Harry Potter (film series) and darker." This transpired with the succeeding three directors who would work on the series in the following years, with the films beginning to deal with issues such as death, betrayal, prejudice, and political corruption as the series developed narratively and thematically. After Chris Columbus had finished working on "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone", he was hired to direct the second film, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets". The production started within a week after the release of the first film. Columbus was set to direct all entries in the series, but he did not want to return
Harry Potter (film series) was released in November 2010, and "Part 2" was released in July 2011. Five of the series' eight films are among the 50 highest-grossing films of all time, with "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2" the highest-grossing film in the series and one of 36 films to gross over $1 billion, ranking at number ten. Without inflation adjustment, it is the third highest-grossing film series with $7.7 billion in worldwide receipts. Late in 1997, film producer David Heyman's London offices received a copy of the first book in what would become Rowling's series of seven "Harry Potter"