Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film) the company the rights to the first four "Harry Potter" books for a reported £1 million (US$1,982,900). A demand Rowling made was that the principal cast be kept strictly British, nonetheless allowing for the inclusion of Irish actors such as Richard Harris as Dumbledore, and for casting of French and Eastern European actors in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" where characters from the book are specified as such. Rowling was hesitant to sell the rights because she "didn't want to give them control over the rest of the story" by selling the rights to the characters, which would
Harry Potter that the final instalment in the series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows", would be released in two cinematic parts: "Part 1" on 19 November 2010 and "Part 2" on 15 July 2011. Production of both parts started in February 2009, with the final day of principal photography taking place on 12 June 2010. Rowling had creative control on the film series, observing the filmmaking process of "Philosopher's Stone" and serving as producer on the two-part "Deathly Hallows", alongside David Heyman and David Barron. The "Harry Potter" films have been top-rank box office hits, with all eight releases on the