different preferences. 

As you explore the plot more and rewatching or rereading the series you will discover some hidden plot elements you may have overlooked the first time, such as the scene describing Fred and George throwing snowballs at professor Quirrel’s head.

Aside from the interesting plot, an important part of the series is the values the series teaches, and as such it is an amazing choice for younger children to start their reading journey with.

No matter how many times you revisit the series there is always something new you can explore and with additional material, J. K. Rowling released over the years the possibilities are endless.