It was Sept. 1, 1998, that readers in the United States first got to meet a bespectacled wizard known as The Boy Who Lived.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was published in the U.S. a year after it made its U.K. debut, and as MuggleNet notes, it took a few months for news outlets to take notice of the book. (MuggleNet and Mashable both have roundups of some of the novel’s earliest reviews.)
What a difference a couple decades makes. The Potter series went on to sell more than 500 million copies in 80 languages, including more than 180 million books in the U.S. It’s spawned two movie series based in the wizarding world, spin-off books, theme parks, a mobile game, a stage production, a museum exhibition and more.
Scholastic released 20th-anniversary covers of the series a couple years back to mark the milestone. And there were still more wizarding world releases and news in the ensuing months and years:
- Trailer for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore reveals new Grindelwald
- The world’s most popular sci-fi tattoos
- ‘Sorcerer’s Stone’ marks 21st anniversary in U.S.
- Fans wait 10 hours for Universal Studios’ new coaster: Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
- First look at the Vans Harry Potter sneaker collection
- Pottermore no more? ‘Wizarding World’ rebranding comes to J.K. Rowling portal
- OG Harry Potter book sold for almost 100K
- Final Crimes of Grindelwald trailer raises the snakes for Fantastic Beasts team
- Dan Folger narrating audiobook giving glimpse behind next Fantastic Beasts
- ‘Sorcerer’s Stone’ marks 20th anniversary in U.S.
- Natalie Dormer narrating History of Magic audiobook
- You’ll look like you’ve seen a ghost after watching the latest Crimes of Grindelwald trailer
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