J. K. Rowling in the context of "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film)"

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. Major themes in the series include prejudice, corruption, madness, love, and death.

Harry James Potter is the titular character of the Harry Potter series of novels by J. K. Rowling. The plot of the seven-book series chronicles seven years in the life of the orphan Harry, who, on his eleventh birthday, learns he is a wizard. He attends Hogwarts, a school of magic, where he receives guidance from the headmaster Albus Dumbledore and becomes friends with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Harry learns that during his infancy, the Dark wizard Lord Voldemort murdered his parents but was unable to kill him as well. The plot of the series revolves around Harry's struggle to adapt to the wizarding world and defeat Voldemort.

Harry is regarded as a fictional icon and has been described by critics and publications as one of the greatest characters of all time. He is portrayed by Daniel Radcliffe in all eight Harry Potter films, and Dominic McLaughlin in the upcoming television series. Harry also appears in the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which has been produced on stage since 2016.

Harry Potter is a film series based on the Harry Potter series of novels by J. K. Rowling. The series was produced and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and consists of eight fantasy films, beginning with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) and culminating with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011). A spin-off prequel series started with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016), marking the beginning of the Wizarding World shared media franchise.

A British and American co-production, the series was mainly produced by David Heyman, and stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson as the three leading characters: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, respectively. Four directors worked on the series: Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuarón, Mike Newell, and David Yates. Michael Goldenberg wrote the screenplay for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), while the remaining films' screenplays were written by Steve Kloves. Production took place over ten years, with the main story arc following Harry's quest to overcome his arch-enemy Lord Voldemort.

Hermione Jean Granger (/hɜːrˈmaɪəni ˈɡreɪndʒər/ hur-MY-ə-nee GRAYN-jər) is a fictional character in the Harry Potter series of novels by J. K. Rowling. She first appeared in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (1997), as a first-year student on her way to Hogwarts. She becomes friends with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley after they save her from a troll in the girls' bathroom. Hermione often uses her quick wit, deft recall, and encyclopaedic knowledge to help her friends in perilous situations. Rowling has stated that Hermione resembles herself as a young girl, sharing similar insecurity and fear of failure.

Hermione has been immensely popular. The version of the character portrayed by Emma Watson in all eight Harry Potter films was voted the best female character of all time in a 2016 poll of Hollywood professionals conducted by The Hollywood Reporter. Arabella Stanton portrays her in the upcoming television series.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (/ˈhɒɡwɔːrts/) is a fictional boarding school of magic in the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. It is the primary setting for the first six novels and films and also serves as a major setting in the Wizarding World media franchise.

In the novels, Hogwarts is described as a coeducational, secondary boarding school that enrolls children from ages eleven to eighteen. According to Rowling, any child in Britain who shows magical ability is invited to attend the school. The Wizarding World website states that Hogwarts was founded in the Highlands of Scotland sometime between the 9th and 10th century by Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin. Rowling has offered varying accounts of how many students are enrolled at Hogwarts at any given time.

Lord Voldemort (/ˈvoʊldəmɔːr/ VOHL-də-mor, /-mɔːrt/ -⁠mort in the films) is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the Harry Potter series of novels by J. K. Rowling. He first appears in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (1997) and returns either in person or in flashbacks in each novel in the series except the third, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, in which he is only mentioned.

Voldemort, an anagrammatic sobriquet for his birth name Tom Marvolo Riddle, is the archenemy of Harry Potter, who according to a prophecy has "the power to vanquish the Dark Lord". After killing Harry's parents, Lily and James Potter, he attempts to murder the boy, but instead leaves him with a scar on his forehead in the shape of a lightning bolt. Nearly every witch or wizard dares not utter his name and refers to him instead with such monikers as "You-Know-Who", "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named", or The Dark Lord. Voldemort's obsession with blood purity signifies his aim to rid the wizarding world of Muggle (non-magical) heritage and to conquer both worlds, Muggle and wizarding, to achieve pure-blood dominance. Through his mother's family, he is the last descendant of the wizard Salazar Slytherin, one of the four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is the leader of the Death Eaters, a group of wizards and witches dedicated to ridding the Wizarding World of Muggles and establishing Voldemort as its supreme ruler.

In J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, a Muggle (/ˈmʌɡəl/) is a person who lacks any sort of magical ability and was not born in a magical family. Muggles can also be described as people who do not have any magical blood inside them. It differs from the term Squib, which refers to a person with one or more magical parents yet without any magical power or ability, and from the term Muggle-born (or the derogatory and offensive term mudblood, which is used to imply the supposed impurity of Muggle blood), which refers to a person with magical abilities but with non-magical parents. Equivalent terms used by the in-universe magic community of the United States include No-Maj and No-Majs (short for "no magic"); French equivalents are Non-Magiques and No-Majes. Other terms are Can't-Spells and Non-Wizards.

Albus Dumbledore is a fictional character in the Harry Potter series of novels by J. K. Rowling. For most of the series, he is the headmaster of the wizarding school Hogwarts. He is also the founder and leader of the Order of the Phoenix, an organisation dedicated to fighting the Dark wizard Lord Voldemort.

In the novels, Dumbledore is widely regarded as one of the most powerful and influential wizards of his time. Renowned for his wisdom, kindness, and formidable magical abilities, he plays a crucial role in shaping the events of the wizarding world. As a mentor to Harry Potter, he provides guidance and crucial knowledge in the fight against Voldemort. Despite his benevolent image, Dumbledore's past is marked by tragedy and complexity, including his youthful association with Gellert Grindelwald, a Dark wizard he later defeated. His philosophical views on power, love, and death are central themes in the series.

The Wizarding World (previously known as J. K. Rowling's Wizarding World) is a fantasy media franchise and shared fictional universe centred on the Harry Potter novel series by J. K. Rowling. A series of films have been in production since 2000, and in that time eleven films have been produced—eight are adaptations of the Harry Potter novels and three are part of the Fantastic Beasts series. The films are owned and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The series has collectively grossed over $9.6 billion at the global box office, making it the fourth-highest-grossing film franchise of all time (behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man and Star Wars).

David Heyman and his company Heyday Films have produced every film in the Wizarding World series. Chris Columbus and Mark Radcliffe served as producers on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, David Barron began producing the films with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in 2007 and ending with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 in 2011, and Rowling produced the final two films in the Harry Potter series. Heyman, Rowling, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram have produced all three films in the Fantastic Beasts series. The films are written and directed by several individuals and feature large, often ensemble, casts. Many of the actors, including Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Tom Felton, Michael Gambon, Ralph Fiennes, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Helena Bonham Carter, Gary Oldman, Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol, and Dan Fogler star in numerous films. Additionally, Jude Law and Johnny Depp feature in two films each. Soundtrack albums have been released for each of the films. The franchise also includes a stage production (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), a digital publication, a video game label and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter–themed areas at several Universal Destinations & Experiences amusement parks around the world.