Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film) 2004 in Europe. Mattel released film tie-ins that included the "Harry Potter Championship Quidditch" board game and character action figures. Lego also expanded on its previous merchandising for the first two films with the release of sets ranging from the Knight Bus to the Shrieking Shack. "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" held its New York premiere at Radio City Music Hall on 23 May 2004, followed by its London premiere at Leicester Square on 30 May 2004. The film then opened in the United Kingdom on 31 May 2004 and on 4 June 2004 in the United States.
Religious debates over the Harry Potter series was ranked seventh on the list of the most challenged books in American libraries between 1990 and 2000 despite having been first published in the United States in 1998. In 1999, the "Harry Potter" books were challenged 23 times in 13 states. According to the American Library Association, they are now the most challenged books of the 21st century. However, the ALA notes that overall, opposition to "Harry Potter" in the US appears to be waning; having topped the list of the most challenged books in American schools in many previous years, they have to date failed to reappear in